My Recommends: The Whale Rider

I know I have written about this before but as we will see a new launch of films featuring strong female characters, I resurrected a favorite movie and book. It is such a compelling tale of the history of an indigenous people and the loss of identity through the generations. When the next Chief cannot live up to his birthright, his daughter becomes the unlikely hero. It doesn't matter whether it is male or female, what matters is the heart and faith that can lead a new generation. I love this book, told in the words of her uncle, who as the second, was also not good enough. But the slow moving beauty orchestrated in the film, from the jewel toned lands of New Zealand to the haunting chants of the Maori people truly inspire all to give of themselves. The book and the film are not loud, not assertive and not flashy. They are sweet, triumphant and graceful, a timeless story worthy of our time and a lesson for us all.