Born in Johannesburg in 1979, Neill Blomkamp was a visual-effects artist who moved to Vancouver and made science-fiction shorts before his debut District 9 (2009), produced by Peter Jackson. Set in Johannesburg, where an alien spaceship has stranded a million 'prawns' in a slum, it was a satire of apartheid and xenophobia, and was nominated for four Oscars, including best picture. He then directed Elysium (2013) and Chappie (2015), and started a studio, Oats Studios.
Filmography
- District 9 (2009)
- Elysium (2013)
- Chappie (2015)