Whale Rider
Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers 2003 1h 41m Film
- Adaptation
- Drama
- Māori
About
Whale Rider follows Pai, a young Māori girl (Keisha Castle-Hughes) who challenges tradition and embraces the past, in order to find the strength to lead her people forward. Directed Niki Caro based her script 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 New Zealand films released internationally. It won Audience Choice awards at the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals, and Castle-Hughes become one of the youngest actors to be nominated for a leading role at the Academy Awards.
Key Cast & Crew
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Related images
Keisha Castle-Hughes in Whangara, in a scene from Whale Rider.
Image courtesy of South Pacific Pictures
Keisha Castle-Hughes as Pai, the lead character in Whale Rider.
Image courtesy of South Pacific Pictures
