---
title: 'Whale Rider (2002)'
type: 'film'
director: 'Niki Caro'
released: '2002-09-09'
runtime_minutes: 97
genres:
  - 'Drama'
  - 'Family'
countries:
  - 'New Zealand'
  - 'Germany'
canonical: 'https://cinepixo.com/movies/whale-rider-2002'
review_count: 0
imdb: 'https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298228/'
publisher: 'CinePixo'
---

# Whale Rider (2002)

2002 · 97 min · Drama, Family · New Zealand, Germany


## Synopsis

Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand drama film written and directed by Niki Caro, based on the 1987 novel by Witi Ihimaera. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Māori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe. Her grandfather believes that this is a role reserved for males only. A coproduction between New Zealand and Germany, the film was shot on location in Whangara, the setting of the novel.

## Credits

- **Director:** [Niki Caro](https://cinepixo.com/people/niki-caro)
- **Screenplay:** [Niki Caro](https://cinepixo.com/people/niki-caro)
- **Original Music Composer:** [Lisa Gerrard](https://cinepixo.com/people/lisa-gerrard)
- **Producer:** [Frank Hübner](https://cinepixo.com/people/frank-hubner)
- **Director of Photography:** [Leon Narbey](https://cinepixo.com/people/leon-narbey)

## Cast

- [Rachel House](https://cinepixo.com/people/rachel-house)
- [Rawiri Paratene](https://cinepixo.com/people/rawiri-paratene)
- [Keisha Castle-Hughes](https://cinepixo.com/people/keisha-castle-hughes)
- [Tammy Davis](https://cinepixo.com/people/tammy-davis)
- [Cliff Curtis](https://cinepixo.com/people/cliff-curtis)

## Criticism on CinePixo

No reviews published yet.

Official site: https://southpacificpictures.com/productions/details/337
Source: https://cinepixo.com/movies/whale-rider-2002
Film facts: Wikidata (Q19393); synopsis from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Reviews, themes and notes are the work of this site's members.