Taika Waititi

Waititi is Māori and Jewish, grew up in New Zealand, and makes films blending Indigenous perspectives with comedy and heart. “Boy” explored childhood in rural New Zealand. “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” was a road movie about a foster kid and his uncle. “Jojo Rabbit” made Hitler a child’s imaginary friend, satirizing fascism through innocence. “Thor: Ragnarok” brought comedy to Marvel’s most serious franchise. Waititi centers Indigenous stories without explaining them to white audiences, makes colonization’s legacy funny and heartbreaking simultaneously, and proves blockbusters can be smart, weird, and Indigenous-led.