Whale Rider (2003)

Director
Niki Caro

Main cast
Keisha Castle-Hughes; Rawiri Paratene; Vicky Haughton; Cliff Curtis; Grant Roa

Genres
Drama, Family

Description
On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.


Similar movies

Teenage twins battle dark forces hidden beneath Auckland's volcanoes.
Ronya lives happily in her father's castle until she comes across a new playmate, Birk, in the nearby dark forest. The two explore the wilderness, braving dangerous Witchbirds and Rump-Gnomes. But when their families find out Birk and Ronja have been playing together, they forbid them to see each other again. Indeed, their fathers are competing robber chieftains and bitter enemies. Now the two spunky children must try to tear down the barriers that have kept their families apart for so long.
This heart warming film is about a dog named Cooper who is the lone survivor of a terrible car accident. Jake, a family patriarch, loses his wife and children in the accident. Not being a dog person, Jake is angry and resentful toward the dog for even surviving. However, eventually Jake bonds with Cooper, and this bond ends up being the one thing that gets him out of bed in the morning, the one thing that helps him to go on living after such a tragic loss.
The animated story of Bambi, a young deer hailed as the 'Prince of the Forest' at his birth. As Bambi grows, he makes friends with the other animals of the forest, learns the skills needed to survive, and even finds love. One day, however, the hunters come, and Bambi must learn to be as brave as his father if he is to lead the other deer to safety.
Mickey Rooney plays a weary old thief who befriends a young child. Home for Christmas is a 1990 Canadian made film about a young girl (Chantellese Kent) who wants a grandfather for Christmas. She chooses an elderly, homeless ex-con (Mickey Rooney) as her pseudo-grandfather and he teaches her - and her family - the true meaning of Christmas. Somewhat predictable.. but has a good plot twist about half way through that keeps it interesting. A solid, low-key performance by Mickey Rooney as the seemingly broken down homeless man saves this one from drowning in it's own mushiness.
Willy the whale is back, this time threatened by illegal whalers making money off sushi. Jesse, now 16, has taken a job on an orca-researching ship, along with old friend Randolph and a sarcastic scientist, Drew. On the whaler's ship is captain John Wesley and his son, Max, who isn't really pleased about his father's job, but doesn't have the gut to say so. Along the way, Willy reunites with Jesse
Two tigers are separated as cubs and taken into captivity, only to be reunited years later as enemies by an explorer (Pearce) who inadvertently forces them to fight each other.
Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.
The Baker brood moves to Chicago after patriarch Tom gets a job coaching football at Northwestern University, forcing his writer wife, Mary, and the couple's 12 children to make a major adjustment. The transition works well until work demands pull the parents away from home, leaving the kids bored -- and increasingly mischievous.
Troy (Zac Efron), the popular captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), the brainy and beautiful member of the academic club, break all the rules of East High society when they secretly audition for the leads in the school's musical. As they reach for the stars and follow their dreams, everyone learns about acceptance, teamwork, and being yourself. And it's all set to fun tunes and very cool dance moves!
The Journey is a cross-continental story that explores the idea of culture, not just as tradition but as an expression of love. When Bee (Yew) returns to Malaysia for the first time in a decade - she introduces her conservative father Uncle Chuan (Lee) to her happy-go-lucky British fiancé, Benji (Pfeiffer). With Benji's lack of cultural understanding and comprehension of Chinese traditions, Chuan opposes their marriage. Unexpected circumstances ensue, and Chuan reluctantly submits to their union, on the condition that their wedding adheres to Chinese tradition. Part of that tradition is that Chuan must invite all of his childhood friends personally. So the quintessential odd couple, Benji and Chuan, embark on a cross country adventure to deliver the invitations. Despite language barriers and initial hesitation from both parties, the two men come to realize that their priorities are essentially one and the same.
