We were thrilled to showcase Christopher Kahunahana’s award-winning film, 'Waikiki' for our final screening of the AAPI Storytellers Festival! In this breathtaking experimental drama, a Native Hawaiian hula dancer on the run from her abusive boyfriend finds herself thrust into a surreal hidden world. This immensely impactful story uses allegory to probe themes of nature, cultural identity, intergenerational violence, the disconnect between our fantasy of Hawaii as paradise and the stark reality of its postcolonial roots, and much more.

During our May 31 screening and post-film discussion, which included Kahunhana himself as well as Academy Award-nominated actor Steven Yeun, Kahunhana shared some stories about his experience making the historic 'Waikiki', the first ever narrative feature written and directed by a native Hawaiian. “A lot of the characters, like the homeless, the people with mental health issues, these are people that I saw on a daily basis,” he said. “By befriending them and getting to know them and care about them, It just became obvious to me that this was a story that needed to be told.”

By uplifting authentic Hawaiian films actually made by Hawaiians, we uncover a whole new aspect of the glorious island—one that natives have already known about, but has been purposefully and tragically kept hidden by rampant American colonialism.

More about the movie.

Screenshot of May 31 post-screening discussion with director Christopher Kahunahana, Actor Steven Yeun, NBC's Sally Shin, Letterboxd and Kinema writer Mia Vicino and Kindred Ventures Steve Jang.