Star on the rise

Variety magazine (US) named Taika Waititi one of ten directors to watch in the lead up to the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, where he made his feature debut. His first full-length project, Eagle vs. Shark is an offbeat romantic comedy starring Loren Horsley and Waititi’s former stand-up partner Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords). Eagle vs. Shark was picked up by Miramax on the strength of a five-minute trailer shown at the Cannes Market. “New Zealanders are good at making dark films, but we decided to do the opposite,” said Waititi in Variety. “This is the broadest and quirkiest that my comedy has ever gone.” Waititi’s next project is a feature based on his Oscar-nominated short film Two Cars, One Night.