The author of the book that inspired Jojo Rabbit says she checked out Taika Waititi's films to see if she wanted to work with him.
The New Zealand filmmaker picked up the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay yesterday.
Waititi based Jojo Rabbit on Caging Skies, a book which his mother had lent him, which she in turn had borrowed from Wellington writer David Cohen.
Christine Leunens told Mike Hosking she watched Boy, Tama Tu, and Two Cars, One Night after Waititi told her he wanted to make her book into a film.
"I just loved what he did so I felt I could trust the story in his hands as he had that very beautiful fine line between drama and comedy."
She says the pair saw eye-to-eye on how to adapt the book for the screen.
"It just all went beyond what either he or I could have ever expected."
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