whale rider
12. paikea' s whale album: whale rider music by: lisa gerrard whale rider (2002) a contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young girl fights to fulfill her destiny .
the kahurangi tribal dancer during' whale rider' - premiere after party at ...
rawiri paratene and keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere after ...
cliff curtis and steve buscemi during' whale rider' - premiere after party at ...
01. paikea legend album: whale rider music by: lisa gerrard whale rider (2002) a contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young girl fights to fulfill her destiny .
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emma gibbs and helen klisser during during' whale rider' - premiere after party at ...
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if you want to answer the questions ,
who starred in the movie whale rider ?
and
what is the full cast list of whale rider ?
then this page has got you covered .
this cast list of who was in whale rider includes both lead and minor roles. (19 items )
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whale rider, new zealand’s latest film sensation, premiered last night in tokyo to an influential japanese audience .
keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in ...
keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema ...
cliff curtis, big vic and emma gibbs during' whale rider' - premiere after party at ...
steve buscemi during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema 1 in ...
rawiri paratene during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema 1 in ...
cebeci, ali. suduiko, aaron ed .
the whale rider summary
. gradesaver, 6 april 2015 web .
whale rider cast list, listed alphabetically with photos when available. this list of whale rider actors includes any whale rider actresses and all other actors from the film. you can view additional information about each whale rider actor on this list, such as when and where they were born. to find out more about a particular actor or actress, click on their name and you' ll be taken to page with even more details about their acting career. the cast members of whale rider have been in many other movies, so use this list as a starting point to find actors or actresses that you may not be familiar with .
the 2002 film whale rider, directed by niki caro, is an adaptation of witi ihimaera' s 1987 novel the whale rider, itself based on the māori legend of paikea, or kahutia te rangi, who rode from the ancestral home of hawaiki to new zealand' s east coast on the back of a whale .
the question and answer section for the whale rider is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel .
my name is paikea apirana, and i come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the whale rider .
keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
tv presenter phillip schofield and his wife stephanie arriving for the uk premiere of whale rider, at the ugc cinema in haymarket, central london .
the whale rider starts a thousand years ago, with a pod of whales. the biggest whale, the founder of maori culture, has a special relationship with the whale rider, a young man who sits upon its back. the book' s narrator, kahu' s uncle rawiri, then explains that the tribe' s first chief and ancestor, kahutia te rangi, who is also called paikea, came to their land on the back of a whale, making him the whale rider. he gave them gifts, including the ability to communicate with animals and nature .
the kahurangi tribal dancer during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
steve buscemi during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema 1 in new york city, new york, united states .
rawiri paratene during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema 1 in new york city, new york, united states .
cliff curtis and steve buscemi during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema 1 in new york city, new york, united states .
whale rider is not only a great picture it has a great message two. should be rated pg - 13 but not a very intense pg - 13 .
emma gibbs and helen klisser during during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
grant roa and keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
rawiri paratene and keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
as expected, local film phenomenon whale rider took away the bulk of the prizes at this year' s new zealand film awards held in auckland last night .
i' m not really a big fan of the film
whale rider
. i have tried watching it but the film never really appealed to me .
the whale rider study guide contains a biography of author witi ihimaera, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis .
'' whale rider'' is rated pg - 13 (parents strongly cautioned) for scenes of emotional cruelty that may be a little upsetting for younger viewers .
cliff curtis, big vic and emma gibbs during' whale rider' - premiere after party at guastavino' s in new york city, new york, united states .
rawiri paratene and keisha castle hughes during' whale rider' - premiere, new york city at city cinema 1 in new york city, new york, united states .
analysis of witi ihimaeras' the whale rider' on the basis of... | publish your master' s thesis, bachelor' s thesis, essay or term paper
stream whale rider by lisa gerrard and tens of millions of songs on all your devices with amazon music unlimited. exclusively for prime members. new subscribers only. terms apply .
