New+Zealand+Film

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= __ONCE WERE WARRIORS__ =


 * Its a movie about maori culture, and how families in New Zealand used to live back in 1990.
 * It shows the role of the men in a typical maori family, and how the society accept it without any type of judgement.
 * It also shows a negative side of the daily life and how the maori traditions are involved.
 * we think this is a really interesting but shocking movie.

The movie tells the story of the twelve-year-old maori girl Pai. By tradition the first-born son should be the leader of the tribe, but her twin brother and her mother died during childbirth. Although Pai feels that she can become the leader, her grandfather tries to hamper her from her plan: In the maori culture woman can not inherit the leadership. Nevertheless Pai doesn't abandon and learns secretly the traditinal dances and songs. In the end her grandfather changes his opinion and Pai becomes the new leader. I think the movie gives some good insight into the maori culture. Besides it shows the trouble between the old traditions and the modern life style. Especially I liked the charismatic main character Pai and her relationship to her old grumpy grandfather. From Julia
 * __Whale Rider__**

Dana & Svenja: We watched this film as well and really enjoyed it!! It gives you a great insight in the world of Maori traditions and so you also get an impression of difficulties of combining old culture and modern ways of living. The movie subsists on pictures, body language and music -- its focus is not set on complicated conversations, which makes it very easy to follow, even for international students! We definitely recommend watching it... It's worth it!! :D


 * __River queen__ This is a fantastic Love movie between an Irish girl and a Maori boy in the 1860s and it tells also a lot about the war between the native New Zealander and the Whites. I think it's a great movie because you get informations about the troubles in New Zealand in the past and on the other side you experience a great relationship between two really different cultures. It's amazing!!!**