Young Taiaha Simon could be New Zealand's next Peter Jackson, his principal Warren Brown says.
He has written and acted in a winning short film and will fly to Auckland to tread the red carpet with it next month.
The Upokongaro School 12-year-old was the driver behind Hunter Meets Pollution Queen, a film of nearly five minutes entered in The Outlook for Someday Film Challenge.
The competition is for films about sustainability made by people aged seven to 24. More than 150 films were entered this year. Taiaha's film, made with others from his primary school, will be up against entries made by university students.
It's one of 20 that have won awards, and he's been summoned to Auckland's Aotea Centre on December 5. He'll have to make a speech there. He's never been in a plane before, so he's both nervous and excited.