Niki Caro

**Nikola Jean Caro** MNZM, better known as **Niki Caro**, born 20 September 1966, is a highly renowned New Zealand film, television, and music video director, as well as screenwriter. She gained immense recognition for her movie *Whale Rider* in 2002, which received substantial acclaim and won numerous international film festival awards. Caro made a massive leap in her career when she directed the 2020 live-action adaptation of Disney's *Mulan*, making her the second female and second New Zealand director hired by Disney for a film project with a budget exceeding $100 million. Beyond feature films, Caro's portfolio also includes music videos, commercials, television dramas among others. Caro's journey into film was unconventional with interest initially being in metal sculptures, and no formal training in filmmaking. She began by self-teaching from narrative film books, writing drafts for scripts that her mother would later type. It was only after being signed by a production company to create television series Another Country that her career truly began. Despite her modest beginnings and no prior experience in directing, Caro quickly distinguished herself in the industry, with her works even earning nominations at prestigious award functions like the Cannes Film Festival. Much of her early work hones in on depicting women's search for life goals, relationships, and desires. She has also made documentaries, applying her storytelling skills both to fact and fiction alike. Reflecting on her career evolution, Caro recounts experiences directing commercials, working on TV dramas, and making the shift to feature films. Her continual success seems testament to her talent, vision, and adaptability as a director.