65 Quotes by Niki Caro

If you look at my body of work, which is not very big, really, it took an evolutionary leap with 'The Zookeeper's Wife'.

When I made 'Whale Rider' - of course, I'm not Maori and have no business, as a white girl, telling people how to be in this movie - I started by learning the language, as best I could.

I'm very conscious of what I consider to be the first audience of any movie that I make. It's those people whose reactions I'm most attentive to. They're the ones who will tell me whether I've done my job or not.

With every film I've made, 'Whale Rider' included, I've had a vision that was far bigger than the budget allowed.

I have a commitment to real worlds on screen. I like working in real communities. I like telling real stories.

I try to cast actors willing to believe in the world of the movie, who can make an emotional investment in the world we are creating.

I'm not at my house storyboarding, and telling them they need to move from A to B, 'Move here and then there.' Never, ever! I used to storyboard when I was much less experienced.

The New Zealand culture and nature is such that we find it very difficult to celebrate creative achievement. In order to get New Zealanders' respect you have to dominate the world like Peter Jackson has done. He is absolutely revered.

I never had a mentor. God, it would have been nice, but I just didn't. I look up to Jane Campion. And my most favorite director Lynne Ramsay.