
Their views
Native Hawaiians have the chance to tell their own storiesduring the monthlong 'Oiwi Film Festival
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 02, 2010
"Film is the most powerful art form of our time, and Hawaiian filmmakers needto be at the forefront of films about Hawaii and Hawaiians," said localfilmmaker Ann Marie Kirk.
That Kirk makes such a proclamation should be no surprise. As one of theprogrammers of the monthlong 'Oiwi Film Festival at the Honolulu AcademyofArts, Kirk is attempting to ensure that Hawaiians tell their own storiesonfilm. While it's true that native Hawaiian voices in film have been apersistent, albeit small, presence over the years, never have this manyindigenous perspectives been brought together for one event until now.
Filmmakers range from a Kamehameha Schools film class to longtime activistdocumentarians Puhipau and Joan Lander of Na Maka o ka Aina. The 19shortsubjects and features will be showcased through May 26 and will alsoincludequestion-and-answer sessions every night of the festival.
The festival is organized thematically into seven programs. Kirk's documentary about her grandfather-filmmaker, "Homealani" (which is a new,reworked version from its initial December screening at Kamehameha), andher1996 collaboration with Carlyn Tani, "Happy Birthday, Tutu Ruth," willbe partof the festival's closing program that honors kupuna.
'OIWI FILM FESTIVAL» Where: The Doris DukeTheatre, Honolulu Academy of Arts» Admission: $8; $7 students, seniors and military;and $5 museum members » Info: 532-8701 or www.honoluluacademy.org |
ONE OF THOSE filmmakers is Kamakanioka'aina Paikai, who will be graduatingthis spring from the University of Hawaii with a bachelor's degree inarts andsciences from the Academy for Creative Media film program. He has twoshorts inthe festival, the Hawaiian-language "E Ola i Keia Po (Live Tonight)" andthepidgin-rich "Moke Action" (both with helpful English subtitles).
"I transferred to UH (from Leeward Community College) with the intention ofgetting into the academy under the video-gaming track," Paikai said,"but when Itook the prerequisite class where we studied all aspects of film, itintriguedme, especially foreign films, and got me questioning why no films werebeingmade in the Hawaiian language.
"Historically, Hawaii in narrative films have been purely used as a backdrop,and almost always the story is from a foreigner's point of view. Thereare somany stories that we have here in these islands, and I just want toshare myperspective with my people and the rest of the world."
After an early interest in autobiographical writing, Paikai thinks he's foundhis creative voice in filmmaking.
His two shorts were originally student projects. "'E Ola i Keia Po' was thefirst Hawaiian-language film to come from the ACM. I wanted to do amodern-daystory in Hawaiian language to show that it is still a living language.... 'MokeAction' was made the next semester for an advanced production classwhere allthe students in the class must pitch a script idea and the entire classvotes,and mine got chosen. It was just a funny concept, poking fun at formalEnglishand legitimizing pidgin.
"Documentaries with Hawaiian content were being made steadily for the past 20years, but with the resurgence of the language, more people werebecoming versedin Hawaiian and I felt that right now is the time to start makingHawaiiannarrative films," he said.
In focusing on the rich lives of her grandfather and a beloved "auntie" wholived in Waipio Valley on the Big Island, Kirk has continued to beengaged as afilmmaker.
"I choose to tell the stories that move me and I think will move others.Whether my films are short, long, narrative or documentary, the onecomponent Ihope that is always present is the emotional connection with theviewer."
Kirk said the community response to 'Oiwi "has been incredible."
"People are really excited to come to see the films, and this is importantbecause it lets us know there is an audience out there who wants to seefilms byHawaiian filmmakers and that we must continue to tell our stories infilm.
"The film festival is important because it is about representation," Kirk said. "Many times in film, Hawaiians have been left out of the finaldecision-making process of the narrative of our own story. Thosedecisions werebeing made by directors and producers who are not Hawaiian. The films inthisfestival represent Hawaiian storytellers in control of what's going onin frontof, as well as behind, the camera."
Paikai said, "Please come out to support native filmmakers. We made thesefilms for you, Hawaii."
THOSE WHO LEAD US IN HAWAII Na alaka'i o Hawai'i nei » When: 1, 4 and 7:30 p.m. today,Tuesdayand Wednesday (with evening post-screening Q&A withfilmmmakers today) The films » "Ke Kaua'ana" » "Kekohi" »"King Kamehameha: A Legacy Renewed" CARING FOR OUR LAND HAWAIIANS' RELATIONSHIP TO THE SEA SOVEREIGNTY SHORT STORIES HULA, DANCE OF HAWAI'I HONORING OUR ANCESTORS |
"Film is the most powerful art form of our time, and Hawaiianfilmmakers need to be at the forefront of films about Hawaii andHawaiians,"said local filmmaker Ann Marie Kirk.