Cassie Nightingale (Bell) finds herself with only days to plan her stepson Brandon's (Knight) wedding to Tara (Leggat) when the happy couple unexpectedly pushes up the date for their big day. Meanwhile, Martha (Disher), the newly elected mayor of Middleton has roped her into chairing the silent auction to raise much-needed funds for her pet project, the Middleton Botanical Gardens. Audrey (Wilson), a new arrival in town, pops in to Cassie's store Bell, Book & Candle and the two instantly bond. Needing help in the store, Cassie immediately hires Audrey as her new store associate and she even pitches in and helps Cassie organize the auction. But, Audrey is hiding a secret past and suspicions start to swirl around her when the donated auction items are missing. With the use of her "special" powers - as well as some teamwork by the Mayor and Jake (Potter), her husband and local Chief of Police - Cassie hopes to conjure up the truth before it's too late.
Climb aboard for an extraordinary version of Mark Twain's sweeping adventure when Walt Disney presents The Adventures of Huck Finn, starring Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings). Directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns), it's the unforgettable saga of a mischievous youngster and a runaway slave
Based on the amazing true story of a marine biologist (Robert Lansing) who befriends a six-ton Orcawhale, this "honest, fascinating and vigorously wholesome film" (Citizen-News) is heartwarming fun for the whole family. Like all close pals, Hank (Lansing) and Namu love spending time together. Whether sharing a morning swim or soaking up the afternoon sun, these two are virtually inseparable. Trouble is, the local fishermen mistakenly think that Namu is a threat. Racing against time, Hank must enlist the help of a young widow and her daughter to save Namu and prove that he's a gentle giant!
When Manny Singer's wife dies, his young daughter Molly becomes mute and withdrawn. To help cope with looking after Molly, he hires sassy housekeeper Corrina Washington, who coaxes Molly out of her shell and shows father and daughter a whole new way of life. Manny and Corrina's friendship delights Molly and enrages the other townspeople.
A conservationst tries to rescue a whale, which is trapped in a lagoon in New Foundland. Based upon the book by Farley Mowat.
Based on the novel by Truman Capote, this often-witty coming-of-age drama looks at a young man growing up with an unusual family in the Deep South in the 1940s.
Amy is only 13 years old when her mother is killed. She goes to Canada to live with her father, an eccentric inventor whom she barely knows. Amy is miserable in her new life... until she discovers a nest of goose eggs that were abandoned when a local forest is torn down. The eggs hatch and Amy becomes "Mama Goose". When Winter comes, Amy, and her dad must find a way to lead the birds South...
A week in the life of the exploited, child newspaper sellers in turn-of-the-century New York. When their publisher, Joseph Pulitzer, tries to squeeze a little more profit out of their labours, they organize a strike, only to be confronted with the Pulitzer's hard-ball tactics.
Hana, a nineteen-year-old college student, falls in love with a man only for him to reveal his secret; he is a Wolf Man. Eventually the couple bear two children together; a son and daughter they name Ame and Yuki who both inherit the ability to transform into wolves from their father. When the man Hana fell in love with suddenly dies, she makes the decision to move to a rural town isolated from society to continue raising the children in protection.
Hundreds of years ago in Lapland, a little boy named Nikolas loses his family in an accident. The villagers decide to look after the orphaned boy together. Once a year - at Christmas - Nikolas moves to a new home. To show his gratitude, Nikolas decides to make toys for the children of the families as good-bye presents. Over the years, Nikolas's former adoptive families become many, and soon almost every house has presents on its doorstep on Christmas morning. At thirteen, Nikolas is sent to live and work with Iisakki, a grumpy old carpenter, who forbids Nikolas to continue making presents for Christmas. Gradually, however, Nikolas wins Iisakki's trust. Together they begin to look after the Christmas traditional that Nikolas has begun. When the aged Iisakki has to leave Nikolas and move away, the tradition of Christmas presents is once again at risk. Thankfully, Nikolas comes up with a solution that brings children joy every Christmas, even continuing to today.
Karol is a newcomer to the class and instantly called "sissy". He tries to make friends with class bully called Balon, and eventually succeeds. The group uses him to steal lollipops and later for an assault on a small child. The victim's mother seeks out the responsible and Karol is identified. He eventually confesses to his mother and names his accomplices. Branded now as a "squealer" he is avoided by his former friends.
"Singapore Dreaming" ( 美满人生) is a story about a family with big dreams, living on a small island. Heavily in debt, patriarch Loh Poh Huat can’t help but feel bitter irony whenever he has to perform his job as a lawyer’s clerk – seizing goods from the homes of credit card debtors. At the end of his career and frustrated by the gulf between his middle class dreams and his working class reality, he takes his feelings of failure and envy out on his family. So when Poh Huat suddenly wins two million dollars in the lottery, the Lohs start believing that maybe this windfall will deliver them from their struggles. But something happens which pitches the family into a battle where the stakes are the very meaning of life itself...
