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Whale Rider
Film (Trailer and Excerpts) – 2002
Set in the East Coast town of Whāngārā, Whale Rider tells the tale of a young Māori girl, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), who challenges tradition and embraces the past in order to find the strength to lead her people forward. Directed and written by Niki Caro, the film is based on Witi Ihimaera's novel The Whale Rider. Coupling a specific sense of place and culture with a universal coming-of-age story, Whale Rider became one of the most successful and acclaimed New Zealand films released internationally. It also won audience choice awards at the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals.
The genius of the movie is the way it sidesteps all of the obvious cliches of the underlying story and makes itself fresh, observant, tough and genuinely moving ... this is not a simplistic fable but the story of real people living in modern times.– Roger Ebert in a Chicago Star-Times review, 20 June 2003
Key Cast & Crew
See all 29 credits
Acknowledgements
Made with financing from the NZ Film Production Fund, the NZ Film Commission, Filmstiftung NRW (Germany) and NZ On Air
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Footage
Directed by Niki Caro
The Wall
Directed by Whale Rider’s casting director Diana Rowan
The Vintner's Luck
Also starring Keisha Castle-Hughes and directed by Niki Caro
For Arts Sake - Waiora
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Rawiri Paratene stars
Joe and Koro - High Society
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Illustrious Energy
Directed by Whale Rider cinematographer Leon Narbey
Old Bastards
Short film directed by Niki Caro
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Also shot by Leon Narbey
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Also shot by Leon Narbey
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Another determined young female Māori protagonist
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