NZ nominee film-maker ducks Oscar frenzy

Taika Waititi has been nominated for his first film, One Car, Two Nights, in the Academy Awards short live-action film category. Picture / NZ Magazines

New Zealand Oscar nominee Taika Waititi said today he was too busy developing his first full-length feature film to take part in the vote-catching frenzy leading up to next month's Academy Awards.

Waititi, 28, was nominated for his first film, One Car, Two Nights, in the short live-action film category in the Academy Award nominations announced in Los Angeles yesterday.

Shrek 2 director Andrew Adamson is the other New Zealand hope for an Oscar this year.

Speaking to NZPA from Utah, where he is attending Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, Waititi said he was trying to maintain a low-key approach.

He was nervous about the effect an Oscar would have on his career.

"In terms of my career a nomination or an Oscar win would do something for me, but it would also put a lot of pressure on me as well to perform to other people's expectations. Basically, I'm scared of that."

Waititi said he would not do any campaigning to "bait people into watching my film".

"There's only five films in the category, so it's not as fiercely competitive as other categories. I try to be pretty relaxed about life so I'll keep that approach for this too."

Waititi attended the four-day writers' workshop at Sundance where advisers helped him develop a script for a full-length feature film.

"That will be taking up all my time from now on."

The Wellington-based film-maker, comedian, actor and illustrator declined to reveal the theme of the new film but said it would be set in rural New Zealand.

Two Cars, One Night is an 11-minute film, telling the story of two children who meet in the car park of a rural pub.

It has won 10 awards at international film festivals, making it one of the most awarded short films in New Zealand history.

Waititi's second short film Tama Tu, about the Maori Battalion in World War 2, is screening at Sundance. He said Tama Tu had received "good feedback".

Two Cars, One Night took four nights to film and cost $70,000 to make. The film was funded by the New Zealand Film Commission.

New Zealand Film Commission chief executive Ruth Harley praised Waititi's nomination, saying it added to what was possible in movies from this end of the world.

"We're thrilled to bits Taika has been nominated. He's a huge talent, and multi-talented.

"There are thousands of films entered in these competitions, so to get this far on his first film is phenomenal.

"Here's yet another film-maker demonstrating that international careers can be created here and be maintained without moving to Hollywood," she told NZPA.

"Peter Jackson started it -- he gave everybody in the New Zealand film industry a sense of what was possible, of greater expectations."

Ms Harley said short films were launching pads for film-making careers and agents, lawyers and financiers took them seriously.

"They're a calling card and they show what's possible, what talent is out there."

- NZPA