Born in Wellington, New Zealand, James Napier Robertson began as an actor in theatre and television before writing and directing a number of short films in his early twenties, followed by his debut feature film, I’m Not Harry Jenson, starring Ian Mune, Ilona Rodgers and Marshall Napier. Garnering critical acclaim for his direction of performance, mood and dialogue, I’m Not Harry Jenson was released theatrically in New Zealand in 2009 and nominated for Best Picture at the 2009 New Zealand Film Awards, The Dominion Post calling it “The first New Zealand-made thriller in years that’s actually worthy of the name.”

Napier Robertson’s fascination with dysfunctional, outsider characters and social disorientation underpinned the dramatic tension of the film, a theme he continued to explore in his next film, The Dark Horse, starring Cliff Curtis and James Rolleston, based on the true life story of bipolar chess player Genesis Potini. A long-time chess player himself, Napier Robertson played hundreds of games with Genesis while studying his struggles with mental illness and working on the script.