That Kirk makes such a proclamation should be no surprise. Asone of the programmers of the monthlong 'Oiwi Film Festival at theHonoluluAcademy of Arts, Kirk is attempting to ensure that Hawaiians tell theirownstories on film. While it's true that native Hawaiian voices in filmhave been apersistent, albeit small, presence over the years, never have this manyindigenous perspectives been brought together for one event until now.
Filmmakers range from a Kamehameha Schools film class tolongtime activist documentarians Puhipau and Joan Lander of Na Maka o kaAina.The 19 short subjects and features will be showcased through May 26 andwillalso include question-and-answer sessions every night of the festival.
The festival is organized thematically into seven programs.Kirk's documentary about her grandfather-filmmaker, "Homealani" (which is a new,reworked version from its initial December screening at Kamehameha), andher1996 collaboration with Carlyn Tani, "Happy Birthday, Tutu Ruth," willbe partof the festival's closing program that honors kupuna.
'OIWI FILM FESTIVAL» Where: The Doris DukeTheatre, Honolulu Academy of Arts» Admission: $8; $7 students, seniorsand military; and $5 museum members » Info: 532-8701 or www.honoluluacademy.org |
ONE OF THOSE filmmakers is Kamakanioka'aina Paikai, who willbe graduating this spring from the University of Hawaii with abachelor's degreein arts and sciences from the Academy for Creative Media film program.He hastwo shorts in the festival, the Hawaiian-language "E Ola i Keia Po (LiveTonight)" and the pidgin-rich "Moke Action" (both with helpful Englishsubtitles).
"I transferred to UH (from Leeward Community College) withthe intention of getting into the academy under the video-gaming track,"Paikaisaid, "but when I took the prerequisite class where we studied allaspects offilm, it intrigued me, especially foreign films, and got me questioningwhy nofilms were being made in the Hawaiian language.
"Historically, Hawaii in narrative films have been purelyused as a backdrop, and almost always the story is from a foreigner'spoint ofview. There are so many stories that we have here in these islands, and Ijustwant to share my perspective with my people and the rest of the world."
After an early interest in autobiographical writing, Paikaithinks he's found his creative voice in filmmaking.
His two shorts were originally student projects. "'E Ola iKeia Po' was the first Hawaiian-language film to come from the ACM. Iwanted todo a modern-day story in Hawaiian language to show that it is still alivinglanguage. ... 'Moke Action' was made the next semester for an advancedproduction class where all the students in the class must pitch a scriptideaand the entire class votes, and mine got chosen. It was just a funnyconcept,poking fun at formal English and legitimizing pidgin.
"Documentaries with Hawaiian content were being made steadilyfor the past 20 years, but with the resurgence of the language, morepeople werebecoming versed in Hawaiian and I felt that right now is the time tostartmaking Hawaiian narrative films," he said.
In focusing on the rich lives of her grandfather and abeloved "auntie" who lived in Waipio Valley on the Big Island, Kirk hascontinued to be engaged as a filmmaker.
"I choose to tell the stories that move me and I think willmove others. Whether my films are short, long, narrative or documentary,the onecomponent I hope that is always present is the emotional connection withtheviewer."
Kirk said the community response to 'Oiwi "has beenincredible."
"People are really excited to come to see the films, and thisis important because it lets us know there is an audience out there whowants tosee films by Hawaiian filmmakers and that we must continue to tell ourstoriesin film.
"The film festival is important because it is aboutrepresentation," Kirk said. "Many times in film, Hawaiians have been left out ofthe final decision-making process of the narrative of our own story.Thosedecisions were being made by directors and producers who are notHawaiian. Thefilms in this festival represent Hawaiian storytellers in control ofwhat'sgoing on in front of, as well as behind, the camera."
Paikai said, "Please come out to support native filmmakers.We made these films for you, Hawaii."
THOSE WHO LEAD US IN HAWAII Na alaka'i o Hawai'i nei » When: 1, 4 and 7:30 p.m. today,Tuesdayand Wednesday (with evening post-screening Q&A withfilmmmakers today) The films » "Ke Kaua'ana" » "Kekohi" »"King Kamehameha: A Legacy Renewed" CARING FOR OUR LAND HAWAIIANS' RELATIONSHIP TO THE SEA SOVEREIGNTY SHORT STORIES HULA, DANCE OF HAWAI'I HONORING OUR ANCESTORS |
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