Who is Niki Caro, The New Zealand Film Director Who is in Charge of Mulan

Quick Facts

When we speak of filmmakers, we most times relate to the men in the film industry and barely see female film directors. But today, our cynosure on this article is a filmmaker who is making waves in the film production and is leading the way for other females in the film business. Niki Caro is a recipient of multiple awards and one of her most popular work is (2017).

She is set to direct the much anticipated 2020 film Mulan. Directing Mulan would make it the 6th film Niki Caro will direct, having also directed two television shows. She is currently one of the most sought after female filmmakers in the movie industry.

Who is Niki Caro?

Niki Caro is a movie director, producer and screenwriter who hails from New Zealand. She was born as Nikola Jean Caro sometime in the year 1967 in Wellington, the second-most populous city in New Zealand, a city which also happens to be the capital city of the Oceania country. Niki was born in the capital of New Zealand but she was raised in Auckland, New Zealand. She went to school at Kadimah College, located in Auckland. After leaving Kadimah College, she started attending Diocesan School for Girls, also located in Auckland. Following her graduating from Diocesan School for Girls, she received an alumni award for attending the private girls’ school.

Caro went on to attend Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, where she was training to be a sculptor. She graduated from the University in 1998, receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the age of 21. Niki Caro’s education did not stop there, she went on to acquire a postgraduate Diploma in Film and she got it from graduating from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.

Niki’s Career Growth and How She Became in Charge of Mulan

Caro’s first work with a film production company came when she wrote and directed an episode of the New Zealand TV series Another Country. Between 2001 and 2002, Caro wrote and directed 5 episodes of the New Zealand TV show Mercy Peak. Mercy Peak is one of two TV series which Caro has been credited as a director. Another TV series she has directed is Anne, a Canadian drama TV series. She directed a single episode of the TV series back in 2017.

In 2002, Niki Caro directed the New Zealand-German film Whale Rider. She was also credited as the writer of the film which starred Keisha Castle-Hughes, RawiriParatene and Cliff Curtis. She received major applauds for the success of the film and it placed her on the radar of Hollywood production companies.

Caro earned her first Hollywood directing job when she was hired to direct the 2005 drama film North Country. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and produced with a budget of $35 million. It made losses at the box office worldwide as it earned about $10 million less of its budget.

In 2009, Niki Caro co-wrote, co-produced and directed A Heavenly Vintage. The film was shot in France, Sweden, Belgium, Japan and New Zealand. It starred, Jérémie Renier, Keisha Castle-Hughes and Gaspard Ulliel.

Her next directing role came in 2015 when she directed McFarland, an American sports drama film. The film was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It earned an IMDb rating of 7.4/10, 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60% on Metacritic.

In 2017, Nki directed the war drama film The Zookeeper’s Wife. The film was produced based on the book having the same title written by Diane Ackerman. The film which was distributed by Focus Features earned a 7/10 rating on IMDb, 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and 57% on Metacritic.

Caro is set to direct the 2020 historical war drama film Mulan. The film will star Liu Yifei as its lead character and in supporting roles would be, , , Jason Scott Lee and Yoson An. The film is being produced with a budget of $299–300 million and is set to premiere in the United States on March 27, 2020.

Is She Married and Who is Her Husband?

Niki Caro is off the dating market as she is a married woman and a mother of two. Caro is married to her fellow countryman Andrew Lister. Andrew is an architect and together the couple has two beautiful daughters, Tui and Pearl.

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