Drive-In Movie Night Feb. 20 Featuring ‘Aloha Surf Hotel’ at UH Maui College

Maui Hui Mālama’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program will host a drive-in event Feb. 20 featuring “Aloha Surf Hotel,” a locally-produced film by Stefan Schaefer, Founder of Cicala Filmworks.

The drive-in movie for a maximum of 50 vehicles will be held in the parking lot of the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College campus Saturday at 6pm.

“Aloha Surf Hotel” is a family comedy starring an all-star cast of local actors and comedians, including Augie T, Taiana Tully, Branscombe Richmond, Matt Corboy, Kealani Warner and Alex Farnham.

The film premiered at the Hawai’i International Film Festival in November, and it has played in theaters on all-islands.

Shot entirely on Maui, critics are calling it “consistently hilarious” and “a local gem.” The film was recently nominated by the Hawai’i Film Critics Society as “Best Hawai’i Film” for 2021. 

This program was created as a response to Maui’s youth struggling to help their families financially, as loss of jobs for parents have had a strong impact on youths’ lives. Maui Hui Mālama helps youth stay in school while learning job skills and contributing to their household.

This program wouldn’t be possible without community partners, including the University of Hawai’i Maui College and Hawai’i Animal Rescue Foundation. In addition, Pastele House Food Truck has joined the team by offering hands-on training to the youth onsite and donating part of the proceeds to Maui Hui Mālama. 

The youth have been preparing for this event by participating in job skills training and hosting drive-in movie experiences for smaller audiences of family and Maui Hui Mālama staff. 

Four students are participating in the current Youth Entrepreneurship program that runs 12 weeks and includes weekly educational modules, hands-on job training through community events, and a stipend for completing the program.  The students will learn skills in event coordination, audio/visual technology, point-of-sale technology, accounting, customer service and data science. 

The final celebration, or ho’ike, of the program is planned for April. Audience members at each event are invited to provide feedback via survey to help youth improve their entrepreneurial skills each week. 

Kalo Krusaders are the community sponsors that make the Youth Entrepreneurship Program possible this quarter. Other sponsors include Goodfellow Brothers, Wai Life Maui local clothing brand and Hawai’i-based artist Solomon Enos, who also created the illustrations for Kalo Krusader and friends – the Super Hui Hero Squad that supports our youth.

People can join Maui Hui Mālama by visiting www.mauihui.org/superhuihero or be added to its mailing list at: mauihui.org.