You are warmly invited to attend our next film evening on Friday 22 April, for a viewing and discussion of Whale Rider (run time 1 hour 41 minutes). Whale Rider is an exquisite portrayal of the Maori mythology around whales, and their intimate relationship with these magnificent creatures. It is also an exploration of the challenge of keeping ancient beliefs and traditions alive in a Westernized world, which requires creative solutions. This movie is based on the novella,The Whale Rider, by Witi Ihimaera, the first Maori writer to be published in New Zealand. He explores Maori culture in contemporary New Zealand, specifically the challenge to the old order, when a girl turns out to be the true leader of her community, and not a boy, as expected by tradition. Koro (the grandfather) and Pai (his gifted granddaughter) are represented without sentimentality, as fully fleshed out characters with emotional depth. Their conflict is a sincere portrait of a young girl coming to terms with her family and culture, while never losing sight of their humanity. Whale Rider lends itself to reflections on mythological themes of death and rebirth, sociological themes of gender bias, intergenerational conflicts and humans’ relationship with the natural world.
The movie is not readily available online. We have a purchased copy, which we will be sharing with you online on the evening.