Chelsea Winstanley was born in 1976 in Tauranga, New Zealand. She is a producer and director, known for Jojo Rabbit (2019), Waru (2017) and What We Do in the Shadows (2014). She was previously married to Taika Waititi.
Biography from IMDb.
- Tauranga, New Zealand
- Producer and director
- 6 on MovieCove · 14 credits in all
What are Chelsea Winstanley's films like?
Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 1 · Wry 1 · Earnest 4
Light 2 · Serious 2 · Dark 2
Grounded 5 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1
Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 1
Steady 5 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 1
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 2
Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0
A split, not a type: Casual 3 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1
Easy watch 2 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2
A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 2
Moods and endings
- Happy1
- Bittersweet4
- Ambiguous1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Chelsea Winstanley's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 2 of their 6 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (2).
Subscription and free streaming for Chelsea Winstanley's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
14 credits, 6 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.
Crocodile(2026)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Night Raiders(2021)
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Little Chief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Forgive Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Jojo Rabbit(2019)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Waru(2017)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Night Shift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Saving Grace - Te Whakarauora Tangata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Ebony Society (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
My Weaponry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Show of Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Career shape
A full career of 12 titles from 2008 to 2025.
Awards
2 major nominations and no wins, 2020.
- Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Producers Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Chelsea Winstanley's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 83rd percentile, the median of all 6; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 87th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up4
- 50th to 74th1
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
3 of their 6 titles are Mixed.
- Universally Loved2
- Cult Classic1
- Mixed3
Reviewers score the atmosphere 71/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Chelsea Winstanley work with?
People who share at least 2 of Chelsea Winstanley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Taika Waititi shares the most, 4.
Directors
- Taika WaititiShared titles: Night Raiders (2021), Jojo Rabbit (2019), Merata: How Mom Decolonized the Screen (2018), What We Do in the Shadows (2014)See all 4 shared titles with Taika Waititi
Editors
- Tom EaglesShared titles: Jojo Rabbit (2019), What We Do in the Shadows (2014)See all 2 shared titles with Tom Eagles
Mixed roles
- Ainsley GardinerShared titles: Night Raiders (2021), Waru (2017)See all 2 shared titles with Ainsley Gardiner
