Curtis Vowell is a Māori director from the Cook Islands who has worked in the New Zealand film industry for the past 20 years. His debut feature film Fantail (2013) was nominated for 8 New Zealand Film Awards and was invited to its international premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. The film was also selected for the Melbourne International Film Festival, where it won the audience award.

His second feature film Baby Done (2020) was made with Taika Waititi and Carthew Neal's Piki Films, starring Rose Matafeo and Matthew Lewis. Since 2020 Curtis has directed the New Zealand hospital drama Shortland Street.