Louis Sutherland is an award-winning filmmaker based in Wellington and working all over the globe. A father of six, he has been called “the child whisperer” for his innate ability to connect with children, revealing their inherent personality and spark on film. His love of street casting has led to finding raw, untrained talent - some of whom have gone on to attain award-winning international careers after his direction and guidance.

It’s here Louis began developing his narrative films based upon his own experiences growing up as a bicultural dyslexic kid in 1980’s Kapiti Coast. These films led him around the world, and were lauded at Cannes, Sundance, and the like, with his first feature, “Shopping,” premiering at Sundance and winning the Grand Prix at the Berlin International Film Festival.

He got his start in the film industry by making documentaries, travelling around connecting with people to tell their stories. He combined his passions of acting and storytelling while studying performance at the famed New Zealand Drama School, Toi Whakaari.