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Whale Rider is a Néo-Zélandais film of genre Drama directed by Niki Caro released in USA on 6 june 2003 with Keisha Castle-Hugues
Whale Rider (2003)
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Add to a movie listReleased in USA 6 june 2003
Length 1h41
Directed by Niki Caro
OriginNouvelle zelande
Genres Drama
Themes Films about animals, Feminist films, Seafaring films, Transport films, Cétacé, Political films, Mise en scène d'un cétacé
Rating74%
Whale Rider (also known as The Whale Rider) is a 2002 New Zealand-German family drama film directed by Niki Caro, based on the novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Maori girl who wants to become the chief of the tribe. Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only. The film was a coproduction between New Zealand and Germany. It was shot on location in Whangara, the setting of the novel. The world premiere was on 9 September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film received critical acclaim upon its theatrical release in 2003 by Pandora Film and Newmarket Films. At age 13, Keisha Castle-Hughes became the youngest nominee for the Academy Award for Best Actress before she was surpassed by Quvenzhané Wallis, at age 9, for Beasts of the Southern Wild less than a decade later. The film earned $41.4 million on a NZ$$9,235,000 budget. Whale Rider was released on DVD and VHS on October 28, 2003 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.
Synopsis
The film's plot follows the story of Paikea Apirana ("Pai") In the book, her name is Kahu, short for Kahutia Te Rangi. The leader should be the first-born grandson – a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea, aka Kahutia Te Rangi in the book, the Whale Rider – he who rode on top of a whale from Hawaiki. However, Pai is female and technically cannot inherit the leadership. While her grandfather, Koro, later forms an affectionate bond with his granddaughter, carrying her to school every day on his bicycle, he also condemns her and blames her for conflicts happening within the tribe. At one point Paikea decides to leave with her father because her grandfather is mistreating her. However she finds that she cannot bear to leave the sea as the whale seems to be calling her back, she tells her father to turn the car back and returns home. Pai's father refuses to assume traditional leadership; instead he moves to Germany to pursue a career as an artist. Pai herself is interested in the leadership, learning traditional songs and dances, but is given little encouragement by her grandfather. Pai feels that she can become the leader, although there's no precedent for a woman to do so, and is determined to succeed.Actors
Keisha Castle-Hugues
(Paikea Apirana)
Rawiri Paratene
(Koro)
Cliff Curtis
(Porourangi)
Vicky Haughton
(Nanny Flowers)
Tammy Davis
(Dog)
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