Biography
Curtis Vowell is a Cook Island Māori director who has worked in the New Zealand film and television industry. He trained at Toi Whakaari drama school in Wellington and began his career as an actor before moving into directing.
His debut feature Fantail (2013) was nominated for eight New Zealand Film Awards, including Best Director and Best Film, and screened at festivals including Rotterdam and Melbourne, where it won a People’s Choice award. His subsequent features include Baby Done (2020) and Seize Them! (2024).
Vowell has directed numerous episodes of the New Zealand soap Shortland Street (2020–) and episodes of the BBC/Amazon series The Outlaws (2024). His film Workmates (2025) was written by and stars his partner Sophie Henderson.
