Waititi: Jojo Rabbit is a ‘love letter’
Taika Waititi describes his new film Jojo Rabbit as a ‘‘love letter to mothers, especially solo mothers’’.
Jojo Rabbit premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival yesterday, to a two-minute standing ovation at the Roy Thomson Hall and plenty of cheers for the Kiwi actor in his role as Hitler in the anti-hate satire.
Waititi, along with cast mates Scarlett Johansson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen and Sam Rockwell, walked the red carpet ahead of the screening, before taking questions after the movie.
‘‘The core of the story is the young boy who has been indoctrinated and has to learn,’’ said Waititi, who directed, wrote, starred in and produced the film. ‘‘I was raised by a single mum. ‘‘Scarlett’s character (as Rosie, mother of young Jojo) for me is the most important character in the entire film. It is no different for a boy growing up with a solo mother in Nazi Germany.’’
Rockwell said that he decided to play his Nazi captain as ‘‘if Bill Murray was a disillusioned Nazi ... and Taika liked that idea’’, prompting Waititi to quip that Murray was ‘‘sadly unavailable’’.
Roman Griffin Davis, the breakout star of the film, said the experience of playing 10-year-old Jojo was ‘‘really really nerveracking’’. Waititi reportedly looked at over 1000 audition tapes before casting the young actor.
New Zealand actress Thomasin Mckenzie said she had ‘‘watched Heathers and Mean
Girls’’ to prepare for the role of the feisty Jewish girl hiding in Jojo’s house.
It is a big week for Waititi in Toronto as he is set to receive the first ever Toronto Ebert Director Award.
‘‘Taika Waititi is the rock star cinema needs right now,’’ festival co-director Cameron Bailey said
in a release about Waititi, who is to write and direct the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.
‘‘His films are full of razorsharp humour, faultless style, and boundless generosity. Somehow he manages to stuff both indie hits and massive crowdpleasers with big, radical ideas.’’
The Toronto International Film Festival has revealed Waititi will be given the award on Monday September 9, local time, (Tuesday lunch NZ time).
Jojo Rabbit is due for release in New Zealand on October 24.