Robert Sarkies, a New Zealand film director and scriptwriter, was born in 1969. He grew up in the South Island city of Dunedin, where his feature films have often been set. Sarkies began making short films as a teenager with fellow filmmaker Simon Perkins, and his early work earned him international recognition. His short film "Dream-makers" won an award, leading to the production of his ambitious short film "Signing Off" in 1996. This film won four international awards and helped secure funding for his feature film debut, "Scarfies", which he co-wrote with his brother Duncan Sarkies.
"Scarfies" is a comedy-thriller that celebrates university life in Dunedin and was released in the United States under the title "Crime 101". The film received seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director at the NZ Film Awards. Sarkies' second feature film is the true-life thriller "Out of the Blue", based on the 1990 Aramoana Massacre. The film emphasizes realism and features handheld camerawork and naturalistic acting. Some residents of Aromoana initially opposed the film's production, but others who lost loved ones agreed to participate in the making of the film.
"Out of the Blue" was a critical and commercial success, becoming the tenth most successful local film in New Zealand and winning six Qantas Film and Television Awards. The film received a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Before working on "Out of the Blue", Sarkies and his brother collaborated on the script for the fantasy film "The Magnificent Magic Fingers", which was estimated to have a budget of at least NZ$20 million. The fate of this project remains unclear.
In 2010, Sarkies directed the TV series "This Is Not My Life" for New Zealand Television. He has also worked with actor Andy Faulkner, directing him in a 2006 TV commercial for Ford Fairmont Ghia.
