Written and directed by Niki Caro and based on the 1987 novel The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera, the 2002 film Whale Rider follows Kahu Paikea Apirana (Keisha Castle-Hughes), a twelve-year-old Māori girl who dreams of becoming the chief of her tribe against the wishes of her grandfather, who believes the role should be reserved for boys. Critically acclaimed upon its release, Whale Rider introduced the world to Castle-Hughes, who in 2013 became the youngest performer to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.

In this special event, novelist Witi Ihimaera will join moderator Nicola Daly (Education, University of Waikato) for a post-screening discussion of this iconic film.

This event is presented in conjunction with the conference Ecologies of Childhood, the 26th biennial Congress of the International Research Society for Children’s Literature (IRSCL), convened by Sara Pankenier Weld (Germanic and Slavic Studies, UCSB).