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Whina

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Movie 2022 112 min Drama, History Checked by Dan S · 28 Oct 2026
Official Rating M ClearAge 13+

What we flagged

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Violence
Mild
Sex and Nudity
Mild
Language
Mild

Our take

This is a serious historical drama about a Māori leader who spent a lifetime fighting for land, women, and community. Racist insults and political intimidation appear, including tense moments with firearms, and relationships include kissing within adult partnerships. Mild language (b-word, damn) shows up in conflict. We land at 13 and up because the discrimination and adult political pressure need teens ready for real history, not a soft school clip

Uplifting themes

Equality, collective action, and speaking for those without a platform sit at the core. The film honors persistence without pretending leadership is easy Whina models courage, organising skill, and care for women and land. The portrait also allows flaws, so kids see a real person, not a statue Families learn Māori land-rights history, the 1975 hīkoi, and why Te Whaea o te Motu still matters. Rich classroom and dinner-table material

Story (may spoil tone)

The story of Dame Whina Cooper, the beloved Māori matriarch who worked tirelessly to improve the rights of her people, especially women. Flawed yet resilient, Whina tells the story of a woman formed by tradition, compelled by innovation, and guided by an instinct for equality and justice whose legacy as the Te Whaea o te Motu (Mother of the Nation) was an inspiration to an entire country.

What we flagged

View all categories

Violence
Mild
Sex and Nudity
Mild
Language
Mild

Details

Violence Mild Political conflict includes intimidating gun-cocking and the threat of…

Political conflict includes intimidating gun-cocking and the threat of force around land disputes. Bruising history sits nearer to pressure than battle spectacle

Language Mild b-word and damn appear when tempers rise around land fights and family…

b-word and damn appear when tempers rise around land fights and family strain. Stronger street swearing is not the texture of this biopic

Sex / nudity Mild Adult relationships include affectionate kissing across Whina's long li…

Adult relationships include affectionate kissing across Whina's long life. There is no explicit sex focus for parents to skip

Bullying / discrimination Moderate Racist speech and structural unfairness toward Māori communities drive…

Racist speech and structural unfairness toward Māori communities drive the struggle Whina takes on. Discrimination is the engine of the story, shown as injustice to resist

Gore / death / weapons Mild Firearms appear as tools of intimidation in tense political standoffs.…

Firearms appear as tools of intimidation in tense political standoffs. Injury detail is not the focus; the threat is the point

Grief / bereavement Mild Personal losses and the long ache of dispossession weigh on Whina and h…

Personal losses and the long ache of dispossession weigh on Whina and her people. Mourning is woven through decades of activism

Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.

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Talk after watching

  • Whina keeps organising when authorities push back. What causes in your life feel worth that kind of persistence?
  • Public leadership pulls her from family duties. How should communities support the people who speak for them?