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PACIFIKA: NY Hawaiian
Film Festival — 2003
May 21- 23, 2003
Opening Night Event- 5/21
Cantor Film Center &
Tisch School of the Arts Theaters
Below is the program
from the 2003 Pacifika — New York Hawaiian
Film Festival:
Hawai`i
Cultural Foundation in collaboration with Tisch School of
the Arts Department of Film and Television Graduate Program
presents
Pacifika — New York Hawaiian
Film Festival
Friday, May 16, 2003 through Sunday, May 18, 2003
The Hawai`i Cultural Foundation (HCF)
will exhibit the rich cultural heritage of Hawai`i and the
Pacific Islands preserved through film and video in the first
annual Pacifika — New York Hawaiian Film Festival
(NYHFF). In collaboration with the Tisch School of the Arts
Department of Film and Television Graduate Program, this festival
will present works that explore questions of history, human
rights, and identity of Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.
Opening Night Event:
Friday, May 16, 2003 — 8:00 p.m. Cantor Film Center
The festival will begin with the world
premiere of American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai`i, a
film by Lisette Marie Flanary, member of the HCF `ohana,
and Evann Siebens. The evening will continue with a reception
honoring our filmmakers and will include a special live performance
by renowned and popular Hawaiian entertainer, Robert Cazimero.
As space is limited, please respond by May 1, 2003.
Film Listing and Schedule
Act of War: The Overthrow
of the Hawaiian Nation
57 min., 1991
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 12:00 p.m. at Tisch Rm. 109
Produced by Na Maka o ka `Aina and The Center for Hawaiian
Studies, University of Hawai`i
This
provocative documentary chronicles the events that culminated
in the American Annexation of Hawaii in 1898. Few Americans
are fully aware of the historical events that led to Hawai’i’s
annexation. In 1893, armed U.S. Marines aboard the U.S.S Boston
stormed Honolulu in support of a treasonous coup d’etat
formed by foreign sugar and shipping interests against
the constitutional sovereign of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen
Lili`uokalani. The event was later described by U.S. President
Grover Cleveland as "an act of war." Stylized reenactments,
archival photos and film, political cartoons, historic quotes,
and presentations by Hawaiian scholars tell
Hawaiian history through Hawaiian eyes.
American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai`i
56 min., 2003
Friday, May 16, 2003 — 8:00 p.m. at Cantor
Film Center #200
Directors-Producers: Lisette Marie Flanary
and Evann Siebens
For Hawaiians, the hula is not just
a dance but a way of life — even for those who no longer
live on the islands. This documentary follows the lives of
three very different kumu (master) hula teachers living in
California - kumu hula Sissy Kaio, kumu hula Mark Keali'i
Ho'omalu, and kumu hula Patrick Makuakane, and highlights
their struggle to maintain their culture far away from home.
(Following the screening, producers Flanary and Siebens, along
with special guest kumu hula, Patrick Makuakane, will discuss
the creative process of making this film.)
Biography Hawai`i: Maiki Aiu Lake
56 min., 2002
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 6:00 p.m. at
Cantor Film Center #101
Director: Joy Chong-Stannardl/Producers:
Gregg Lizenberry and Marilyn Cristofori
This first installment of Biography
Hawai`i tells the story of one of the most influential
hula masters of the 20th century through the words
of the people most influenced by her artistry and teaching.
This documentary conveys the deep emotional spirit and dedication
of hula practice. It’s the story of a woman, known as
Aunti Maiki, who devoted her life to the resurrection of the
traditional form of hula kahiko and the enrichment
of the repertoire of the modern hula `auana. Her work
inspired a cultural awakening that grows and flourishes with
each new generation. (Renowned kumu hula and Hawaiian entertainer,
Robert Cazimero, one of Maiki’s protégés,
will introduce the film.)
Heart of the Sea
57 min., 2002
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 8:00 p.m.
at Cantor Film Center #200
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 2:00 p.m. at
Tisch Rm. 109
Director-Producer: Charlotte Lagarde/Director-Cinematographer:
Lisa Denker
This
film tells the compelling and moving life story of the
late Hawaiian legend Rell "Kapolioka`ehukai" Sunn
who died in January 1998 of breast cancer at the age of 47.
