Whale Rider

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.

Country:

Germany,

New Zealand

Genre:

Drama,

Family

Duration:

101 minutes

Year:

2003

Director:

Niki Caro

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Company:

South Pacific Pictures,

Pandora Film,

ApolloMedia,

New Zealand Film Production Fund,

New Zealand Film Commission,

NZ on Air,

Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen

Budget:

$8,000,000

Revenue:

$41,400,000

Cast:

Paikea Apirana

Koro

Nanny Flowers

Porourangi

Uncle Rawiri

Crew:

Editor

Author

Screenplay

Producer

Director of Photography