Whale Rider
NZ release: 20 September 2003
Parental guidance recommended for younger viewers Rated on: 19 January 2021
What’s it about?
A young Māori girl named Paikea embarks on a journey to convince her grandfather that she is the rightful heir to lead their tribe, against his belief that the role is for men only.
The facts
- Directed by Niki Caro
- Stars Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis
- English and te reo Māori
- Runtime: 101 minutes
- Based on the novel The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
Why did it get this rating?
This film was rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about this process here.
Intense scenes
A woman dies while giving birth to a set of twins, one of which dies too. She is shown screaming and crying before becoming unconscious, and her partner is shown hugging her lifeless body afterwards.
Drug use
A bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia are shown briefly.
Offensive language
The words sh*t and d*ck are both used once.
Further information
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Horror and bloody violence
Three young people go into the Western Wood and encounter a terrifying ancient spirit, the Kollu.
Content that may disturb
A maternity home for unmarried mothers and their children operated between 1925 and 1961 in Tuam, County Galway. In the 21st century, the home became the focus of a national scandal after a forensic excavation uncovered the remains of hundreds of babies and young children, along with illegal adoptions, mistreatment, and systemic neglect. In this film based on based on true events, an amateur historian investigates the horrors that took place there.