each part of the novel begins from the perspective of the whale herd. there is one old bull whale among them that remembers the days of the whale rider and thinks longingly about them, even though those days are long past. the older female whales worry about his growing nostalgia, because they know that heading back to the islands would be dangerous, but after they attempt to return to an underwater trench that is homelike to them, they find the trench toxic and inhospitable. all the while the bull whale fondly remembers communicating with the human whale rider and eventually leads the herd to new zealand .
movie review: a whale of a tale (by c. a. wolski )
“from the animated and enthusiastic discussions that followed the screening, there can be no doubt that whale rider is going to generate further interest and awareness of new zealand as a destination .
audio commentary by writer / director niki caro - a mellow caro broaches various aspects of the filmmaking process and how she brought whale rider to the screen. in english, not subtitled .
poster art and photo gallery (1: 58, 1080p) - a short slide show consisting of five us / international posters for whale rider and sixteen high - res color photographs .
studio: newmarket (released june 6) category: adapted source material: “whale rider, ” a novel by witi ihimaera storyline: in a new zealand village, where the maori people are descended from paikea, the whale rider, the chief’s male heir automatically becomes the tribe’s next leader. since the current chief has no male heir, his granddaughter, pai [ … ]
families can talk about the traditions in whale rider and the traditions of their own cultures. which ones do you think are important to pass down? which do you think need to evolve ?
: and he came on the back of a whale. a man to lead a new people. our ancestor, paikea. but now we were waiting for the firstborn of the new generation, for the descendant of the whale rider. for the boy who would be chief .
good plot. i like the fact that they put a really whale in this film .
set at 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. niki caro' s second feature 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 met with sizeable success worldwide, winning audience choice awards at sundance and toronto and its young star was nominated for an academy award
also joining the festivities were “whale rider” producer linda goldstein knowlton, cast member cliff curtis, newmarket films head bob berney and peering from the side, director darren aronofsky (“requiem for a dream”) .
[ 2 ] mottesheard, ryan (june 6, 2003): girl power: new zealand writer / director niki caro talks about 'whale rider´. interview with niki caro. urltoken p. 1
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 .
iervolino and bacardi said on monday they were committed to supporting each release with marketing, advertising and publicity akin to a new platform release. whale rider will launch in november in both restored digital and 35mm formats .
the story begins with a focus on the ancient days, when nature and all wildlife were excitedly waiting for the coming of man. then man arrived from the east, and the relationship between nature and man throve. one relationship in particular - - that between the whale rider and his giant whale - - was exemplary of a symbiotic connection. this whale rider casts spears as life - giving objects to the islands, but one spear he casts 1000 years into the future, which is the time of the story’s young heroine kahu .
tv spots (2: 38, upconverted to 1080i) - five us tv spots promoting whale rider with voice - over and critics' quotes. the spots are shown in letterbox. in english, not subtitled .
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“whale rider” star keisha castle - hughes sparkled at the after party for the film’s premiere at the cavernous guastavino restaurant under the queensboro bridge along the east river in midtown manhattan. the film, by niki caro opens in ny friday .
caro is in the united states. her best screenplay award was accepted on her behalf by whale rider author witi ihimaera, while the best director award was accepted by hone taumaunu, the kaumatua of whangara where the movie was set and filmed .
soon after, there is another mass group of beached whales. this time, while no one is looking, kahu jumps into the water and talks to the whales. she climbs on the back of the ancient bull whale as it dives deep into the sea. her family thought she would die, but they soon realize that she is the whale rider .
the partners have hired larry greenberg to oversee the unit, kicking off with niko caro’s 2002 multiple award - winner whale rider (pictured). the executive recently served as vice - president of acquisitions and theatrical distribution for momentum pictures and phase 4 films .
us theatrical trailers (2: 57, 1080p) - an awards season trailer followed by whale rider' s official theatrical trailer. they' re presented in anamorphic widescreen and while in good shape, they contain some dirt. in english, not subtitled .
