Film-maker Taika Waititi says he knew he was on to a winner when the Sundance film festival audience applauded his latest film.
The adventure comedy Hunt For the Wilderpeople premiered at the US festival earlier today and has already drawn praise from international critics who attended the screening.
The Guardian and Roger Ebert.com have both dubbed a hit, while the Hollywood Reporter said it was "a deliciously good time".
Watch the trailer for Hunt For The Wilderpeople here:
Waititi told Checkpoint's John Campbell the film played to capacity crowds at each screening.
"It's great to hear 1300 people laughing at these jokes you thought might be funny a year ago ... [and] hearing people crying at the right places and then big roars of applause and cheers at the end - it was really amazing."
There had already been interest from distributors, Waititi said.
New Zealand reporter David Farrier's documentary Tickled, which delves into the strange underground world of competitive tickling, is also premiering at Sundance today to positive early reviews.
Listen to the full Checkpoint interview with Taika Waititi here:
