Whale Rider

The story of a young girl who struggles to claim her rightful place as the spiritual leader of a people seeking to find a viable existence in the modern world. A beautifully filmed account of both contemporary Maori life and its rich mythology, as Pai (Castle-Hughes is phenomenal in the central role) tries to assume her destiny by fighting a thousand years of tradition. This is an inspiring work by both writer-director Niki Caro and his acclaimed cinematographer Leon Narbey that has attracted huge audiences around the world (Audience Award at Sundance, Manila, Rotterdam, Seattle, San Francisco and Toronto Festivals).