NZ Director’s Film Wows Audiences at Sundance

New Zealand filmaker Taika Waititi's feature film Boy premiered to a sell out audience at the opening of the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Written and directed by Waititi, Boy is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about an 11 year old boy and his little brother Rocky, as they reconcile reality with the fantasies of the boys’ world, including bully defeating super hero powers, a love of Michael Jackson, and the idolized version of father returning home after many years away.

Boy was among 14 films selected from more than 1000 submitted for Sundance's World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Early reviews from US Media praised Waitati’s work and young actor James Rolleston was given a standing ovation when he joined Waititi at the end of the screening.

Waititi also directed the 2007 Sundance film Eagle vs Shark, as well as some episodes of "The Flight of the Conchords" and the short film Two Cars, One Night. Boy was shot in Waititi’s childhood hometown of Waihau Bay on the East Coast of New Zealand.

Watch the trailer below.