VARIOUS: NEW ZEALAND FILM "WHALE RIDER" IS SURPRISE WINNER OF THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL WORLD CINEMA AUDIENCE AWARD

Record ID: 549228

  • Title: VARIOUS: NEW ZEALAND FILM "WHALE RIDER" IS SURPRISE WINNER OF THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL WORLD CINEMA AUDIENCE AWARD
  • Date: 28th August 2003
  • Summary: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (JANUARY 24, 2003) (REUTERS) WIDE VIEW OF HARBOR AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (JANUARY 24, 2003) (REUTERS) ***FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** MV ACTRESS KEISHA CASTLE-HUGHES (PAI) AND DIRECTOR NIKI CARO ARRIVE AT PREMIERE
  • Embargoed: 12th September 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: New Zealand
  • Reuters ID: LVA16IG7EB26K0JDJN2YW36VMQ0H
  • Story Text: "Whale Rider," a New Zealand film based on a young girl's quest for her birthright in a male-dominated culture, is the surprise winner of the Sundance Film Festival's World Cinema Audience Award, launching it into the international spotlight.
    The cast and crew of "Whale Rider" attended the internationally-acclaimed film's New Zealand premiere at Auckland's Sky City on Friday (January 24, 2003). Prime Minister Helen Clark was among those in attendance, and was greeted with a Powhiri, a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony.
    "We're full of anticipation and very excited. We've read a lot about it. We know how well the film's done and we're really looking forward to it," Clark told members of the cast.
    "Whale Rider" is a coming-of-age story about a girl named Pai who struggles to prove herself after her twin brother dies in childbirth, hoping to take her place as the leader of her male-dominated tribal village in New Zealand.
    12-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes was chosen from among 10,000 hopefuls for the pivotal role.
    "I play Pai, the little girl. She's trying to show the grandfather that she can be a chief because she was born in a lineage of men. Her twin brother dies and she's not accepted because she's a girl. And she feels she can have that commitment just as much as any male can," Castle-Hughes said.
    The film tells the story of the tiny Maori community of Whangara (pron: far-nga-ra) on the East coast of New Zealand who believe their presence dates back to a single ancestor who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. Since then, Whangara chiefs have always been the first-born and male. Pai's grandfather still mourns the loss of the baby boy he expected would lead the tribe to better days.
    Rawiri Paratene plays the role of Koro, the grandfather.
    "The minute I read the novel I thought this was a story that would speak to the world. And the minute I read the script I thought if we got it right that the film would be huge," Paratene said.
    Witi Ihimaera (pron: Wee-tee Ee-hee-my-ra) wrote the book on which the film is based 17 years ago after the arrival of a whale in New York. The novelist was missing his home in Whangara and the whale mythologies of his people. He says having a film made of his novel has been humbling.
    "It's a terrific honour when you come across a filmmaker as stylish as [director] Niki Caro who is going to make a movie that's going to speak to the hearts of young women in China, young women in America, young women who need to know girls can do anything they wish in this world," Ihimaera said.
    The tiny Maori community of Whangara cooperated fully in the making of the movie based on their story. Many members of the Ngati Konohi (KOR-NOR-HEE) Hapu or sub-tribe were cast in the film and 150 of them took the five-hour bus ride to the premiere in Auckland. After the screening, they treated Aucklanders in the audience to Haka (challenges) and songs.
    Director Niki Caro who is Pakeha (a New Zealander of European descent) said the Whangara people's generosity and acceptance of the cast and crew was essential to making the film.
    "'Whale Rider' is their story absolutely, it's not mine.
    And it was my privilege to be part of telling it. Their generosity was extreme in making this film and we really feel very close to them and very home there now," Caro said.
    The movie is on its way to being the most successful locally-made movie ever in New Zealand, building on the dramatic renaissance of the Maori culture over the past decade.
    "Whale Rider" has already had phenomenal success on the festival circuit. The movie won the coveted World Cinema Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday (January 25) and the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, beating off challengers like "Bend it Like Beckham" and "Bowling for Columbine". Past winners of the Toronto award include "Amelie", "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "American Beauty"
    and "Life is Beautiful".
    There is also buzz that "Whale Rider" could be an Oscar contender come March, with Castle-Hughes possibly going one better than compatriot Anna Paquin who won 1993's best supporting actress for her role in "The Piano" at the age of
    Paquin has gone on to star in several movies, including "X-Men." But Castle-Hughes brushes off such speculation.
    "I don't really know what to think because I don't really know about Anna Paquin. So I don't know what to think about that kind of thing," Castle-Hughes said.
    Filmmakers regard New Zealand as the hottest shooting location in the world. Following the success of "Lord of the Rings", which was shot entirely in New Zealand, government officials say they are fielding hundreds of calls a week about the possibility of filming there. The last local movie to make an impact on the international stage was "Once Were Warriors", a gritty tale of violence and death among urban Maori.
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