' the whale rider' is a story about a maori girl named kahu, who dreams of being the chief of her tribe. however, in maori culture, only men can be chief. the story shifts between the present day and a thousand years ago .
whale rider (2002), a film by new zealand director niki caro, is based on the novel of the same name by witi ihimaera. the novel in turn uses the traditional tale of paikea, who came to new zealand on the back of a whale. whale rider enjoyed extraordinary international success and made the young māori actress keisha castle - hughes, who played a young, female paikea, one of new zealand’s most recognised faces. in this scene the wit and irreverence of māori humour is shown in the interaction between two generations of māori women. also featured are paikea’s grandmother flowers (vicky haughton) and friends maka (mabel wharekawa - burt) and miro (rawinia clarke) .
supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers high - quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. this one - page guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of whale rider by witi ihimaera .
her instinctive underplaying gives'' whale rider'' an added gravity, with the lush remoteness of the landscape serving as an entrancing contrast to the sugar - rush, you - go - girl empowerment of programmed pandering like'' the lizzie mcguire movie,'' whose tweener heroine flails her arms and bats her eyes as if she were sending distress signals. the director demonstrates a class and tact that brand'' whale rider,'' which opens today in new york and los angeles, as more than a time - filler for young moviegoers or an ironman competition for adults accompanying them .
u. s. label shout factory has officially announced and detailed its upcoming 15th anniversary blu - ray edition of director niki caro' s film whale rider (2002). the release, which will be part of the label' s recently launched shout select line, will be available for ...
rather than inflate this story (from a novel by witi ihimaera) with artificial sentiment, writer - director niki caro develops very real and turbulent family relationships, intimate and yet torn by a collision between stubborn tradition and changing attitudes. the mythic whale rider - - the ultimate symbol of maori connection to nature - - is also the harbinger of pai' s destiny, and the appealing castle - hughes gives a luminous, astonishingly powerful performance that won' t leave a dry eye in the house. with its fresh take on a familiar tale, whale rider is definitely one from the heart. - - jeff shannon
ms. caro' s attempt to fight the mawkishness inherent in the film' s opening by setting a tone of emotional tidiness makes the rest of'' whale rider'' distinctively efficient; this gamble makes the first section seem distended and a little drab. still, there aren' t many filmmakers who would have fought that initial heightening of heartbreak. too flamboyant an opening would have left the movie with no place to go and embarrassed us with so early a claim on our sentiments. bear with'' whale rider'': once the picture kicks into gear, it has the inspiring resonance of found art .
in the whale rider, kahu is a young maori girl who wants to be the chief of her tribe, but cannot be because in her culture that role is only for men. she uses her gifts of communicating with nature to save a beached pod of whales, and because of that she is finally accepted .
the focus shifts to a herd of whales. the whale mothers look over their young while the single leader whale—the bull whale—reminisces about his own youth so long ago, and the precious time he spent with the whale rider. now, so many years after their separation, the nostalgia for their time spent together cuts away at the old bull whale. but then the story shifts to kahu. the narrator of this time period is rawiri, her uncle. when she is born, her great - grandfather expresses great disdain that she is a girl. he is looking for a suitable successor, which according to local culture ought to be passed from eldest child to eldest child. porourangi, the girl’s father, is his eldest grandson so he is the successor for that generation. the problem in koro’s mind, however, is that porourangi’s eldest child is now kahu, who—because she is female—is not fit to lead according to koro .
if a picture tells a thousand words, a movie runs at 24 pictures per second, and a 105 minute film is comprised of 151, 200 frames, then a piece of celluloid should tell a story worthy of 151. 2 million words. whale rider is the first movie i have ever seen that achieves this mark .
i could gush on for much longer but there is little point. when push comes to shove, all that i need to say about whale rider is that it is the best film i have seen in a movie theater since almost famous; moreover, the twin performances of rawiri paratene as koro and keisha castle - hughes as pai are as good as any in recent cinema. stating the obvious, whale rider is one of the best movie experiences of my life and i strongly urge you to see it as soon as you possibly can. and bring a lot of tissue paper just in case. our movie theater was niagara falls during several key moments .