Known worldwide as a pioneer of women’s professional
surfing, in the islands Rell Sunn achieved the stature of
an icon — not only for her physical power, grace, and
luminous beauty, but for her leadership in a community that
loved her as much as she loved it. Known as the "Queen
of Makaha" or simply "Auntie Rella," Sunn received
her Hawaiian name from her grandparents who, before her birth,
dreamed of the name Kapolioka`ehukai — Heart of the
Sea. (Q&A to follow with filmmaker)
i scream, floats & Sundays
11 min., 2002
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 3:00 p.m.
at Tisch Rm. 109
Director-Screenplay: Leah Kihara/Producers:
Leah Kihara and Leanne Kang Ferrer
In three short pieces, i scream,
floats & Sundays presents a visual meditation on the
tensions facing Hawaiian women in a westernized Hawaiian society.
Brief relief is found in unexpectedly simple places. This
piece provides a glimpse into the personal experiences of
Hawaiian women through the interwoven familiarity of drama,
documentary, and music video. An often overlooked perspective,
the Hawaiian female comes alive in three vignettes that experiment
with storytelling formats as well as visual mediums. (Q&A
to follow with filmmaker)
Ka`ililauokekoa
76 min., 2002
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 1:30 p.m.
at Tisch Rm. 108
Director: Kala`iokona Ontai/Producer:
`Aha Punana Leo
Ka`ililauokekoa is the first narrative
film produced entirely in the Native Hawaiian language, a
landmark cultural project produced by `Aha Punana Leo (APL),
a Native Hawaiian educational organization committed to reestablishing
Hawaiian as a daily living language. The film tells the legend
of Kaua`i Chieftess, Ka`ililauokekoa, with nontrained actors
of Native Hawaiian ancestry. In fact, the entire preproduction,
production and postproduction was executed from start to finish
in the native Hawaiian tongue. This unique film project is
a work of cultural pride and passion -- a must-see for Hawaiian
language enthusiasts and anyone interested in the modern Hawaiian
renaissance. (Subtitled)
Kamehameha: A Legacy Renewed
27 min., 2002
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 1:00 p.m. at
Tisch Rm. 108
Director-Producer: Mary Tuti Baker
This is an intimate portrait of the
passionate, vibrant people of Kohala (birthplace of King Kamehameha)
and the art conservator, Glenn Wharton, (NYU Associate Professor),
whose life was profoundly changed by the people, the place,
and the statue they hold dear. (Q&A to follow with filmmaker
and conservator)
Kumu Hula: A Tradition of Teachers
30 min., 1998
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 6:00 p.m. at Cantor Film Center
#101
Director: Michael Cowell/Producers: Michael Cowell and
Hawai`i Public Television
Through interviews with prominent hula
teachers, we begin to discover how a student of traditional
hula dance becomes a kumu, or master-teacher. The program
chronicles the journeys a student of the art of hula must
make before being accepted as a keeper of traditional hula
culture. What emerges are stories of devotion between students
and teacher, as many kumu double as spiritual parents. The
program reveals the inherent conflicts and profound aloha
spirit found in hula families and apprenticeships, which have
produced generation upon generation of respected kumu hula.
This film also features interviews with Pacifika-NYHFF’s
guest presenter, kumu hula Robert Cazimero.
Nihi
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 4:00 p.m. at Tisch Rm. 108
Director: Brooks Guyer/Producer: Jimbeau Andrews
"Nihi" is the Hawaiian
nickname given to world—renowned waterman, big wave surfer,
stuntman, musician, and global adventurer, Titus Kinimaka.
This film is an action-biography filled with mountainous waves,
spectacular scenery, and the life-defying experiences of a
modern Hawaiian who honors his past by living on the edge.
To watch Titus drop down the face of a 60-foot wave is to
witness something beyond words. Nihi is a pulsating
cinematic journey that not only expresses the essence of a
unique Hawaiian life, but also seeks to define the contemporary
spirit of aloha. (Titus "Nihi" Kinimaka will
be present at screening.)
Skin Stories
56 min., 2003
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 4:00 p.m.
at Tisch Rm. 108
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 12:00 p.m.
at Tisch Rm. 109
Director: Emiko Omori/Producer: Lisa Altieri
This cutting edge documentary traces
the journey of tattoo, from ancient origins in the remote
Pacific to the urban sprawl of modern America. It uncovers
the meaning behind the symbols and explores the reasons why
people choose to inscribe such permanent, personal stories
on their skin.
Velvet Dreams
New Zealand, 46 min., 1998
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 3:00 p.m. at Tisch Rm. 109
Director: Sima Urale/Producer: Vincent Burke
Journey to mystical South Sea paradises
with our unseen narrator as he searches for a seductive subject
of a beautifully rendered black velvet painting. This docufiction
film mysteriously weaves a complex historical and sociological
journey of Western men and their fascination with the romantic
allure of Polynesian maidens -- the scantily clad type with
flowers tucked behind their ears. Directed by Samoa’s
first female film director, Sima Urale, Velvet Dreams
is filled with a satirical wit that allows for surprisingly
feminist points of view about racism, sexism and colonialism.
