A fan letter to film-maker Peter Jackson led Christian Rivers to the director's chair for Mortal Engines

Director Christian Rivers had written a fan letter enclosed with several drawings of dragons to film-maker Peter Jackson when he was 15. PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON - Christian Rivers' journey to the director's chair for fantasy-drama Mortal Engines began with a letter he wrote as a teenage movie fan growing up in New Zealand.

He had just watched a VHS tape of Bad Taste (1987), the debut feature from The Lord Of The Rings trilogy director Peter Jackson, and decided to send the film-maker a piece of fan mail. The 15-year-old Rivers was a keen artist and he enclosed several drawings of dragons.

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