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WHALE RIDER IS NEW ZEALAND’S NUMBER ONE MOVIE
MEDIA RELEASE: 11 FEBRUARY 2003

Whale Rider, the award-winning South Pacific Pictures-produced feature film, directed by Niki Caro, is number one in New Zealand cinemas.

The film has been New Zealand’s number one movie since its release on January 30. It enjoyed particularly large crowds on Waitangi Day.

In the past fortnight, Whale Rider has taken 30% of the total box office. As of Tuesday 11 February, it has grossed around $1.5 million.

The film enjoyed the 2nd highest opening weekend ever for a New Zealand movie (first place is held by South Pacific Pictures’ What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted?). Whale Rider is currently playing on 46 screens throughout the country and this will be increased to more than 50 next week.

Directed by Niki Caro, Whale Rider is based on the novel by acclaimed New Zealand writer Witi Ihimaera. It stars newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, and Cliff Curtis.

Whale Rider is represented internationally by London-based sales agent, The Works, in New Zealand and Australia by Buena Vista International, and in North America by Newmarket Films.

Whale Rider is produced by South Pacific Pictures, ApolloMedia and Pandora Film. The Producers are Tim Sanders, John Barnett, and Frank Hübner. Executive Producers are Bill Gavin and Linda Goldstein Knowlton. Author Witi Ihimaera is also Associate Producer.

The film tells the story of a young girl’s fight to prove her love, her leadership and her destiny, and is shot on location in Whangara, on the East Coast.

Whale Rider is the first film to receive funding from the New Zealand Government’s new Film Production Fund. Other investors in the film are ApolloMedia in Germany, Filmstiftung NRW, The New Zealand Film Commission and NZ on Air.