Whale Rider
The Whangara people believe their presence on New Zealand's east coast 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. Whangara chiefs, always the first-born and always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants since that time. Pai, an 11-year-old girl from a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is fated to be the next chief. Her grandfather Koro, on the other hand, is bound by tradition to choose a male leader. Pai adores Koro more than anyone on the planet, but in order to fulfill her destiny, she must battle both him and a thousand years of tradition.
Released: 2003-01-30