Whale Rider
The Whangara people on New Zealand's east coast believe they had been there for a thousand years or more, thanks to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding a whale to shore. Paikea's direct descendants have been regarded 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 next chief. Her grandpa Koro, on the other hand, is obligated by custom to choose a male leader. Pai adores Koro more than anyone else on the planet, but in order to fulfill her destiny, she must battle both him and a thousand years of tradition.
Released: 2003-01-30