AAPI Storytellers Festiva Live post-screening discussion with: Director Christopher Kahunahana, Oscar-nominated Actor Steven Yeun (Minari, Burning, The Walking Dead), Founder of Kindred Ventures Steve Jang, Executive Editor at NBC News Business, Tech & Media Sally Shin, Letterboxd and Kinema Writer Mia Vicino
Read MoreFILMMAKER Magazine / Nov. 2020
Kahunahana was kind enough to take some time out of getting ready for his Hawai’i premiere at the Hawai’i International Film Festival to discuss the film, its journey, and its relationship to Native Hawaiian storytelling and the harsh realities of contemporary Hawai’i.
Read MoreNov 29, 2020 3:00pm
“In his feature debut, director Christopher Kahunahana unravels a hauntingly beautiful film that depicts the complicated and intertwined sides of paradise, both darkness and light,” the festival jury said of “Waikiki.” “Against the backdrop of Hawaii’s natural beauty, Kahunahana and cast focus on the very real struggles of many Hawaiian residents – and leave us wondering how we can be a part of the solution, not just the problem.”
Read MoreAfter impressing audiences with his 2014 debut, the short film “Lahaina Noon,” Native Hawaiian filmmaker Christopher Kahunahana is returning to the big screen with his feature debut, “Waikiki.” The film, starring Danielle Zalopany and Peter Shinkoda, will hit the festival circuit this season and is billed as an “unflinching glimpse into the gritty realities of life in paradise.”
Read MoreNative Hawaiian director Christopher Kahunahana spoke to Salon about his dark, surreal film about indigenous trauma
Read MoreA new film from a Native Hawaiian filmmaker challenges the tourism industry's narrative about Hawaii as paradise on Earth. For the most part, though, the movies and TV shows shot in Hawaii haven't been made by the people who live there. In fact, Christopher Kahunahana's debut movie Waikiki is billed as the first narrative feature film written and directed by a Native Hawaiian.
Read MoreJoin HIFF Artistic Director; Anderson Le with Christopher Kahunahana, Nicole Naone, Connie Florez, Danielle Zalopany and Jason Quinn of Waikiki The Film as they discuss the film.
Read MoreHIFF Talks Panel co-presented by Pacific Islanders in Communications: "The Future of Kānaka Maoli Filmmaking: Where do we go from here?" starting at 3 PM HST. Artistic practice, maintaining authenticity in the filmmaker’s perspective, and what protocols to follow in this “new normal” during a global pandemic will be hot button issues discussed in a time of massive structural change as we try to answer the question, “where do we go from here?”
Read MoreAn official quote
Upon viewing a private screening of Waikiki, Joshua Wisch, the Executive Director of ACLU Hawaii had shared his thoughts with us:
Read MoreFILMMAKER Magazine / Dec. 2017
Onscreen in nearly every shot, her every gaze imbued with a combination of beauty, pain, and longing, she delivers a star-making performance that’s utterly remarkable for its raw energy.
Read MoreMetro HNL - Mar. 2017
WAIKIKI the movie centers on a woman living in her van and working at a hostess bar after fleeing an abusive relationship. Along the way, she forms an unexpected bond with a homeless man who is wrestling with his own demons.
Read MoreHawaii Modern Luxury Magazine / Nov. 2017
An island son prepares to tell the story of one of Hawai‘i’s most legendary places. “Storytelling is huge part of growing up Hawaiian,” says Christopher Kahunahana,
Hawaii Modern Luxury Magazine / Jun. 2018
“Producing a feature film is intense. I’ve always been more of a sprinter, and film is a marathon. It is my first time producing anything of this scale, with this many moving parts, involving this many people. It’s a lot. I love it. But it’s a lot.”
Read MoreFLUX Magazine / Jun. 2017
It’s the middle of a Tuesday, and Christopher Kahunahana orders another round of drinks at the Old Spaghetti Factory overlooking Honolulu’s Kaka‘ako waterfront.
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