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Quiz about New Zealand Film Directors
Quiz about New Zealand Film Directors

New Zealand Film Directors Trivia Quiz


The 1970s saw the establishment of the New Zealand Film Commission to encourage and help promote films made in NZ, by New Zealanders. In the thirty years since, many of our filmmakers have become household names.

A multiple-choice quiz by ainenei. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
ainenei
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
241,105
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
365
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. The 66th Academy Awards, held in 1994, saw only the second woman ever nominated for the Best Director Award. Although Steven Spielberg took home that Oscar for "Schindler's List", our filmmaker did not go home empty handed; she picked up an award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for Film. Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Kiwi actor Sam Neill starred in the British mini series "Reilly: Ace of Spies", which was also directed by a New Zealander. That director went on to make films such as "The Mask of Zorro", and its sequel, "The Legend of Zorro", as well as the James Bond film that saw Pierce Brosnan make his debut as 007; "GoldenEye". Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Pierce Brosnan played James Bond four times, and in his first and last outings as 007, he was directed by a New Zealander. Which of these Kiwis oversaw Brosnan in "Die Another Day"? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. The independent film "Whale Rider" shot our next filmmaker to international attention and earned its young star a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Named in 2005 among the "Top 100 People In Hollywood You Need To Know" by movie magazine "Fade In", her follow up film "North Country" also garnered its female lead an Oscar nomination. Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. No quiz on New Zealand filmmakers would be complete without this next director. Born on Halloween (October 31), his early films were darkly humorous horrors that are now considered some of the finest examples of "splatstick" around. Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. In 1984, "Vigil" became the first New Zealand film ever to be chosen for the Cannes Film Festival Competition. Fourteen years later its director made the visually stunning "What Dreams May Come". Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Although born in Australia, this filmmaker entered the industry when he immigrated to New Zealand in 1965. One of the first New Zealand filmmakers to work in Hollywood, some of his better-known films include "Cocktail" and "Dantes Peak". Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. With a budget of $80 million, the writer of "The Truman Show" was told that it was too much of a risk for the studio to have him, as a novice, directing the film. So with the more acceptable budget of $20 million in mind, he wrote "Gattaca" and told the studio "either I will direct the film, or there will be no film". Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. When he was seventeen our next filmmaker began working with Peter Jackson as a storyboard artist for the 1992 movie "Braindead". Seventeen years later, Jackson showed his faith in him by giving him the directors chair for the remake of the classic film "The Dam Busters". Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Another filmmaker with his roots in visual effects, this man shot to stardom with his directorial debut, "Shrek". Its sequel, "Shrek 2", was one of the highest grossing animated films of all time. Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Feb 16 2024 : Guest 174: 5/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The 66th Academy Awards, held in 1994, saw only the second woman ever nominated for the Best Director Award. Although Steven Spielberg took home that Oscar for "Schindler's List", our filmmaker did not go home empty handed; she picked up an award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for Film.

Answer: Jane Campion

"The Piano" also earned Campion the honour of being the first woman to win the Palme D'Or at Cannes. She has written most of her feature films herself, the exceptions being "Portrait of a Lady" adapted from the Henry James novel of the same name, and "An Angel at My Table", based on the autobiographies of New Zealand writer Janet Frame.
2. Kiwi actor Sam Neill starred in the British mini series "Reilly: Ace of Spies", which was also directed by a New Zealander. That director went on to make films such as "The Mask of Zorro", and its sequel, "The Legend of Zorro", as well as the James Bond film that saw Pierce Brosnan make his debut as 007; "GoldenEye".

Answer: Martin Campbell

In 2006 Campbell directed another actor new to the Bond role. This time it was Daniel Craig making his debut as the international super spy in "Casino Royale".
3. Pierce Brosnan played James Bond four times, and in his first and last outings as 007, he was directed by a New Zealander. Which of these Kiwis oversaw Brosnan in "Die Another Day"?

Answer: Lee Tamahori

Tamahori's first film, "Once Were Warriors", was an adaptation of the Alan Duff book of the same name, a raw look at domestic violence and its impact on the Heke family.
4. The independent film "Whale Rider" shot our next filmmaker to international attention and earned its young star a Best Actress Oscar nomination. Named in 2005 among the "Top 100 People In Hollywood You Need To Know" by movie magazine "Fade In", her follow up film "North Country" also garnered its female lead an Oscar nomination.

Answer: Niki Caro

It has been noted that both "Whale Rider" and "North Country" are movies about female empowerment, but Caro denies being a feminist filmmaker, saying instead that she is curious about human nature in general.
5. No quiz on New Zealand filmmakers would be complete without this next director. Born on Halloween (October 31), his early films were darkly humorous horrors that are now considered some of the finest examples of "splatstick" around.

Answer: Peter Jackson

Jackson's love of splatter movies can be traced to the 1978 zombie classic "Dawn of the Dead". He is an industry heavyweight after successfully translating "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy to film.
6. In 1984, "Vigil" became the first New Zealand film ever to be chosen for the Cannes Film Festival Competition. Fourteen years later its director made the visually stunning "What Dreams May Come".

Answer: Vincent Ward

In 1992 Ward was asked to direct "Alien 3". He didn't like the script he was given and came up with the idea of setting the film on a wooden planet inhabited by monks. The films backers weren't as keen on this idea as he was, and Ward eventually left the project. He does get a writing credit though.
7. Although born in Australia, this filmmaker entered the industry when he immigrated to New Zealand in 1965. One of the first New Zealand filmmakers to work in Hollywood, some of his better-known films include "Cocktail" and "Dantes Peak".

Answer: Roger Donaldson

After making his first feature film in 1977, Donaldson was among a group of filmmakers who lobbied the government and was instrumental in the founding of the New Zealand Film Commission in 1978. His son, Chris, is a world-class sprinter, and has represented New Zealand in some of the world's best athletics meets, including the Olympics.
8. With a budget of $80 million, the writer of "The Truman Show" was told that it was too much of a risk for the studio to have him, as a novice, directing the film. So with the more acceptable budget of $20 million in mind, he wrote "Gattaca" and told the studio "either I will direct the film, or there will be no film".

Answer: Andrew Niccol

Although "The Truman Show" was written first, progress on that film was so slow that "Gattaca" became not only Niccol's directing debut, but his screenwriting debut as well.
9. When he was seventeen our next filmmaker began working with Peter Jackson as a storyboard artist for the 1992 movie "Braindead". Seventeen years later, Jackson showed his faith in him by giving him the directors chair for the remake of the classic film "The Dam Busters".

Answer: Christian Rivers

"The Dam Busters" is Rivers' debut as a director. Up until then he had worked in the visual effects area, winning an Oscar in 2006 for his work on "King Kong".
10. Another filmmaker with his roots in visual effects, this man shot to stardom with his directorial debut, "Shrek". Its sequel, "Shrek 2", was one of the highest grossing animated films of all time.

Answer: Andrew Adamson

Adamson, like Peter Jackson, chose his home country to represent a well-loved fantasy world. New Zealand became Narnia when he directed "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe".
Source: Author ainenei

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor skunkee before going online.
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