NZ hip-hop film lauded by Toronto movie fans
Stan Walker is happy with the reception New Zealand hip-hop film Born to Dance got at its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
‘‘It was a full house of clapping, cheering, laughing &crying . . . So blessed 2 be on the other side of the world 2 watch people love & enjoy our film,’’ the singer-actor posted on social media.
Directed by Tammy Davis, Born to Dance tells the story of Tu Kaea, a teenage boy from Papakura who gets the chance to audition for the best hip-hop crew in the country but has to go behind the backs of his home crew and his best friend Benjy, who is played by Walker. Tia Maipi plays Tu Kaea.
Walker posted photographs of himself and New Zealand hip-hop dancer Parris Goebel and the cast promoting the film at the festival.
Praise for the choreography by Goebel featured in early tweets by those who attended the premiere.
Born to Dance screened on a busy day at the festival with Michael Moore there for the premiere of his new documentary Where to Invade Next, The Martian starring Matt Damon showing, and Grant Heslov, Sandra Bullock, director David Gordon Green and producer George Clooney on the red carpet for the screening of political drama Our Brand Is Crisis.
Variety profiled Walker ahead of the premiere. It told how Walker, of Maori descent, was born in Australia but grew up in New Zealand. At 18, he rose to stardom when he won Australian Idol, became a judge on New Zealand’s X Factor and will appear in the upcoming comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, with Sam Neill and Rhys Darby.
Born to Dance is one of three New Zealand films with premieres at Toronto.
Leanne Pooley’s 25 April will have its world premiere at the festival, and Pietra Brettkelly’s A Flickering Truth will follow its Venice world premiere with a North American premiere at Toronto, according to nzfilm.co.nz.