“the premiere of whale rider was an ideal way to start my visit. the film has already proved to be a superb vehicle for promoting new zealand to discerning audiences around the world. opening night in tokyo left the audience moved and impressed with the film, its story, and the new insights it gave them into new zealand .
all of these elements are creatively combined for a very unique film in the world of cinema today. by the time whale rider arrives at a fairly unorthodox and surprisingly suspenseful ending, the viewer will be so in love with the characters that the emotional impact is almost unsettling. something this special is an absolute must - see and is recommended for the entire family .
a different herd of whales washes up on the beaches of whangara, and though most of the locals attempt to save them, the whales all perish. koro interprets this as a sign of what is happening to the maori. however, the following night the herd of whales the novel has been following arrives in whangara. the bull whale beaches himself, apparently waiting to die. kahu communicates with the bull whale, who is overjoyed at the return of the whale rider and swims back out to sea with kahu still on his back. kahu sacrifices herself so that her people may continue to thrive and decides that she will remain with the herd; however, one of the elderly female whales convinces the bull whale to take kahu back to shore. koro realizes that he has been blind to kahu’s talents and her leadership and finally tells his great - granddaughter that he loves her .
in desperation, kahu swims out to the whale and climbs up its back after communicating with it. the whale mistakes kahu for its old master—kahu’s ancient ancestor, kahutia te rangi. overjoyed, the whale returns to sea and it descends back into the water with the rest of the herd and kahu in tow. kahu agrees to come with the herd in the hopes that she will thus save them and save her own people. she thinks that this will be the last time she will ever see her home and family and that accompanying the herd means losing all that she holds dear, but she sacrifices herself nonetheless and chooses to remain as the whale rider. back on the shore, koro finally realizes kahu’s special status and her suitability to lead. his anguish is now doubled as he must accept that he has been so harsh to the very person he needed so badly this whole time .
based on the witi ihimaera children' s novel, whale rider tells the story of maori people living in new zealand who are struggling to survive in the modern world. like many spiritual people, they are caught between the beliefs that have been passed down for many generations from their ancestors and a world which appears to offer no safe harbor to even the truest of believers .
weaving family life, cultural tradition, and an ancient myth into a contemporary story, whale rider is a tender tale. as pai, first - time actress castle - hughes is a small but impressive warrior, perfectly balancing kid naivety with adult bravery. the traditional costumes, language, chants, and personality of the maori people come through well, while the tale is clearly a modern fiction, based on a novel by witi ihimaera. beautiful and dramatic new zealand landscapes and dreamy underwater whale photography cement the formula of the film and add to its magic .
koro recognizes in this event a spiritual warning to him and his people; their test is to return this ancient whale back to sea because they are so connected to this supernatural whale herd that if it lives they live and f it dies they die. koro calls a meeting of the local maori people and impresses upon them the spiritual significance of this event. their way of life is being put to the test: they can either save the whale or fail and fall into ruin. they organize all available vehicles and manpower down on the beach and attempt all sorts of measures to get the bull whale back to sea, but the giant creature stubbornly resists and continues to wait for itself to die on the shore .
witi ihimaera is one of these maori writers who was born in 1944. his work includes novels, short stories, and anthropological works. central to ihimaera’s fiction is the examination of the concerns of the maori culture and the return to traditional values. therefor he sensitivly captures the particular nuances contained within maori society. in 1987 ihimaera wrote the novel the whale rider which was turned into a movie in 2003 by niki caro and opened a huge acclaim and interest to maori culture throughout the world. ihimaera himself said his novel to be a “a modern retelling of a maori legend” creating the central figure as a female “in response to his daughter' s complaining about the boy always being the hero” [ 2 ]. the whale rider novel appears somehow like a modern tale .
storyline: in a new zealand village, where the maori people are descended from paikea, the whale rider, the chief’s male heir automatically becomes the tribe’s next leader. since the current chief has no male heir, his granddaughter, pai (keisha castle - hughes), fights generations of tradition in an attempt to succeed him, an honor for which she believes she is destined .
whale rider is a story of the quest for the new leader of an indigenous maori tribe living on an island off the coast of new zealand. often this type of film ends up making a caricature of the people, accentuating their quaint customs and idiosyncratic behaviors and causing us to smile condescendingly at their ignorance and stunted development. whale rider does nothing of the kind. director niki caro treats her subject matter with profound respect, genuine curiosity and effortless grace, while refusing to ignore the signs of cultural disintegration. it is as if we are invited into the whangara community, and are free to observe comfortably, without fear or embellishment. the 11 - year - old first - time actor keisha castle - hughes gives the most astonishing performance by a child that i have ever witnessed, and lifts the movie from being just plain good to a profoundly moving experience. whale rider is a tale of the evolution of a culture, wrapped in humor and hope. it is a story of an indomitable spirit. it is a movie about love and change, about the grim realities of life and the marvelous miracles of faith. if you have a chance to see this film, do not miss it !
