<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> NZ $$9.2 million (approx . US $3.5 million) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $41.4 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand - German family drama film directed by Niki Caro, based on the novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera . The film stars Keisha Castle - Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve - year - old Māori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe . Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only . The film was a coproduction between New Zealand and Germany . It was shot on location in Whangara, the setting of the novel . The world premiere was on 9 September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival . The film received critical acclaim upon its release . At age 13, Keisha Castle - Hughes became the youngest nominee for the Academy Award for Best Actress before she was surpassed by Quvenzhané Wallis, at age 9, for Beasts of the Southern Wild less than a decade later . The film earned $41.4 million on a NZ $9,235,000 budget . </P> <P> The film's plot follows the story of Paikea Apirana ("Pai"). The leader should be the first - born grandson--a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea, the Whale Rider--he who rode on top of a whale (Tohora) from Hawaiki . Pai is originally born a twin, but her twin brother, as well as her mother, dies in childbirth . However, Pai is female and technically cannot inherit the leadership . While her grandfather, Koro, later forms an affectionate bond with his granddaughter, carrying her to school every day on his bicycle, he also condemns her and blames her for conflicts happening within the tribe . </P>

Is the movie whale rider based on a true story