Whale Rider
The Whangara people on New Zealand's east coast believe their existence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who survived a canoe capsize by riding a whale to shore. Paikea's direct descendants have been Whangara leaders since then, always the first-born and always male. Pai, a patriarchal New Zealand tribe's 11-year-old daughter, believes she is destined to be the new chief. Her grandpa Koro, on the other hand, is required by tradition to choose a male leader. Pai adores Koro more than anyone else on the planet, but in order to achieve her destiny, she must battle him and a thousand years of history.
Released: 2003-01-30