The Cinematheque

“Inspiring and heartwarming … One of the 50 films to watch before you’re 14.”

British Film Institute

An arthouse smash in the early aughts, Whale Rider tells the poignant tale of a young Maori girl in a modern New Zealand coastal village and her battle to become her tribe’s future leader. Paikea (Oscar-nominated Keisha Castle-Hughes) is the namesake of her ancestor Paikea, a legendary chief who rode a whale to safety and began the line of first-born male chiefs who’ve led the Whangara tribe through the centuries. After her father, who refuses the position, Paikea is the only living heir to this succession—but tradition bars women from becoming chief or training for the role’s sacred rituals. Directed by Niki Caro, and adapted from Maori writer Witi Ihimaera’s novel of the same name, Whale Rider became an instant favourite of filmgoers of all ages.