The Knickerbocker Theatre Fall Film Series closes with inspiring tale "Whale Rider," playing Friday-Friday, Nov. 28-Dec. 5, with nightly showings at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., expect on Thursday, Dec. 4, when it shows at 9 p.m. only. The theatre is closed on Sundays.
"Whale Rider" is a rewarding and uplifting film, a coming-of-age tale of a young girl who must defy the odds to achieve her goals. On the eastern coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their ancestor, Paikea, was saved from drowning by riding home on the back of a whale.
The tribal group has since granted leadership to first-born males. This tradition is challenged when a young mother dies in childbirth along with her newborn son. His twin sister manages to survive, and the little girl, Pai, is raised by her stubborn grandfather Koro, the chief of the tribe. Pai spends much time trying to prove herself to her grandfather, who is searching for a male to take over, but ultimately it is the whales that reveal the truth. The film is rated PG-13, and is in English and Maori with English subtitles.
Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, and will be sold at the door. Additional information may be obtained by calling the Knickerbocker Information Line at (616) 395-7403 or visiting www.hope.edu/arts/knick.
The Knickerbocker Theatre is located in downtown Holland at 86 E. 8th St.