Whale rider [videorecording] / South Pacific Pictures, Apollomedia, Pandora Film present in association The New Zealand Film Production Fund, The New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air and sponsored by Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen GmbH ; producers, Tim Sanders, John Barnett, Frank Hübner ; written & directed by Niki Caro.
Other Titles: Whale rider.
Edition: Special ed.
Publisher: Culver City, Calif. : Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, [2003], c2002.
ISBN: 1404943722
9781404943728
Description: 1 videodisc (101 min.) : sd., col. ; 4 3/4 in.
Subject: Grandparent and child New Zealand Whangarei Drama.
Whales Drama.
Chiefdoms New Zealand Whangarei Drama.
Feature films.
Video recordings for the hearing impaired.
Credits: Director of photography, Leon Narbey ; editor, David Coulson ; music, Lisa Gerrard ; costume designer, Kirsty Cameron ; production designer, Grant Major.
Performers: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa, Mana Taumaunu, Rachel House.
Target Audience: MPAA rating: PG-13; for brief language and a momentary drug reference.
Notes: Closed-captioned; sound track in English with optional English and Spanish subtitles.
Originally released as a motion picture in 2002.
Based on the book by Witi Ihimaera.
Special features: behind-the-scenes featurette; filmmaker's commentary; deleted scenes with optional director commentary; soundtrack showcase.
San Francisco International Film Festival, 2003: Audience Award Best - Narrative Feature (Niki Caro).
Summary: The Whangara people believe their ancestor Paikea was saved from drowning by riding home on the back of a whale. The tribal group has since granted leadership positions to the first-born males, believing them to be descendants of Paikea. But then a young mother dies in childbirth along with her newborn male son. His twin sister survives and the little girl, Pai, is brought up by her grandparents. Learning the skills of chiefdom from her uncle, Pai shows that she possesses a natural leadership ability.