Mr. Marumakan is a 2012 Malayalam family drama film written by the duo Udayakrishna-Siby K. Thomas and directed by Sandhya Mohan.[1] [2] The movie stars Dileep and Sanusha in the lead roles and Bhagyaraj, Khushboo, Sheela, Biju Menon, Nedumudi Venu and Hijaz in supporting roles.[3] [4] The film tells the story of a three women (businesswoman Raja Kokila, Raja Mallika and her daughter Raja Lakshmi) who believe that a woman can survive without the help of a man. However, entry of the lawyer trained drama director Ashok Raj into their lives forces them to revise their opinions. The story of the film is based on the 1989 Telugu film Athaku Yamudu Ammayiki Mogudu which also inspired the following films: Mappillai (Tamil; 1989), Jamai Raja (Hindi; 1990) and Mappillai (Tamil; 2011). Critical reactions to the film were mostly negative but the film managed to become an average hit at the box office
Romantic family film that revolves around love and relationships. Karam Singh Sandhu is the modern patriarch of the Sandhu Group of Companies
A young woman suspects foul play when her cat comes home wearing a wrist watch. Convincing the FBI, though, and catching the bad guys is tougher than she imagined.
Dil Dhadakne Do is a story about a dysfunctional Punjabi family starring Anil Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma and Rahul Bose in a special appearance.On a cruise to celebrate their parents' 30th wedding anniversary, a brother and sister deal with the impact of family considerations on their romantic lives.
The tight-knit neighbors on Arthur Avenue have proudly lit Christmas luminaries for 40 years, but that long-standing tradition is cancelled this year when Matt Norman (Ty Wood), a teenage boy in the neighborhood, is hospitalized in desperate need of a heart transplant. As his parents Ann (Teri Polo) and Mike (Paul Essiembre) anxiously pray by his bedside, a donor is found, while in Detroit, a mother (Tess Harper) is in anguish at her own son’s bedside. When Matt's neighbors decide to honor him in the best way they know how, they just might help save his life.
Three siblings Danny, Art and Grace are now well settled with their respective families, in widely contrasting lifestyles. The one common thing that binds them loosely together is the love that their mother Dolores "Loleng" Rosales holds for all of them and her grandchildren, albeit expressed in varying ways and degrees, but always equally nurturing and self-giving. Much as they are held together by her, they are in turn separated by physical distance and the sad legacy left behind by their deceased, erstwhile strong-willed, patriarchal father.
In 2004, singer-songwriter Matsumoto Tetsuya wrote an autobiography that included a section about his relationship with his troubled mother. Writer-director Nakamura Daisuke adapts that story to film with Shiwase Come On, his directorial debut. The film covers the marriage of Tetsuya's mother and yakuza father, his mother's drug habit, his stay at an orphanage and his reconciliation with his mother after becoming an adult. In addition to writing and performing the film's theme song, Matsumoto Tetsuya also composed the score to this touching film. In 2011, Shiawase Come On won Grand Prix at the 2011 Okuradashi Film Festival, a film festival dedicated to screening unreleased Japanese films.
A young boy has lost his mother and is losing touch with his father and the world around him. Then he meets Hesher who manages to make his life even more chaotic.
A drama about a Maori family lving in Auckland, New Zealand. Lee Tamahori tells the story of Beth Heke’s strong will to keep her family together during times of unemployment and abuse from her violent and alcoholic husband.
"Virgina" tells a tale from the end of the 19th century. It took place in a isolated village near the Adriatic Sea. Because of the extreme patriarchal culture there is a superstition that families without male heirs are cursed. When the wife of a farmer gives birth to their fourth daughter, father decides that the child will become a so-called "Virgina" and that she will live as a man, so that she can work and be the family heir. This heartbreaking story of Virgina's life is told with strong words, augmented with harsh environment.