the stoic mysticism of niki caro' s cool - handed charmer'' whale rider'' - - in which the young pai must overcome resistance as she tries to assume her destiny as the leader of a tribe on the new zealand coast - - is wickedly absorbing. much of the film' s power comes from the delicate charisma of keisha castle - hughes, making her acting debut as pai .
and also included the keisha castle - hughes screen tests that appeared on the european editions. shout!' s still gallery varies from the pictures displayed on the region 1' s gallery. the forty - five minute
riding the wave: the whale rider story
that is on the r2 swiss ascot elite disc seems to be a longer version of the making - of that shout! licensed from sony .
the whales are a symbol of kahu' s tribe: when the whales are safe, the tribe is safe. the old whale serves as a comparison to koro. when the whale accepts kahu as a leader, koro does as well. the whales also are a symbol of the relationship between man and nature. the whales are safe again once man respects nature and the ocean again .
part i begins by refocusing on the herd of whales. the bull whale leads his herd away from their most - feared predator: mankind. the old whale remembers the days when man and animal were united and in communication, but those are long past. however, he is unable to let go, and thoughts of returning to the place of his youth at whatever cost gnaw at his heart .
climbs onto the largest whale' s back and coaxes it back into the ocean, causing the other beached whales to follow, saving them all. pai nearly drowns as a result, though she ultimately survives
ever since the time of the whale rider, kahu' s tribe has been ruled by a male chief. kahu' s great - grandfather koro is chief of the tribe, but because of his old age he is worried about who will be his heir. koro was very upset when kahu was born because she was a girl, and since then has ignored her, even though she loves him very much and wants his affection .
in whale rider, there are no big - name stars, the director is unknown, and the story is far from being mainstream, yet it’s not quirky or strange, either. the movie is a simple celebration of spirit and courage with an emotional power unlike anything since the iron giant. it celebrates cultural mores even as it deconstructs them, using impacting performances, cinematography, music and themes to draw the viewer into its singular universe .
whale rider
arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audience - grabbers of recent years. it won the audience awards as the most popular film at both the toronto and sundance film festivals, played to standing ovations, left audiences in tears. i recite these facts right at the top of this review because i fear you might make a hasty judgment that you don' t want to see a movie about a 12 - year - old maori girl who dreams of becoming the chief of her people. sounds too ethnic, uplifting and feminist, right? the genius of the movie is the way is sidesteps all of the obvious cliches of the underlying story and makes itself fresh, observant, tough and genuinely moving. there is a vast difference between movies for 12 - year - old girls, and movies about 12 - year - old girls, and
whale rider
proves it .
the tribe founded by paikea has always been led by the previous chief' s firstborn son, in a line of descent stretching back to the whale rider himself. however, in the late 20th century, a daughter, paikea apirana
pai
, is born, and the death of her mother makes her the only child in the line of succession. the story follows her as she challenges the traditions of her people and struggles for recognition and acceptance .
with such a character - driven story, near - perfect casting was required for whale rider to be truly moving and heartfelt. keisha castle - hughes gives the year’s best acting performance as the teenager pai, infusing the character with a self - possessed composure that belies her youthful vulnerability. one of the most beautiful little girls i’ve ever seen, castle - hughes is resilient and almost majestic. her quiet confidence is most impressive for a girl of her age .
