Here’s to you, Ms. Caro

30 November 2003 – Whale Rider director, Niki Caro, was named one of Ms. Magazine‘s women of the year for 2003, alongside Salma Hayek, Eileen Fisher, and Loune Viaud. The US feminist publication recognised Caro as continuing an impressive line of female directorial talent  and female power figures in general  coming out of NZ. “The NZ film industry has produced stellar female directors such as Alison Maclean and Jane Campion, so Caro says, “I feel like I’ve never really had to fight to be a feminist or a filmmaker.” She proudly notes that NZ was the first country to grant women the vote and that its three most powerful government leaders-the prime minister, the chief justice and the governor-general-are all women. Caro says she set out to make a film about leadership. “Stories about girls Pai’s age tend to be about sexual awakening. I wanted to tell the story of how Pai awakens to her own strength and power,” she explains. “I was more interested in raising the question of what makes a great leader and how these leadership qualities show up in the heart, mind and spirit of a young girl.”