Ivan is the fierce patriarch of a family of Croatian refugees in Auckland. Nina is his daughter, ready to live on her own, despite his angry objections. Eddie is the Maori she takes as her lover. Nina works at a restaurant where Eddie cooks. For a price, she agrees to marry a Chinese, another restaurant employee, so that he (and his Chinese wife) can establish permanent residency. The money gives her the independence she needs to leave her parents' house and move in with Eddie. Complications arise when Eddie realizes the depth of her father's fury and the strength of Nina's family ties.
A look at the life of legendary American pilot Amelia Earhart, who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to make a flight around the world.
Kawariki must become the leader of the family after his father retires in this intimate drama. A husband and father, he realizes that in order to lead with integrity, he must come out and be honest about his own life, even though it will test the boundaries of acceptance and unconditional love. Offering valuable insights into Maori traditions, family ideals and cultural values, this feature debut is rich and textured with emotional layers and stunning New Zealand landscapes. Written by Websurfer (IMDB.com)
Wes Anderson’s incisive quirky comedy build up stars complex characters like in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ with Bill Murray on in the leading role. An ocean adventure documentary film maker Zissou is put in all imaginable life situations and a tough life crisis as he attempts to make a new film about capturing the creature that caused him pain.
An army of passionate women launch a revolution to "Free the Nipple" and decriminalize the female body. Based on a true story, this mass movement of topless women, armed with First Amendment lawyers, graffiti installations and national publicity stunts, invade New York City to protest the backwards censorship laws in the USA.
An aged father and his younger, mentally challenged son have been working hard every day to keep the bathhouse running for a motley group of regular customers. When his elder son, who left years ago to seek his fortune in the southern city of Shenzhen, abruptly returns one day, it once again puts under stress the long-broken father-son ties. Presented as a light-hearted comedy, Shower explores the value of family, friendship, and tradition.
Will Bastion returns home from the army after an absence of 20 years to bury his father, the former chief of thee Maori tribe, Ngati Kaipuku. The eldest son, he is reluctant to inherit his fathers role, so it is taken more willingly by his younger brother, Kahu. Kahu is the leader of a band of drug dealers and trouble-makers who ride horses through the middle of town, wrecking peoples gardens. Under the guise of refusal of a land settlement, Kahu makes a large marijuana deal with some murdering city folk. Will must choose between loyalty for his brother and his father, Maori tradition, and contemporary financial issues.
This story takes place in a small town on the Hungarian Plain. In a provincial town, which is surrounded with nothing else but frost. It is bitterly cold weather — without snow. Even in this bewildered cold hundreds of people are standing around the circus tent, which is put up in the main square, to see — as the outcome of their wait — the chief attraction, the stuffed carcass of a real whale. The people are coming from everywhere. From the neighboring settlings, even from quite far away parts of the country. They are following this clumsy monster as a dumb, faceless, rag-wearing crowd. This strange state of affairs — the appearance of the foreigners, the extreme frost — disturbs the order of the small town. Ambitious personages of the story feel they can take advantage of this situation. The tension growing to the unbearable is brought to explosion by the figure of the Prince, who is pretending facelessness. Even his mere appearance is enough to break loose destructive emotions...
In India, open romance is forbidden, as is showing affection in public. A college principal named Narayan is a strong believer in this, aware that a male student named Vicky is in love with Ishika; while another male student is hopelessly in love with Sanjana; and a third man named Karan is in love with a married woman named Kiran. No amount of persuasion can get Narayan to change his mind. Then the college recruits a music teacher named Raj, who eventually starts fanning the flames of love among the students, much to Narayan's chagrin, anger, and displeasure. Things get worse when Narayan finds out that Raj was the very man who fell in love with his daughter who eventually committed suicide when he didn't grant them permission to get married. Will the six young people be also heartbroken by Narayan, and if so, who will be the first to kill himself or herself?
Eleven-year-old David is the first android with human feelings. He is adopted by the Swinton family to test his ability to function. Before they are done testing him though David goes off on his own following his wish to be a human. He is on an odyssey to understand the secret to his existence. A science fiction film from Steven Spielberg taken over from Stanley Kubrick.
Beyond Silence is about a family and a young girl’s coming of age story. This German film looks into the lives of the deaf and at a story about the love for music. A girl who has always had to translate speech into sign language for her deaf parents yet when her love for playing music grows strong she must decide to continue doing something she cannot share with her parents.