it' s not until
biking home
that you might even recognise gerrard' s voice in this quietly joyful mood piece. she only gives herself full, if understated, voice on the symphonic closing track
go forward
which echoes gladiator' s
now we are free
, but with maori chanting. though there is some compelling music on whale rider, much of it sounds bereft without the accompanying images. - - john diliberto, urltoken
those who are familiar with lisa gerrard' s solo career (
the mirror pool
,
duality
and
immortal memory
) and her dead can dance days will almost certainly nurse a sense of loss at hearing this most poignant of soundtracks. for a start lisa doesn' t provide any of the vocals, and the music itself is not an epic creation in the manner of the
gladiator
soundtrack. still, don' t dismiss it on these grounds! the music for
whale rider
is just as intimate and enveloping as her previous work. shot through with a wonderful homogenity it moves through some delicious native maori chanting to haunting melodies fully evocative of an ancient relationship with the sea and the whales. those who have seen the film, which i also recommend highly, will know the vital importance of gerrard' s music in its context, and might well be surprised by how well it transfers to a simpler auditory experience. lisa gerrard has referred to the
whale rider
project as
one of the most intimate of my artistic life... because it reminded me intrinsically that we live in a world full of fragile complexity .
fragile, complex and intimate - all words which encapsulate the experience of the
whale rider
soundtrack and make it well worth purchasing, as a fan of the film or a fan of lisa gerrard .
if you are interested in other cultures, and particularly if you are interested in the traditional attitudes to girls' roles in society, this film is for you. the girl is the natural heir to the headship of the village, except that she is a girl. it takes a series of startling events and adventures before the village elder, her grandfather, finally realises that she really is the reincarnation of the first maori, the
whale rider
of the title .
niki caro’s “whale rider” had its new york premiere monday night, followed by an after party under the queensboro bridge at the magnificent guastavino restaurant, a unique, yet fitting location for the soiree. among the crowd were newmarket chief bob berney and rogers and cowan’s jeanne berney. also there, the film’s star keisha castle - hughes along with fellow star, cliff curtis. polynesian culture also made its way to manhattan for the occasion, with a rousing performance by the kahurangi maori dancers .
based on the novel by maori author witi ihimaera and adapted by director niki caro, whale rider is part saga and part fairy tale, part kids' adventure tale and part poignant coming of age story, part, part girl power drama and part adult life lesson. it' s all these things, as well as a rousing good time - - with beautiful beachscapes and stunning whales a - swimming imagery by cinematographer leon narbey, and yet maintains an elegant, simple - seeming narrative structure .
but you will have surrendered to'' whale rider'' long before then. the film shows strength by tightening the rhythms of the scenes; be warned that the longueurs that surface in the first 10 minutes or so may make demands on your patience. ms. caro and her editor, david coulson, obviously wanted to dissipate any feeling of forced pathos that might accompany the intense tragedy experienced by pai' s family. it' s a welcome exercise of taste on the director' s part .
synopsis in a small new zealand coastal village, maori claim descent from paikea, the whale rider. in every generation for over 1000 years, a male heir born to the chief succeeds to the title. the time is now. the chief' s eldest son, porourangi, fathers twins - a boy and a girl. but the boy and his mother die in childbirth. the surviving girl is named pai... a contemporary story of love and rejection as a young girl fights to fulfil her destiny .
i did not like this film very much. this movie seemed to force a gender issue, where there was not a real need for one. i liked the concept of the whale rider, and how the grandfather would raise the youth of the area into a whale rider. i thought the grandfather not allowing his daughter to train and practically banishing her was excessive. the grandfather was quick tempered and only wanted a grandson, so the entire movie was based around the grandfather' s disliking of his daughter. in my opinion, this movie was too focused on the subject of the daughter not being the person that her grandfather wanted her to be, rather than it focusing on what she wanted. some people could view this movie as a break from social and gender norms, but i saw it as a girl that couldn' t do anything to break her gender norms until she risked her life to save the whales. overall, this movie was not very enjoyable for me, mainly because of the dull plot and sub - par acting .
