The Woman Behind ‘McFarland, USA’

The director of the new film McFarland, USA–Disney’s uplifting sports drama starring Kevin Costner–is Niki Caro. The 47-year-old was born in New Zealand. She got her big break with her 2002 film Whale Rider, based on the novel by Witi Ihimaera. Caro wrote and directed the film which is about a Maori girl who stands up against the men in her tribe. After the success of Whale Rider, Caro went on to direct Charlize Theron in North Country.

Caro is now working on the film adaption of The Zookeeper’s Wife based on the novel by Diane Ackerman. American actress Jessica Chastain will star in the World War II story. The Zookeeper’s Wife is based on the true account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Jan and Antonina Zabinski, who helped save hundreds during the Nazi invasion.