After making its New Zealand debut as part of this year's NZ International Film Festival, Yellow is Forbidden will return to select Kiwi cinemas from November 1.

Yellow is Forbidden will become the first Kiwi film to screen in competition at New York's prestigious Tribeca Film Festival when Pietra Brettkelly's documentary debuts there this weekend.

Billed as a modern-day Cinderella story, the movie will have its world premiere at the Cineopolis Chelsea 7 on Sunday morning New Zealand-time.

Brettkelly's fifth-film, Yellow focuses on the diminutive and daring Chinese designer Guo Pei, who dreams of joining "the exclusive yet savage world of haute couture". It follows Guo Pei from her emergence on the international scene, when Rihanna wore her hand-embroidered canary yellow gown to the 2015 Met Gala, through to her 2017 Paris show Legend.

Lintao Zhang Yellow is Forbidden focuses on Chinese designer Guo Pei's attempts to join the elite world of French Haute Couture.

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Whakatane-born, 53-year-old Brettkelly said the New York-based film festival was the perfect place to premiere a film that she collaborated on with a "team of inspired creatives who graciously agreed to come on this film journey".

"At a time when we address the imbalances of power within my industry as in others, three years ago an extraordinary woman who couldn't speak my language as I couldn't speak her's, entrusted me with her story after meeting for just one hour. This humbling level of trust Guo Pei gave me, along with intimate and exclusive access rendered this not just another fashion film, but a documentary with depth and splendour and precision. I believe this is my best film to date."

Kiwi director Pietra Brettkelly's documentaries have taken her all around the globe.

That's some call from a film-maker whose last effort A Flickering Truth was New Zealand's entry to the 2015 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category and whose back-catalogue include Maori Boy Genius (which premiered at the 2012 Berlin Film Festival) and The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins (which received the World Documentary Editing Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival).

The Tribeca festival's Brian Gordon wrote that Yellow showcases Brettkelly's "remarkable eye for detail and exquisite blending of visual art forms", as she "captures Guo's drive, artistry, meticulousness, and acumen".

As well as PBK Limited, Yellow also received investment from the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC).

YouTube Pietra Brettkelly's latest documentary A Flickering Truth was New Zealand's entry into the Best Foreign Language category at the 2015 Academy Awards.

NZFC chief executive Annabelle Sheehan described the film as a "personal triumph of Pietra, and so deserving of the opening weekend slot at Tribeca". "Pietra's premiere follows The Breaker Upperers' at March's SXSW, and it's very exciting to have these two New Zealand films directed by women showcased internationally in this way."

Yellow is Forbidden will also have three screenings at Toronto's annual Hot Docs: Canadian International Documentary Festival from April 30 and will later be distributed in Australasia by Madman Entertainment.