Neill Blomkamp

Neill Blomkamp (Afrikaans: [ˈnil ˈblɔmkamp]; born 17 September 1979) is a South African and Canadian film director and screenwriter. He is known as the co-writer and director of the science fiction action film District 9 (2009), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the director of the dystopian science fiction action film Elysium(2013), which garnered moderately positive reviews. He also directed the science fiction action film Chappie (2015) and the sports drama film Gran Turismo (2023). Blomkamp employs a documentary-style, hand-held cinéma vérité technique, blending naturalistic and photorealistic computer-generated visual effects. His films often deal with themes of xenophobia and social segregation. He is also known for his collaborations with actor Sharlto Copley. Time named Blomkamp as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2009. A 2011 Forbes article named him the 21st most powerful celebrity from Africa.