NZ very own, Taika Waititi, wins his first Oscar

The 44-year-old Māori filmmaker got the recognition for best adapted screenplay for his Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit, and dedicated his Oscar to indigenous children of the world. He wrote, directed and starred in the film.

Waititi said in his acceptance speech, “We are the original storytellers and we can make it here as well." He thanked his mother for giving him the book on which the film was based and dedicated the award to “all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and write and dance and who are the original storytellers.”

-TIN Bureau

About Jojo Rabbit

“It’s a story of a 10-year-old German boy in the 30s, a fervent member of the Hitler Youth who discovers a Jewish girl is hiding in his house. It is based on Caged Skies, a 2008 novel by Christine Leunens, with Waititi credited for the script. The film stars Roman Griffin Davis as the boy, Jojo, Thomasin McKenzie as the girl, and Waititi himself as Jojo’s imaginary friend, Hitler.” - as published in The Guardian, UK