Don Selwyn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Don C. Selwyn (circa 1936 – 13 April 2007) was a Maori actor and film director from New Zealand. He was a founding member of the New Zealand Maori Theatre Trust and made the 2001 film Merchant of Venice, the first Maori language feature film with English subtitles.^[1]

Born of Ngati Kuri and Te Aupouri descent, Selwyn grew up in Taumarunui and began his professional life as a teacher. In 1984 he began a film and television training course for Maori and Pacific Islanders. In 1992 he co-founded He Taonga Films. The Arts Foundation of New Zealand had selected him for an Icon Award, and it was awarded privately shortly before he died.