Pasifika voices heard loud and clear at Hawai‘i International Film Festival

The nation’s only public media organization that for the past 33 years has supported media content and its makers working together to promote a deeper understanding of Pacific Islander history, culture and contemporary issues is celebrating the Pasifika voices who recently won awards in the 44th annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival.

Pacific Islanders in Communications salutes the several Pacific Islander storytellers the festival awarded during a recent private event at the Halekūlani Hotel in Waikiki.

Some received awards of cash prizes and industry honors.

The Hawai‘i International Film Festival bills itself as the “vanguard forum of international cinematic achievement in the Asia-Pacific region.”

It showcases new and emerging talent, promotes career development and original collaborations through innovative education programs and facilitates dynamic cultural exchange through cinema.

The festival is also the only Academy Awards-qualifying festival in Hawai‘i.

Awardees honored by Pacific Islanders in Communications were:

• Best Made In Hawai‘i Narrative Feature: “Moloka‘i Bound.”
• Best Made In Hawai‘i Documentary Feature: “Standing Above the Clouds.”
• Best Made in Hawai‘i Short Film: “The Queen’s Flowers.”
• Hawai‘i International Film Festival Best Short Film Award: “CHamoru: A Lost Language.”
• Hawai‘i International Film Festival Pasifika Award: “We Were Dangerous.”
• Leanne K. Ferrer Trailblazer Award: Temuera Morrison.

The Made in Hawai‘i Film Program, now in its eighth year, highlights select fiction, non-fiction features and short films made by Hawai‘i-based filmmakers or that showcase locally-based stories.

All selected films entered in this category were previously eligible for Best Made in Hawai‘i Feature or Best Made in Hawai‘i Short, with cash prizes totaling $10,000 from the Nichols Family Film Fund.

The category was expanded to three films this year for the first time: a feature-length narrative, a feature-length documentary and short film.

“Moloka‘i Bound” is directed by Alika Tengan. The film tells Kainoa’s story of reconciliation and redemption, following the wayward Hawaiian man’s journey to reconnect with his family and acclimate to a normal life while trying to prove himeself worthy of his family and native heritage after spending years in prison.

The movement to protect Mauna Kea through intergenerational stories of women from three Native Hawaiian families who defend the sacred Big Island volcanic mountain is featured in “Standing Above the Clouds.”

This powerful documentary, directed and produced by Jalena Keane-Lee alongside producer Amber Epinosa-Jones and executive producer Erin Lau, a 2025 Indigenous Cinema Alliance Fellow, follows teacher and community organizer Pua Case and her two daughters, artist-activists Hāwane Rios and Kapulei Flores, who have been active advocates against the Thirty Meter Telescope since 2010.

Pacific Islanders in Communications funded the short-film version of “Standing Above the Clouds,” which premiered at the 39th annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival, and continues to support this team through the Indigenous Cinema Alliance Fellowship Program.

The Made In Hawai‘i Short jury also awarded “The Queen’s Flowers,” directed by Ciara Leinaʻala Lacy.

Inspired by a true story, The animated short adventure made for children is inspired by a true story. It follows the story of Emma, a Native Hawaiian girl who in 1915 Honolulu makes a gift for Queen Lili‘uokalani, Hawai‘i’s last monarch.

Pacific Islanders in Communications was a co-production partner and funder of short film through its Shorts Fund initiative and continues to support Lacy’s impactful work highlighting Hawaiian stories.

The Hawai‘i International Film Festival Best Short Film Award honors short films and underscores the importance of establishing a filmmaker’s tone, style and creative vision.

Short films often are proof of concepts or progenitors to a feature film, but can stand alone as their own distinct stories.

“CHamoru: A Lost Language” is directed by Brian Muña, a filmmaker searching for self-identity and wanting to reconnect with CHamoru, the native language of Guam.

Muña examines his culturally American upbringing and the importance of passing on the CHamoru language to his sons. He meets CHamoru language advocates and youth who are revitalizing their indigenous language, giving him hope for future generations of CHamoru speakers.

The film is one of eight short documentary films that are part of the “Homegrown: A Part Of/Apart From” series produced by Firelight Media. Pacific Islanders in Communications and other media partners collaborated with Firelight on season 2 of the series, which had its world premiere during this year’s Hawai‘i International Film Festival.

The Hawai‘i International Film Festival Pasifika Award is presented in partnership between the festival and Pacific Islanders in Communications.

This award celebrates the authentic and high-quality narrative and documentary features from throughout the Pacific region judged by a jury of professionals of film professionals of Pacific Islander descent. The winning film receives a cash prize of $5,000.

The 2024 winner, “We Were Dangerous,” is set in 1954 New Zealand and follows a trio of girls who rail against the system of a reform school. It is directed by Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu.

“Standing Above the Clouds” also received an honorable mention.

Presented by Pacific Islanders in Communications, the Leanne K. Ferrer Trailblazer Award is given to a cinema artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories onto the world stage, producing award-winning work in independent and global cinema. A true trailblazer, honoree

Temuera Morrison is a multi-faceted entertainer and long-time international cultural icon. He is a member of a famous entertainment family, ensuring an early interest in performance art, and one of New Zealand’s foremost actors.

He was born in Rotorua and is of Te Arawa and Ngati Maniapoto Ngati Rarua descent. Morrison is a leading proponent of Māori culture and performance.

He was selected as this year’s recipient of the Leanne K. Ferrer Trailblazer Award because he creates and participates in works that align with the mission of Pacific Islanders in Communications to support, advance and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture and contemporary challenges.

Morrison’s career breakthrough came in 1994 when he played Jake “The Muss” Heke in “Once We Were Warriors,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Some of his most iconic roles include Jango Fett and Boba Fett from the “Star Wars” Universe, Chief Tui in Disney’s “Moana” and its upcoming sequel and Tom Curry in the “Aquaman” movies.

Pacific Islanders in Communications honors the contributions of all native and indigenous filmmakers who entered and participated in the 44th annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival.

Fans are encouraged to continue to attend film screenings on neighbor islands through Nov. 10 and vote for their favorite narrative feature, documentary and short film in the Audience Awards, which will be announced after the festival concludes.

For more information about Hawai‘i International Film Festival honorees, screenings and more, click here.