WORLD OF TAIKA FORUM

Director Taika Waititi Offers a Hilarious Introduction to Thor: Ragnarok
Germain Lussier
5 February 2018

Thor: Ragnarok is already, unapologetically, a Taika Waititi movie. It’s off-the-wall, hilarious, bright, and wonderful. There couldn’t possibly be a way to make it more Taika Waititi, could there? Yes. Yes, there could.

io9 is excited to exclusively debut the below clip, which is the director’s introduction to the upcoming home release of Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok. It rules.

[VIDEO]

I wonder how J.J. Abrams feels about that.

This is just one of an avalanche of special features on the release, which hits digital on February 20 and on 4K and Blu-ray March 6. You can read about another amazing special feature, and see the full list, at the below link.
https://io9.gizmodo.com/thors-pal-darryl-is-back-for-the-ragnarok-blu-ray-with-1821959568

The Breaker Upperers starts production
April 02, 2017

THE BREAKER UPPERERS is written and will be directed by van Beek and Sami who will also play the lead roles of Jen and Mel, a pair of cynical misfits who earn a living by breaking up unhappy couples for cash. Australian comedian Celia Pacquola joins the cast along with Kiwi favourites including Rima Te Wiata, Cohen Holloway and Nic Sampson. This feature also marks the return to the big screen of actor James Rolleston who joins the cast playing a young man desperately in need of THE BREAKER UPPERERS services to break up with his overbearing girlfriend Sepa (played by newcomer Ana Scotney).

Sami and van Beek are looking forward to shooting the feature which at its core tells the story of two woman working out life’s many twists and turns and choosing their own path rather than one prescribed to them.

“When Jackie came to me with this premise I loved it,” says Sami. “After years of workshops, raising kids (Jackie not me), maintaining long distance relationships (me not Jackie) and hours of writing in cafes all over Auckland it's exciting to have the opportunity to bring this story to life with the help of our talented cast and crew.”

“After being friends for so long, Madeleine and I thought it might be time to convince the world to let us co-write, co-direct and co-star in our own movie. And now we have an amazing team of people supporting us to do just that!” adds van Beek. “Most of our key cast and crew are women which feels exciting. And many of our heads of department are job sharing in order to fulfill their filmmaking ambitions whilst also raising families. If this film helps to establish this model as a popular way of working I'll be extremely happy.”

THE BREAKER UPPERERS will be produced by Carthew Neal (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Tickled), Ainsley Gardner (Boy, Eagle v Shark) and Georgina Conder (Freed in Deed, Consent) under the Piki and Miss Conception Films banner. Taika Waititi (Boy, What We Do In The Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) is acting as executive producer.

“I’m so happy that our second Piki film is going into production,” says Waititi. “Madeleine and Jackie are two of the smartest and funniest people I know and I can’t wait to see what they do with this hilarious script. Women are hugely under represented in the film industry so I’m very proud that two of our best comedians, who just happen to be women, are getting to make their movie. I’m also particularly over the moon that we get to see James Rolleston in front of the camera again.”

THE BREAKER UPPERERS will be made with investment by The New Zealand Film Commission, Wallace Productions and Department of Post. The film will be distributed in New Zealand by Madman Entertainment and Piki and in Australia by Madman Entertainment in 2018.

Madeleine Sami's new film envisions a world where we pay others to end our own relationships
GLENN MCCONNELL
April 2 201

Breaking up with someone can be hard, so why not get someone else to do it for you?

That simplistic thought got two comedians thinking. It has now become almost the only thing they think about. Actress Jackie van Beek spent so many years musing over the idea that she and her friend Madeleine Sami decided to conceptualise the scheme in film.

Filming for The Breaker-Upperers​ starts on Sunday in Auckland. The pair has been given five weeks to film it all, and plan to release it in April next year.

And they literally had to film it all. The duo cast themselves as lead actors, co-writers and co-directors.

Van Beek came up with the original idea over drinks with friends about five years ago during a conversation about about relationships, and how they end.

"When people know they're in the wrong relationship and they know they need to break up with that person, there's a lot of dread and a lot of fear," she said.

The general consensus was it's just too hard to end relationships – why can't you pay someone to do it for you?

"I thought 'wouldn't it be funny if we had a film with two females doing something quite morally ambiguous?' So what if they were getting paid to break up couples, if that was their job and how they made a living," Van Beek said.

She approached Sami to work on the project two years ago. Van Beek was busy at the time as well.

She released her first feature film in February. The drama, Inland Rd, followed a 17-year-old girl's journey to find her estranged father in the South Island. As soon as that premiered in Berlin, Van Beek was back to Auckland to start her second feature.

Sami​ said the "random idea" was irresistible.

Asked if she thought it would be unethical to break other couples up, Sami said their characters performed a valuable public service.

"It's quite a cynical job that they do. But they like to think they do it for the benefit of humankind, to make things a little better."

The film will also star James Rolleston as a 17-year-old requiring the services of The Breaker-Upperers. Taika Waititi was involved as executive producer and all round "wise man" for the film.

When it reaches cinemas next year, Sami said audiences should expect laughs but also a thought provoking watch.

"We don't want to be causing too many existential crises," Sami joked. But she added, some viewers may wish this fantasy business was a reality.

"It might make some think, 'actually I am really unhappy with my relationship and I need to end it and get out of it and be happier'."

More far-reaching though, was the film's focus on women and life choices.

"Women are hugely under represented in the film industry so I'm very proud that two of our best comedians, who just happen to be women, are getting to make their movie," Waititi said.

Van Beek hoped that the film would alleviate guilt for women who had swayed off traditional life paths.

She played Jen in the film, a 40-year-old single who specialises in being single. The character's from a traditional family, who aren't thrilled with her choices, Van Beek said.

"She is resisting getting married, having children – she is 40 years old – as a person I think that's absolutely fair enough."

While the film was targeted at all audiences, Van Beek said her aim was to reach women who could relate to her and Sami's characters.

The film wouldn't have any quick fix answers for breaking up or dealing with hard relationships – but hopefully it would remove some guilt from those tricky situations, she said.

 - Sunday Star Times