paikea' s whale performed by, vocal by' keriana thomson',' the wananga boys' music composed by, arranged by lisa gerrard copyright owned by 4ad ltd under license from south pacific pictures ltd. © (p) 2003 4ad ltd
the novel begins with a traditional legend of the maori tribe which tells of the arrival of man from the east, and his relationship with all the animals. in particular, this story is about paikea, the first whale rider who uses spears to create life on the island. one of his spears is cast one thousand years into the future, and is understood to give life to kahu, who will become the novel’s protagonist. the narrator of the modern sections of the novel is rawiri, kahu’s uncle. the maori are a tribe from a small coastal village in whangara, new zealand, who trace their lineage back to the first whale rider through male descendants. koro, the aging leader of the tribe, tries to ensure his line of succession, but when his first great - grandchild is born and she is female koro feels he must search the community for a new heir since in his mind, women cannot be tribal leaders. koro rejects kahu throughout much of the novel, and tries to preserve traditional maori culture in the face of spreading modernity .
the story is about a young maori girl called kahu who is the granddaughter of koro apirana, chief of a maori tribe. while koro is desperate about not having a male grandchild he starts to look for a male successor amongst his tribe, unaware that kahu has the aptitudes which a chief requires. because of his blindness and frustration koro abandons kahu. for the action the story of the whales plays an important role. the whales are strongly connected with koro´s maori tribe by his ancestor and whale rider paikea. a herd of whales which is leaded by the ancient whale which paikea rode is heading towards new zealand troubled by changes in their environment. they stranded on the beach in front of the maori village and the people tried to get the whales out to the sea again but they fail. kahu manages to lead them back to the sea by riding the ancient bull whale. koro now realizes that kahu is the true successor with the right characteristics to be a leader, regardless of age and gender and ensures the salvation of her village .
based on a novel by transplanted new zealander witi ihimaera, whale rider is the story of a 12 - year - old girl named pai, short for paikea, a child of the whangara tribe which habituates the maori east coast of new zealand. when pai is born, her mother and twin brother die, a tragedy that also causes a very difficult and unfortunate situation. the whangara people believe that their presence on the island results from the arrival of a single ancestor thousands of years earlier. that man, like our heroine, was named paikea and he escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to the distant shore on the back of a whale. after this historic event, the whangara chiefs, who are considered to be the legendary figure’s direct descendants, are always the first - born and always male .
the whale rider novel is a positive and sensitive representation of maori culture and several terms from the postcolonial theory can be determined within the novel. that is why it appears to me worth analysing this text in the context of postcolonial literary studies which is the purpose of this term paper. in chapter 1 i will give a short summary about the colonial and postcolonial history of new zealand and its postcolonial literature tradition. chapter 2 deals with the novel´s main characters and the narrative structure while chapter 3 detects the features of postcolonial theory which are embedded in the story .
writer - director niki coro perfectly suits the style to the story. the modest buildings in the midst of the starkly beautiful setting convey the contrast between the timeless culture of the maori and the ephemeral artifacts of the modern age. pai' s perceptiveness and quiet persistence are always evident, but when she finally speaks from her heart, standing on stage in a school production, wearing traditional garb, she is purely luminous. whale rider is not only genuinely lyrical, but, even harder to manage, it is lyrically genuine. a must - see for families of tweens and up .
the next evening an even bigger event occurs, this time witnessed not by everyone but just by the small maori community within the town. during the night, rawiri, koro, kahu and nanny hear a booming sound coming from the sea, as if a great door has just opened, and then they witness a large group of huge whales emerge from the bottom of the sea. at their head is a great bull whale with an ancient sacred maori tattoo. the bull whale pulls itself onto shore and strands itself there, waiting for its death .
tradition dictates that the first - born grandson step into the role of chief, but pai - - named paikea by her father, after the tribe' s ancient ancestor, who legend says arrived in the village on the back of a whale - - is all the family has .
the epilogue narrates that the oldest mother whale notices kahu and realizes that her husband, the bull whale, has mistaken this little girl for her ancestor. she leads to him the conclusion that she is kahutia’s descendent, and she is the spear he cast into the future and thus she must be returned to her people so she can bring them life - giving benefit and guide them through these troubled times. the bull whale eventually agrees and they return kahu, now unconscious, to whangara. when found by humans, kahu is brought to the hospital to recover and there she is near to nanny, who collapsed in shock after her dear great - granddaughter left with the whale her three days have passed since then and koro and rawiri have been taking care of the two of them. when nanny awakens, koro admits to her that this is entirely his fault, and that he has been stubborn and blind in the matter of kahu. later when kahu also awakens, he tells her for the first time that he loves her. then the story ends with kahu telling her dear great - grandfather that she can still hear the singing of the whales .
