Keisha Castle-Hughes on Oxygen

"Whale Rider" swims to Oxygen

The heart-stirring New Zealand film “Whale Rider,” about a young Maori girl determined to become her tribe’s first female chief, was 2003’s ultimate chick flick.

So there’s nothing surprising about Oxygen — the other women’s channel — grabbing the U.S. broadcast rights to “Whale Rider.” What is a pleasant surprise is the timing: You can see it at 8 p.m. ET tonight.

Program your TiVo's!