first New Zealand feature to win large audiences in its home country. In 1985 he made his feature debut as a director with hit comedy Came a Hot Friday. Based around the escapades of two smalltown conmen in 50s era New Zealand, the film is based on the novel by Ronald Hugh Morrieson. Mune won further acclaim in 1991 for directing 'coming of age' drama The End of the Golden Weather, an adaptation of parts of Bruce Mason's classic one-man play. Mune spent a number of years developing this passion project and seeking finance, working with Mason on the project before Mason died. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? won nine of its 13 New Zealand Film Award nominations in 1999. The film is the sequel to hard-edged drama Once Were Warriors, which became New Zealand's most successful feature film soon after release. It remains Mune's biggest commercial success to date. Mune's other directorial projects include a feature-length documentary on comedian (and Came a Hot Friday actor) Billy T James, teenage drama The Whole of the Moon, and UVF thriller The Grasscutter. For television, he directed episodes of comedy series Letter to Blanchy and anthology series The Ray Bradbury Theater. He was one of a large team of second unit directors on Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lord of the Rings and played a small cameo in the first film. In 2008 Mune directed depression-era telefeature movie Life's A Riot. Mune also had a cameo role as a judge, after the actor cast in the role did not show up. Mune: An Autobiography was published in 2010. Honours, awards and nominations 2008 – Qantas Film and Television Awards - Nominated for Best Supporting Actor - Film: for A Song of Good 2000 – Qantas Film and Television Awards - Rudall Hayward Award 1999 – Nokia New Zealand Film Awards - Best Director: for What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? 1998 – TV Guide Television Awards - Best Actor: for Home Movie 1996 – TV Guide New Zealand Film and Television Awards - Best Screenplay - Film (shared with Richard Lymposs): for The Whole of the Moon 1996 – TV Guide New Zealand Film and Television Awards -Best Supporting Actor - Television: for Cover Story, episode 3 1996 – Giffoni International Film Festival (Children's Film Festival, Italy) - First Prize (Golden Gryphon): The Whole of the Moon 1995 – New Zealand