Film Snail

Whale Rider
Whale Rider

7.1

Whale Rider

PG-13·2003·101m

Summary

On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Niki Caro

Author

Witi Ihimaera

Script Consultant

Gavin Strawhan

Script Consultant

Joan Scheckel

Reviews

No Reviews yet.

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$8,000,000.00

Revenue:

$41,400,000.00

Keywords

diving
becoming an adult
grandparent grandchild relationship
tradition
loss of loved one
ocean
whale
empowerment
new zealand
maori tradition
chief
modern society
canoe
patriarch
stick fighting
patriarchy
magic realism
woman director
swimming underwater
war dance
traditional dance