‘Lahaina Rising’ documentary to screen at national county officials conferences

A documentary about the 2023 Lahaina wildfire will be screened this week at two national conferences for county officials on Maui.

“Lahaina Rising” is scheduled for screenings May 5–7 at the National Association of Counties Western Interstate Region Conference and May 8 at the 40th Annual National Organization of Black County Officials Economic Development Conference in Kāʻanapali.

The film focuses on Lahaina residents, Native Hawaiian leaders and cultural stewards in the aftermath of the August 2023 fire, which killed 102 people and destroyed most of the historic town. It addresses disaster preparedness, land and water rights, ecological stewardship and community recovery.

“Bringing Lahaina Rising to NACo members is an invitation for counties nationwide to listen, learn and take action alongside communities redefining what true recovery looks like,” said Blake Ramelb, producer of the film. “At the same time, these first-look screenings in Lahaina are rooted in honoring the community first—creating space for dialogue and ensuring continued stewardship of this story by those most directly impacted.”

“At its heart, this film is about the people of Lahaina—about their strength, their ʻike, and their unwavering commitment to protecting what matters most,” said Zeke Lee, legislative director, Public Lands and Western Interstate Region, National Association of Counties. “Our hope is that county officials who experience the film will carry these lessons back to their own communities—informing more thoughtful, community-centered approaches to disaster preparedness, land and water stewardship, and long-term resilience.”

The NACo Western Interstate Region Conference brings together county officials from 17 states to engage with federal, state and regional policymakers on issues facing Western communities.

The screenings follow an appearance at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York and a premiere at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, where the film received the Made in Hawaii Award.

Private community screenings in Lahaina are also planned ahead of a broader national rollout. An educational licensing campaign — including discussion guides and a Traditional Ecological Knowledge toolkit — is expected to launch in fall 2026.

More information is available at lahainarising.com.