This award-winning filmmaker has crafted an epic oceanic odyssey
about the genre of black velvet paintings and the obsessive
search for the perfect Polynesian maiden.
An Uncommon Kindness: The Father Damien
Story
57 min., 1998/2003
Saturday, May 17, 2003 — 5:30 p.m. at Tisch Rm. 108
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 3:30 p.m. at Tisch Rm. 109
Directors: Stephanie J.Castillo, Daniel
P. Marra/Producers: Stepanie J. Castillo, Daniel P. Marra,
Walter Josten, Jeff Geoffray, and Edwin Santiago
Poignantly and skillfully narrated by
actor Robin Williams, this biopic of the 19th century
Belgian missionary, Father Damien, tells an extraordinary
tale of compassion and human spirit. The history of leprosy
(Hansen’s disease) in the Hawaiian Islands centers on
the remote colony of Kalaupapa, on the island of Moloka`i.
This story tells how a displaced and isolated community grew
to love an outsider who chose to remain among them -- under
any circumstances.
We Are Who We Were — From Resistance
to Affirmation
15 min., 1998
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 1:00 p.m. at Tisch Rm. 108
Producers: Na Maka o ka `Aina and The Hawaiian Patriotic
League
This short film reveals the legal and
historic background to what is commonly known as annexation.
Using archival photos, film footage and historic quotes, the
program tells the story of the concerted effort by Queen Lili`uokalani
and her loyal Hawaiian subjects to defeat a treaty of annexation
in the US Senate. Based on United States, Hawaiian Kingdom,
and international law, a compelling case is made for the view
that annexation never took place.
Wini Shaw — Hawaiian Diva
70 min., 2003
Sunday, May 18, 2003 — 2:30 p.m. at
Tisch Rm. 108
Presented by David Noh
Wini
Shaw (1910 -1982), born Winifred Leimomi Shaw, youngest
of 13 children born to Hawaiian/English vaudevillians, defined
1930s movie musicals with her exotic beauty and mellifluous
voice, introducing songs like the Oscar-winning "Lullaby
of Broadway" in Golddiggers of 1935, "The
Lady in Red" in In Caliente, and "September
in the Rain" in Melody For Two. A contract with
Warner Brothers showcased her opposite stars like Bette Davis,
Dick Powell, Irene Dunne and Dolores Del Rio. Film critic
David Noh will present a program devoted to this luminous,
groundbreaking star who deserves to be remembered and celebrated.
Other Festival Activities:
Hula Kahiko & Hula `Auana Workshop
with Patrick Makuakane — Intermediate and Advanced Students
Only
Saturday, May 17, 2003: 10:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.
at Dance Space Center,
451 Broadway, 3rd Floor, NYC
Featured in American Aloha: Hula Beyond
Hawai`i, Patrick Makuakane is the Director for the dynamic
Hawaiian dance company, Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, based in San
Francisco. He is a creative force in the hula world, and is
well known for his innovative choreography. Kumu Patrick Makuakane
was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai`i and began dancing
hula at age 13. He danced professionally and was a principal
dancer with Robert Cazimero’s Na Kamalei. He is currently
studying with hula master Aunty Mae Kamamalu Klein in Hawai`i,
as part of the prestigious two-year Irvine Fellowship in Dance.
Ladies Hula `Auana Workshop with Robert
Cazimero — Intermediate and Advanced Students Only
Sunday, May 18, 2003: 12:00 p.m. — 2:00 p.m.
at Dance Space Center,
451 Broadway, 3rd Floor, NYC
Robert
Uluwehi Cazimero is kumu hula of Halau Na Kamalei from
Honolulu, Hawai`i. He studied hula under Aunti Maiki Aiu and
graduated as part of her Papa `Uniki Lehua class in 1973.
Robert, along with his brother Roland, collectively known
as the Brothers Cazimero, were instrumental in the resurgence
of Hawaiian music and culture during the 1970s. They have
released over 30 albums over the past 30 years and have performed
in theaters such as Carnegie Hall in New York City; the World
Expo in Brisbane, Australia, Hong Kong, Tokyo; and annually
in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle to sellout crowds.
National television credits include PBS’s "Songs
Of Aloha", the "Today" show, "PM Magazine",
"Good Morning America", "Real People",
Jim Nabors special from Hawai`i, the Miss America Pageant,
and the Dolly Parton TV special from Hawai`i.
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