Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Really excited to hear that award winning film maker Taika Waititi is working on a movie adaptation of Kiwi writer Barry Crump’s novel Wild Pork and Watercress. The film is called Hunt for the Wilderpeople and is about an uncle who takes his nephew to the Urewera forest so he won’t be fostered.

I read that Taika has been wanting to do this film since before he made Boy. The cast includes Rima Te Wiata, Sam Neill, Rhys Darby, Oscar Kightley and Stan Walker. I really enjoy Stan’s acting, especially his performance in Mt Zion so it should be cool to see how he does in this film.

Apart from the cast and crew, one of the main reasons I’m excited about this film is because it’s based on the work of one of my all time favourite Kiwi authors. I first discovered Barry Crump’s writing when I was about 13. The book was called Hang on a Minute Mate. It was the first time I had read a book about every day working class Kiwis that reminded me of people that I knew, people like my Dad and his mates.

Barry Crump’s books made me want to be a writer. I began writing stories about the adventures that me and my brothers and our friends got up to growing up in Mangere. I sent the stories to Barry and he sent me back a hand written letter. I still remember excatly what he wrote to this day!

“Your stories might be good. I don’t know. Just send them out to people, that’s what I did. Barry”

To be honest I didn’t think my stories were good but the fact that Barry Crump took time to write something encouraging to me inspired me to want to be a writer like him one day.

I wish Taika and the team all the best as they make this film and can’t wait to see it when it’s released in 2016!

You can read Taika’s thoughts about the film here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/69075250/Waititis-next-film-will-be-funny-and-fun