Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a defiant young city kid, is sent by child welfare services to live in the country with foster aunt Bella and cantankerous foster uncle Hec (Sam Neill). When Bella suddenly passes away and child services decide to take Ricky back to a care home, Ricky runs away into the bush with uncle Hec in pursuit. Child services arrive to find the house empty, and come to the conclusion a bereaved and mentally unstable Hec has abducted Ricky. A national manhunt ensues, and the two have to get over their differences to survive.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a New Zealand film written and directed by Taika Waititi, based on the book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump and stars Sam Neill and Julian Dennison. The film premiered In Competition at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on 22 January 2016. The film opened New Zealand wide on 31 March 2016, setting box office records for highest-grossing opening weekend and highest-grossing first week for a New Zealand film.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Directed by: Taika Waititi
Starring: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley, Cohen Holloway, Mike Minogue
Screenplay by: Taika Waititi
Production Design by: Neville Stevenson
Cinematography by: Lachlan Milne
Film Editing by: Tom Eagles, Yana Gorskaya, Luke Haigh
Costume Design by: Kristin Seth
Art Direction by: Jon Lithgow
Music by: Lukasz Pawel Buda
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements including violent content, and for some language.
Studio: The Orchard
Release Date: June 24, 2016
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