Success Stories
The list of Toi Whakaari graduates is inspiring.
All of these acclaimed creative people have worked with graduates of Toi Whakaari in the past five years:
Martin Scorcese, Jane Campion, Michael Mann, Niki Caro, Patrice Chereaux, Peter Jackson, Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, Lee Tamahori, George Clooney, Harry Sinclair, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Sam Neill, Sir Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett.
Think of actors Rawiri Paratene, Cliff Curtis, Marton Czokas, Kerry Fox, Robyn Malcolm, and, more recently Jacob Rajan, Matthew Chamberlain, Tim Foley, Brooke Williams and Ryan Richards.
Look at designers Nicole Cosgrove (WETA, Downstage) and Brian King (Centrepoint, Downstage, ATC); directors such as Willem Wassenaar (Angels in America, A Streetcar Named Desire), Rachel More (Downstage, Circa, Fortune, BATS) and Kerryn Palmer, award winner in the 2004 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. Then there are technicians such as sound designer Nigel Scott, part of the sound design team that has twice won an Oscar for Lord of the Rings, and performing arts managers like Shelley Irwin (production manager at Centrepoint) or Laura Staples (event manager for Stage Challenge).
Or Veialu Aila-Unsworth, whose film Blue Willow appeared at the Berlin Film Festival. or Sima Urale who won Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival with her first film O Tamaiti and recently directed the feature Apron Strings.
Then there's the success of shows and films created within Toi Whakaari or by the Toi whanau that go on to have critical and commercial success in the international professional arena. Check out Penumbra at AK07 or watch for animated short film Blue Willow at an international film festival near you.
You can also check out further successes for our:
For the most recent information about what our graduates are up to check out our Grad Newsletter.
