Eagle vs Shark. 2007
Boy. 2010
Two cars, one night. 2004
Biography
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Taika Waititi is of Te-Whanau-a-Apanui descent and hails from the Raukokore region of the East
Coast. He has been involved in the film industry for several years, initially as an actor, and now
focusing on writing and directing.
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Taika is also an experienced painter and photographer having exhibited both mediums in
Wellington and Berlin, a fashion designer and currently preparing to direct the photography of a
short film.
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He recently wrote, directed, and acted in “Boy,” his second feature which has become New
Zealand’s highest grossing local film of all time. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival,
going on to win the Generation Grand Prix at the 2010 Berlinale, and awards at the Maui, Sydney,
Melbourne and AFI Film Festivals. Wiititi also wrote and directed the NZ film ‘Eagle vs Shark,’
2007.
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He directed the 2005 short “Two Cars, One Night,” which was nominated for an Academy Award®
How did Taika Waititi get involved in film making?
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‘I never wanted to be a filmmaker, I had other dreams, it wasn’t supposed to turn
out like this. I had grown up wanting to be many things; a maverick fighter pilot
(preferably named Maverick), a time-traveler, even a ghost who does pottery. To
my parents’ delight I eventually settled on art. I concentrated on painting and
experimented with other mediums; photography, music, acting, writing. In the end
I found a medium that covered all of these interests - film.’ – Taika Waititi
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Taika Waititis first film came about through a mild depression, his resentment at
being cast in a terrible television show where he played in a role as an ‘exotic
dancer’. This is when he realised that he wanted to write scripts and stories about
“real people who didn’t dance for money, stories about normal people who,
through whatever it is they do, make this world seem like a more amazing place.”
This was the start of his journey into the movie making world!! <3
http://www.indiewire.com/article/in-his-own-words_boy
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Filmography
List of his films:
-Two cars, one night. 2003 
-Eagle vs Shark, 2007 
-Boy, 2010

Script writer: Taika Waititi
Production company: Whenua Films, Blue Skin Films
Financiers: The New Zealand Film Commission
Script writer: Taika Waititi
Production Company: Whenua Films
Financiers: The New Zealand film Commission
Script Writer: Taika Waititi
Production Company : Whenua Films, Unison Films
Financiers: The New Zealand Film Production Fund
Trust, The New Zealand Film Commission,
NZ On Air, Te Mangai Paho
Who are Taika Waititi’s favourite
actors/ actresses/ Camera men/ Camera women?
In two of Taika Waititi’s more famous films he has used young boys as his main
characters. All of which are Moari descent
- In ‘Boy,’ young 11 year old, James Rolleston plays the main
character Boy.
- In ‘Two Cars, One Night,’ 9 year old, Rangi Ngamoki
plays the main character.
Camera Crew
- In all three of Taika Waititi’s films, ‘Boy’
‘Two Cars, One Night’ and ‘Eagle vs Shark’
he has used the same Cinematographer, Adam Clark.
Adam Clark most recently booked a role opposite Sam Jackson in "Coach Carter
for Paramount & MTV Films. Adam's other feature credits include a supporting
role opposite Nicolas Cage in "Matchstick Men," for director Ridley Scott and a
supporting role in "Traffic," for director Steven Soderbergh.
What is Taika Waititi’s prefered film style, film
themes?
• The themes in Taika Waititi’s films are all quite similar.
- The films convey the misfortunes in peoples lives with family, living and
relationships. Although the dark reality of the domestic problems comes
through in his films, it is clouded with funny, simplistic events that happen in
these peoples lives. Eg; Boy. Two Cars, One Night.
Current Film Projects
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Taika Waititi has recently produced his latest film ‘Jojo Rabbit’ which is going to be presented
at the CineMart in Rotter Dam and also at the Berlinale. It also was just presented at the
Berlin Film Festival early this month.
Taika Waititi is teaming up with Jemaine Clement this year to produce a new film about
vampires.
Interview with Taika Waititi:
What's your next challenge as a filmmaker? What are you working on? Taika Waititi: "I'm just preparing to shoot two
films. One of them is in New Zealand and I'm doing that with a couple of films and that's a vampire film - comedy. And
then I'm shooting another one, hopefully by the end of the year, and that will be another comedy that's set in World
War II.”
Taika Waititi: "Well, I feel that vampires are quite a new genre that not many people have explored yet. I feel
that this is the time to pull them out of obscurity and make a movie about them. No, this is my plan to finally
kill the vampire film movement with this final film. This will be the last film for many years about vampires.”
You will put a stake in the heart of the vampire genre? Taika Waititi: "That's right. The final nail in the coffin
and the stake in the heart of the vampire genre."
What is the significance/impact of their film work or
film contribution to New Zealand?
• His films open up the eyes of New Zealanders to see the poverty, drug
abuse and dysfunction in our society and families. These are all
underlining factors in New Zealand that is creating a great problem. Unlike
many other New Zealand films which are incredibly dark and depressing,
Taika Waititi manages to lighten the stories and lives of his characters by
using his chosen genre of comedy. ‘Boy’ and ‘Two cars, One Night’ are very
similar in this way. Both show the lifestyle of kids who have grown up
surrounded by the ‘beer’ and drug culture. Waititi shows the innocence of
life as a young child, who is caught up in these families and imagination
that flows through these kids.