Liz has missed an appointment to have an abortion. She has to keep her child, and neither her boyfriend Geoff nor child's father Neil are too happy about it. She can not decide which partner is better for her, and Neil makes a proposal to her when they attend the wedding of her best friend Prue and Mike. She probably prefers Geoff, but he is preoccupied with his girlfriend Bryony, who returned from abroad. Another friend, Ant, has written a script for documentary film, which is directed by a German and in which topless women, well, talk about their lives.
A tale of an inner city drug dealer who turns away from crime to pursue his passion, rap music.
As U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger captain John Miller and seven men are tasked with penetrating German-held territory and bringing the boy home.
A fiercely independent and unflinchingly candid woman connected with a women's crisis and survival center has to raise her two kids with different fathers. Her first husband has left her when their career options failed to converge. She is now stuck in an extramarital arrangement with another man who cannot bring himself to respect and commit to their quite unorthodox relationship.
The life story of New Zealander Burt Munro, who spent years building a 1920 Indian motorcycle -- a bike which helped him set the land-speed world record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967.
Set in the present-day southern United States, The Yellow Handkerchief stars William Hurt as Brett Hanson, an ex-convict who embarks on a road trip. Hanson hitches a ride with two troubled teens, Martine (Kristen Stewart) and Gordy (Eddie Redmayne) traversing post-Hurricane Katrina Louisiana in an attempt to reach his ex-wife and long-lost love, May (Maria Bello). Along the way, the three reflect on their existence, struggle for acceptance, and find their way not only through Louisiana, but through life.
A self-centered realtor enlists the help of his neighbor when he's suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home.
After witnessing the killing of his mate and offspring at Captain Nolan's hands, a vengeful killer whale goes on a rampage in the fisherman's Newfoundland harbor. Under pressure from the villagers, Nolan, Rachel and Umilak sail after the great beast, who will meet them on it's own turf.
Quinn Forte had it all: power, money, a brother who idolized him, and a woman who loved him. He also had enemies. In the course of one night, he loses everything. Betrayed by someone in his inner circle, Quinn is set up and arrested. His father, the patriarch of the criminal empire is killed and his brother suspects that Quinn is behind it all. When he's released from jail he tries to escape the demons from his past, but that becomes an impossible task. Campbell, the ruthless new leader of "The Company" won't let him leave in peace. So instead of escaping them, Quinn fights back. He joins forces with his former henchman and friend, The Swede, and takes on his enemies head on.
The Cahulawassee River valley in Northern Georgia is one of the last natural pristine areas of the state, which will soon change with the imminent building of a dam on the river, which in turn will flood much of the surrounding land. As such, four Atlanta city slickers - alpha male Lewis Medlock, generally even-keeled Ed Gentry, slightly condescending Bobby Trippe, and wide-eyed Drew Ballinger - decide to take a multi-day canoe trip on the river, which turns into a trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country.
Upon hearing his wife was killed in the Iraq war, a father takes his two daughters on a road trip.
A fantasy romance set in 19th century France. The film revolves around Sobran, a young peasant winemaker, and the three important figures in his life - his beautiful wife Celeste, baroness Aurora de Valday and an angel named Xas.
Revolves around a young couple and their friends struggling with adulthood and issues of relationships and commitment. Based on the 2001 Italian film L'ultimo bacio, directed by Gabriele Muccino.
Multi-narrative adaptation of Richard v. Krafft-Ebing's notorious medico-forensic study of sexual perversity.
Paul (Macfadyen), a prize-winning war journalist, returns to his remote New Zealand hometown due to the death of his father, battle-scarred and world-weary. For the discontented sixteen-year-old Celia (Barclay) he opens up a world she has only dreamed of. She actively pursues a friendship with him, fascinated by his cynicism and experience of the world beyond her small-town existence. But many, including the members of both their families (Otto, Moy), frown upon the friendship and when Celia goes missing, Paul becomes the increasingly loathed and persecuted prime suspect in her disappearance. As the violent and urgent truth gradually emerges, Paul is forced to confront the family tragedy and betrayal that he ran from as a youth, and to face the grievous consequences of silence and secrecy that has surrounded his entire adult life.

© Valossa 2015–2024