Interview

Costume Designer

Jojo Rabbit Costume Designer Mayes Rubeo on Outfitting Taika Waititi’s Vision

Writer/director Taika Waititi, who is half Polynesian, half Jewish, had a very clear vision for his new film Jojo Rabbit. Inspired by the novel “Caging Skies” by Christine Leunens, this coming-of-age satire follows German boy Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) during the later part of World War II, as he shifts the opinions and beliefs with which ...

By Leslie Combemale  |  October 25, 2019

Interview

Special/Visual Effects

How Jojo Rabbit’s VFX Supervisor Helped Taika Waititi Create the Year’s Wildest Comedy

The most startling visuals in Jojo Rabbit (which opened last Friday) takes the shape of writer-director Taika Waititi dressed up as Adolph Hitler, the imaginary best friend conjured by a German boy (Roman Griffin Davis) during the waning days of World War II. But while “Hitler” commands the foreground, VFX supervisor Jason Chen worked a ...

By Hugh Hart  |  October 22, 2019

Interview

Production Designer

Jojo Rabbit‘s Production Designer Ra Vincent on Building Taika Waititi’s Anti-Hate Satire

One of the most buzzed about films at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival was Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit. The film earned an enthusiastic ovation from the large audience at its premiere and is currently sitting at an 80% fresh rating on RottenTomatoes. Some compared Waititi’s “anti-hate satire” to Roberto Benigni’s Holocaust drama Life is ...

By Loren King  |  October 17, 2019
TIFF 2019: Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit Makes the Heart Leap

There’s a reason Taika Waititi has become, to film lovers at least, a household name. For longtime followers, his genius hasbeen evident for years. From What We Do in the Shadows (2014) to Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Waititi’s unique blend of comedy, compassion, and fearlessness has been apparent in spades. Once he deployed his ...

By Bryan Abrams  |  September 9, 2019