part 3 begins, as usual, by focusing on the whale herd. the bull whale is leading his herd through the frozen waters of antarctica. a collapsing of the ice there and the life - threatening nature of this collapse forces him to make a snap decision in guiding his herd. he chooses to take them down the paths leading back to the seas of his youth, a decision that causes dismay among the elder mothers because they know his nostalgia for the past is clouding his present judgment. but he leads them on anyway to what they know will be their final journey .
there was no gladness when i was born .
whale rider begins with tragedy. noisy tragedy. a woman gives birth to two children, one stillborn. as her husband, porourangi (cliff curtis), watches helplessly, she dies in the process, leaving him bereft, angry, and confronted by his own father, koro (rawiri paratene), ready to blame the surviving child, a daughter, for the death of the male child. porourangi storms off, leaving the baby to the care of his mother, nanny flowers (vicky haughton). fortunately, she knows how to handle her husband in ways that even he doesn' t imagine .
part ii begins with another short focus on the whale herd. they head towards a sea trench that used to provide them bounty and shelter but they find there an inhospitable and radioactive place. they are forced to travel to other havens as this long - time home for them has become too inhospitable to live in .
behind the scenes of whale rider
( 27: 03, upconverted to 1080p) - a traditional epk making - of with voice - over (by barry jenkin) and talking - head interviews with niki caro, producers john barnett and tim sanders, composer lisa gerrard, as well as actors keisha castle - hughes, cliff curtis, vicky haughton, witi ihimaera, and rawiri paratene. unfortunately, the piece seems truncated from south pacific pictures' original sixty - minute program that aired in new zealand. sony probably had to make cuts in order to fit it on the dvd. the 1. 78: 1 presentation appears windowboxed. in english, not subtitled .
this ex - dead can dance member imparts her own mixture of the ethereal, the worldly, the emotionally abstract, and the purely beautiful to all of her projects. she' s been universally recognized and acclaimed for her body of work: she received a golden globe and was oscar - nominated for the
gladiator
soundtrack. she has also worked on such high profile movies as
ali
and
the insider
. this release is a soundtrack for the new zealand indie film
whale rider
, already the biggest grossing film in new zealand ever. gerrard' s music, combined with the motion picture, provides an experience of profound power and spiritual enlightenment .
a young girl might fulfill a prophecy in an indigenous new zealand community. though the film brims with authenticity, it is almost too authentic. there are voice overs explaining the culture in which the film is set, but i spent some of the film lost about the relationship between the protagonist and the legend she' s supposed to fulfill. the patriarchal structure of the family provides grounding to the story, and the interactions between the characters are interesting, but the grand metaphysical puzzle that dominates this film isn' t clear to one who is unfamiliar with the film' s cultural backdrop. overall, i liked whale rider, but i don' t think i fully got it .
linda goldstein knowlton co - directed and co - produced the feature - length documentary, the world according to sesame street. the film examines sesame street' s international co - productions, made primarily in some of the world' s political hotspots, including kosovo, bangladesh, and south africa. the film made its world premiere in competition at the 2006 sundance film festival as an official selection in the u. s. documentary category. the film was selected and screened at the hot docs film festival in toronto, the seattle film festival, and other festivals including boston, dubrovnik, new zealand, melbourne, and zurich. previously, goldstein knowlton produced the new zealand film whale rider (2002), directed by niki caro, which was the winner of the audience awards at toronto, sundance, rotterdam, seattle, san francisco, and maui film festivals. goldstein knowlton became involved with whale rider in 1992, a decade before its theatrical release, after reading the novella upon which the film is based. prior to that, she initiated the development of the shipping news after reading the novel in galley form in 1993, and then produced the 2001 - released film, directed by lasse hallstrom. she made her feature - film producing debut in 1999 with both mumford, written and directed by lawrence kasdan, and crazy in alabama, directed by antonio banderas. she is currently developing both fiction and documentary films.
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 māori 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 release . 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 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 māori 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 release. 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 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 māori 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 release. 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.