Director
Niki Caro
Leading Actors/Actresses
Keisha Castle-Hughes and Rawiri Paratene
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, and Grant Roa
Genre
Drama
Language
English
Awards
Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress
Date of Release
30 January 2003
Producer
John Barnett, Frank Hübner, and Tim Sanders
Setting and Context
New Zeland, the present day
Narrator and Point of View
Through the point of view of Paikea Apirana
Tone and Mood
Heartwarming, Sad, Triumphant, Prophetic, and Energetic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Paikea Apirana is the protagonist; Maori tradition is the antagonist.
Major Conflict
Paikea Apirana's struggle to fulfill her dreams in spite of the old, out-of-date traditions of her people.
Climax
When Paikea Apirana is declared the leader of the tribe, fulfilling her dream
Foreshadowing
Paikea eventually becoming leader of the tribe is foreshadowed throughout the film, particularly during her conversations with her grandfather.
Understatement
The suffocating nature of the Maori culture on women in particular is understated in the film
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
The book on which this film is based (1997), the Maori people and culture, mythology, religion (and the Bible).
Paradox
Paikea is not technically able to become the leader of the tribe, but she becomes the leader of the tribe nonetheless.
Parallelism
N/A
