Ian Mune is a New Zealand actor, director, and screenwriter, considered a pivotal figure in his country's film industry. His career was launched with the cult film *Sleeping Dogs* (1977), which he co-wrote and starred in, a landmark work in New Zealand cinema. As a director, he has helmed acclaimed films such as the comedy *Came a Hot Friday* (1985), the drama *The End of the Golden Weather* (1991), and *What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?* (1999), the sequel to the celebrated *Once Were Warriors*. His prolific acting career includes countless roles in film and television, including a part in *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring*. For his services to the arts, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1991 and a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2021, earning him the title of "Sir". He has also won numerous New Zealand Film and TV Awards.