Award-winning Made on Maui film, ‘My Partner’ debuts on VOD Sept. 24

Film festival favorite “My Partner,” a tender Boys’ Love drama and coming-of-age tale shot in Lahaina prior to the devastating fire in 2023, will be available on major streaming VOD (video on demand) platforms beginning Sept. 24, 2024.

The film stars Kaipo Dudoit and Jayron Munoz in their debut feature film roles, with Dudoit set to star in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of the hit 2002 animated movie, “Lilo & Stitch.”

Set in Lahaina, “My Partner” follows the story of two Lahainaluna High School senior boys whose separate worlds collide in a journey of self-awakening.

Pili (Dudoit), an extroverted jock, and Edmar (Munoz), a high-achieving, introverted gamer, are caught up in a rivalry between opposing senior class friend groups at Lahainaluna High School.

The conflict comes to a head when Edmar’s group catches Pili’s group in the act of overfishing a native species in a restored fresh-water stream. Things heat up further when Pili and Edmar’s social studies teacher assigns the boys to work on their semester project together.

Despite protests and forced to work together, Pili and Edmar slowly learn that, despite appearances, they and their cultures have much in common, becoming closer as they spend time together. Pili learns about Filipino immigrants to Hawai’i and Edmar learns about Hawaiian culture and history. But things swirl out of control when their friends get into a battle.

Distributed by Random Media, “My Partner” was produced by KSG Films and is the feature film debut of director Keliʻi Grace, a Native Hawaiian visual storyteller. The film was written by attorney Lance D. Collins, who grew up in Maui and is the series editor of 15 books about West Maui. The screenplay is by Alexander Deedy and Sean Dunnington; cinematography is by Brock Ladd; and the film is produced by Keliʻi Grace and Jess T. Johnston.

“My Partner” was produced and filmed entirely in Hawaiian and features a traditional Hawaiian and island music soundtrack. Grappling with many of the cultural and social issues facing the people of Hawai’i today, “My Partner” is a time capsule picture of historic Lahaina. The film production says it recognized the practices of Hawai’i and Kanaka host culture to ensure all aspects of the production would have a positive impact on Hawai’i and communities represented in the film.

The unrated 99-minute film is available in English, Tagalog and Hawaiian with subtitles.

Film festivals and awards

• Audience Award (Narrative) at the 2023 L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival;
• Outstanding Excellence Award (Romance) at the 2023 LGBTQ+ Unbordered International Film Festival;
• Grand Jury Award at the 2023 Honolulu Rainbow International Film Festival;
• Lily Tomlin Memorial Award at the 2023 San Antonio QFest LGBT International Film Festival;
• Best Foreign Film at the 2023 Mpumalanga International Film Festival (South Africa); and
• Honorable Mention, Made in Hawai’i (Feature) at the 2024 Hawai’i International Film Festival.

The film also screened at the 2024 Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, 2024 DisOrient Asian and Pacific Islander American Film Festival (Oregon), 2023 KASHISH Mumbai Queer International Film Festival, 2023 BJX Bajio International Film Festival (Mexico), 2023 Golden Isles Film Festival, 2023 Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival, 2023 San Diego Filipino Film Festival, 2023 Indifest – Festival De Cinema Indigena De Barcelona, 2023 Twin Cities International Film Festival and the 2023 Beijing Queer International Film Festival.