Sundance Institute wraps 2024 Mentorship Initiative with Native Hawaiian filmmakers

Advancing mentorship opportunities for emerging Native Hawaiian filmmakers currently living in Hawai‘i, the Sundance Institute’s 2024 Indigenous Program this month wrapped its short film-focused intensive earlier in Honolulu—the Sundance Indigenous Intensive x Hawai‘i.

Following a call earlier this summer for Kānaka Maoli applicants to submit short narrative scripts and nonfiction project pitch decks, five applicants were accepted and invited to three days of specialized workshops at the CreativeSpace Studio at Entrepreneurs Sandbox, Kaka‘ako. These intensive sessions with Sundance mentors provided one-on-one feedback featuring Hawai‘i-based filmmakers and film and creative content industry professionals.

“We’re thrilled to come back to Hawai‘i and to meet Native Hawaiian artists where they’re at creatively, and more importantly to listen to their needs and how we can deepen our support for their work and creative practices,” said Sundance Indigenous Program Director Adam Piron.

Coinciding with the intensive, a special screening of short films from the 2024 Sundance Institute Indigenous Film Tour featuring a selection of eight shorts was presented at the Entrepreneurs Sandbox on Wednesday evening, Aug. 14. The screening event included a networking reception for the invited guests, comprising Native Hawaiian filmmakers, student filmmakers from University of Hawaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Pacific University, as well as individuals active in local production and film education. The Sundance Institute Indigenous Film Tour screenings are supported by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 

From labs and fellowships to screenings and gatherings around the world, the Sundance Institute Indigenous Program’s offerings are designed in response to the specific needs of Native and Indigenous storytellers. The five Sundance Indigenous Intensive x Hawai‘i 2024 fellows and their projects include: 

Kapena Liu with “Olelo Kupuna”: Liu’s project is a nonfiction short that dives into the traditional Hawaiian language and the history that led to its current state. A filmmaker based in Mililani, O‘ahu, Liu made his directorial debut in 2023 with his film “Blue Fish.” His work explores themes influenced by his family, community, and everyday life in modern Hawai‘i.  

William “Billy” Roehl with “Just A Rock”: After losing a precious possession, a young nurse blames his bad luck on a cursed lava rock. Determined to set things right, he risks missing out on the gifts in front of him. Roehl is a published marine biologist and merman. Born in Oregon, he spent summers in Kahaluʻu and Mānoa with the Hawaiian and Chinese sides of his family. From fishermen on both maternal and paternal lineages, his love of the ocean runs deep and is reflected in his work and art. 

Taylour Chang with “Untitled Pana O‘ahu Film Project”: A meditation on pre-contact ceremonial sites of Oʻahu — inspired by and building upon the work of photographer Jan Becket. Chang currently serves as director of Public Programs and Community Engagement at Bishop Museum. From 2013 to 2022, she was curator of Film and Performance at the Honolulu Museum of Art and director of Doris Duke Theatre. Past films include short documentaries and narrative period pieces.  

Conrad Lihilihi with “Island Fever”: With another pandemic on the horizon, disgruntled Hawaiian tour guide Greg Alaka‘i must reconnect to the power and self-sufficiency of how his ancestors lived in order to survive the impending apocalypse. Lihilihiis an award-winning writer, director, and editor who explores culture and identity through various forms and genres. He’s currently a staff assistant editor at Warner Brothers and produces Mixed Plate Storytime, which encourages literacy with Hawai‘i children’s books. 

Pumehana Cabral with “Becoming My Own Ahupuaʻa”: This experimental short tells the story of one queer Kānaka reconnecting with culture and home through becoming their own refuge. We experience their journey through movement, mixed media, and a range of Native Hawaiian practices, moʻolelo (stories), and beliefs. M. Kaleipumehana Cabral (Pumehana) is a queer Kānaka who has navigated in and out of diaspora. As an MSW (Master of Social Work) and proud Kānaka ʻŌiwi, Cabral’s life centers on social justice and community-building with other māhū and BIPOC.  

The 2024 Sundance Indigenous Intensive x Hawai‘i is a continuation of a Hawai‘i connection cultivated with the Sundance Institute over the years together with community organizations focused on fostering opportunities for local creative intellectual property development. The program is supported by Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID) and long-time supporters of the local film, media and arts community, Linda and Robert Nichols.  

“The Sundance Institute’s rich history of supporting opportunities for talented indigenous directors and screenwriters is wonderfully aligned with the efforts of a Hawai’i hui of community partners, educators and advocates committed to championing the voices of Kānaka Maoli creatives on a global stage,” said CID Chief Officer Georja Skinner. “While this year’s intensive is wrapping, our important work continues to open access to mentorship, training, creative spaces and industry connections not only for this tremendous cohort of program fellows, but also future generations of indigenous artists across a spectrum of creative and cultural disciplines.”