During this masterclass by the New Zealand director, we look back at his entire career, touching upon his early films, his recent Palme d’Or, and his relationship with Cannes. The discussion also spanned major works like The Lord of the Rings, his take on artificial intelligence, and his clear fascination with King Kong, which he no longer hides today.
Who is Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson is a New Zealand director known worldwide for The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001, 2002, and 2003), but also for The Hobbit prequel trilogy (2012, 2013, and 2014), as well as King Kong (2005). More recently, he ventured into documentary filmmaking with The Beatles: Get Back (2021), showcasing another facet of his work.
Above all, Peter Jackson comes across as an inspiring and fascinating director who started making films in his own corner with microscopic budgets and crews you could count on one hand. He humorously recalls his early days and his time at Cannes to sell Bad Taste. He explains that he chose the horror genre because it is highly accessible without a budget, adding ironically: “and you can even make a horror movie without a script…” Reflecting on this period, he shares that in 1987, he came to the Cannes Film Festival market to sell Bad Taste. He shares a memorable anecdote: he was denied entry to the prestigious Grand Théâtre Lumière simply because he was wearing shorts.
The Masterclass
The discussion then shifted toward The Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson specifies that it wasn’t the animated film that inspired him, but rather the book, which he loved from the very first pages. This work became, in his own words, the project of a lifetime.
He acknowledges that the work was long and demanding but claims he never doubted himself—with one exception. In the mornings, alone in his car on the way to the studios, he would wonder how he was going to shoot certain scenes or design certain shots. Once on set, however, he transformed completely, shaking off his doubts and confidently relying on his collaborators’ ideas. He emphasizes this point with humor: his films are, above all, a collective effort.
In a more personal moment, he made a point to thank Elijah Wood, who was present in the audience, for everything he brought to the shoot of the three installments (which were filmed simultaneously between October 1999 and December 2000), praising his good humor, his ideas, and his unshakable positivity, which continue to inspire him daily.
Finally, the masterclass concluded with a Q&A session with the audience, blending tributes, expressions of gratitude, and curiosity about the future. When asked about his upcoming projects, Peter Jackson revealed that he is currently in the writing phase for the next animated Tintin movie. Since the first one was directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Jackson, he reminded the audience that it had been agreed he would take the reins for the second installment.
