Whale Rider
Movie • 2003 • Drama
ReportOn the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.
This movie contains 8 potentially triggering events.
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Your Triggers
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Unanswered Triggers
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Were animals harmed in the making?
27 supporters
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Silod
Real whales were not used in the filming and underwater footage was digital.
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Does someone attempt suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
22 supporters
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Abuse
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Is there domestic violence?
National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233)
25 supporters
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Silod
Emotional abuse by grandfather.
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Anonymous
During a scene involving beached whales, one whale dies
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Are there bugs?
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alba04
A large crab is seen outside of the water. If you don't like looking at bugs, you might not like that either.
1 comment | Add comment
Assault
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Bodily Harm
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Does someone struggle to breathe?
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Crow75
There are a few underwater scenes, where you could be worried about that, but no struggling shown
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Children
Does a kid die?
16 supporters
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Anonymous
During a scene where a woman dies giving birth, one of the babies die
2 comments | Add comment
Family
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Does a parent die?
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Anonymous
At the beginning of the movie, the mother of the protagonist dies during childbirth
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Fear
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Is there a shower scene?
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Silod
Female lead is shown in a bath. She is naked, but she's about eight years old and the scene is modest.
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Medical
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Is there a hospital scene?
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Crow75
At the very beginning
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Mental Health
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Does someone die by suicide?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
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Pregnancy
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Does a pregnant person die?
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Silod
The protagonist's mother dies in childbirth, so not TECHNICALLY, but extremely likely triggering for this category.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there childbirth?
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Silod
Not graphic. We see the mother's upper body and her straining.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone miscarry?
9 supporters
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Crow75
Not miscarriage, but at the very beginning of the movie, a woman dies while giving birth to twins and one of them dies too.
1 comment | Add comment
Prejudice
Are there fat jokes?
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alba04
Not exactly jokes, but there are comments about one character having gained weight.
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Sex
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
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Spoiler
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Does someone drown?
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Silod
There are a couple of drowning scares, but no one drowns. In one scene, the protagonist dives into the sea and stays down off-camers for so long that another character goes in and begins searching for her, but then she pops back up and is completely fine. At the end of the movie, she rides a whale and it is clear that the community believes she has drowned, but they later receive a call from the hospital and, again, she is fine.
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