BOY, opens to sold out shows at Sundance
Taika Waititi’s feature film BOY premiered to a sell out house on Friday night at the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The Festival is widely regarded as the premiere US showcase for American and international independent film.
BOY is screening in competition in the Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Section. Writer, director and actor Taika Waititi introduced his film to the audience. Also attending was the film’s young leading actor James Rolleston and producers Ainsley Gardiner, Cliff Curtis and Emanuel Michael. Rolleston received a standing ovation when he joined Waititi on the stage for the Q & A session at the end of the screening.
Early reviews from US media said the film “marked a new step up in maturity for the New Zealand director” and “Boy succeeds as both an ode to childhood and a lament about growing up.” (Eric Kohn, Indiewire). Vanity Fair’s Julian Sancton compared Boy to last year’s Sundance favorite Precious, adding that Waititi lifts this film even further through his
genuinely heartfelt and hilarious flights of whimsy.”
Inspired by Waititi’s Oscar nominated short Two Cars, One Night, BOY is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about heroes, magic and Michael Jackson. Written and directed by Waititi, the film was shot in his childhood home town of Waihau Bay on the East Coast of New Zealand.
BOY is the debut feature for James Rolleston as 11 year old Boy. Waititi plays their father Alamein, who is the subject of Boy’s fantasies and whom he imagines as a deep sea diver, war hero, rugby legend and close relative of Michael Jackson. In reality Alamein is an inept, wannabe gangster who has been in jail for robbery.
The film will screen five more times at the festival which ends on Sunday 31st of January. Four of these screenings have sold out. The film will then screen in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.
BOY is financed by the New Zealand Film Fund, NZ Film Commission, Unison Films, NZ On Air, Maori Television Station and Te Mangai Paho. NZ Film, the sales arm of the NZFC, is handling world sales of the film.
BOY will be released in NZ through Transmission Films on March 25th 2010.
11 Responses to BOY, opens to sold out shows at Sundance
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MY MAN I FROM THE BAY AND WANTS TO KNOW WHEN BOY WILL BE SHOWED IN MELB AUSSIE
KRISTY
April 5, 2010 at 3:18 pm
i saw a little preview last year and yip Taika is a funny falla!!l awesome performances frm the kids chur
Noa
January 27, 2010 at 12:00 am
wher did you watch it? aucks? where abouts?
Hemi
January 27, 2010 at 12:00 am
kia ora mo tena, we will eagerly await it's release here in Sydney
Brent
January 26, 2010 at 11:59 pm
Thanks for the update, haven't see it yet, hopefully I'll get to the premiere in Waihau Bay.
Tina
January 26, 2010 at 11:59 pm
When is it comin to Korea? I have been watching its progress and can't wait to see it.
David
January 26, 2010 at 11:59 pm
Hope it comes to Brizzy
Cynthia
January 26, 2010 at 11:59 pm
we're beautiful eh!
Tere
January 26, 2010 at 11:58 pm
tumeke look forwrd to hearing the news !!enjoy the night
Fran
January 25, 2010 at 12:19 am
Kia ora Fran. We'll be meeting with the movie whanau tonite and will ask and get back to you…
Potaua
January 25, 2010 at 12:18 am
Have you any hints on when it will get to Melbourne at all?
Fran
January 25, 2010 at 12:18 am