The second annual HIFF ‘Ōpio Fest celebrated the outstanding efforts of student filmmakers in middle school and high school from across Hawai’i and Alaska in this year’s FUTURE FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE. In partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Institute (DKI Institute), the program features the best submissions of short films from middle school and high school students in Hawai’i and Alaska, all centered around the theme “Together We Thrive.”
We invited young student filmmakers to creatively explore the role of civic engagement or the well-being of society, highlighting the positive impact storytelling through film can have on our communities. The theme honors the legacy of Senator Daniel K. Inouye, whose unwavering commitment to freedom, fairness, and bipartisanship continues to inspire. His life’s work exemplified moral courage and a deep dedication to building bridges among people.
“Congratulations to all the young filmmakers representing four of our islands and our sister state of Alaska. It is so important to creatively use your voice to applaud positive actions and question those less so. The DKI Institute is proud to partner with HIFF, and this year recognizes two films with their embedded civics lessons – in reaching across the aisle/battlefield, you may find much more in common, and it is never too late to right a wrong and make amends,” shared Jennifer Sabas, Director of DKI Institute.
Student films were nominated with the help of the HIFF Student Advisory Committee. The committee adjudicated the first and second place films for the middle school and high school divisions, while the DKI Institute adjudicated the DKII Special Awards.
Mahalo to the Ted Stevens Foundation for their support of our Spotlight on Alaska films and for making it possible for three talented student filmmakers from Alaska to attend ‘Ōpio Fest in person!
This year’s DKII Youth Ambassadors, Sydney Agudong and Kaipo Dudoit—stars of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s LILO & STITCH—joined the Awards Ceremony to celebrate the creativity and accomplishments of the student filmmakers. During the event, they shared behind-the-scenes insights into their experience working on the Disney film, offering a glimpse into their creative process, the importance of authentic storytelling, and what it means to represent a beloved story rooted in Hawaiian culture.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS
1ST PLACE AWARD
DRIVING THROUGH THE STORM directed by Eliana Viernes of Maui Waena Intermediate
The jury stated: “We applaud the directors for a wonderful short film that truly shows us that “together we thrive.” The story is brought to life with thoughtful interviews, well composed shots, and masterful editing technique. Watching the rival teams come together to support one another’s ambitions was not only engaging, but truly beautiful.“
2ND PLACE AWARD
RACING FOR THE CAUSE directed by Jude Darby of Highlands Intermediate
The jury stated: “We can tell that the directors put a lot of effort into this film and can feel their passion for their cause through the screen. From the video and audio to the shot composition everything about this film was clean and polished. In a world that can feel selfish at times, RACING FOR THE CAUSE left us all with a warm feeling in our hearts and reminded us of our own humanity.”
HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS
The high school awards honored exceptional short films made by student filmmakers that illustrated people working towards a common goal despite having differing viewpoints. These awards were selected by the HIFF Student Advisory Committee, celebrating the outstanding talents of high school students in amplifying inspiring stories of amplifying inspiring stories of people working together toward a common goal.
1ST PLACE AWARD
The 1st Place High School Award for the Future Filmmakers Showcase is IT TAKES A FOREST, directed by Kainoa Thole of Raven Homeschool, Alaska.
The jury stated: “We would like to give a well-deserved round of applause to director Kainoa Thole for this film. A creative take to this year’s theme, IT TAKES A FOREST stood out for not only being the only animated short, but for its wonderful sense of humor and sheer impact. Created by a one man team in Roblox, the film had a good range of close ups and extreme close ups and unique approaches to angles, especially in the scenes near the water. We were impressed by the strength of storytelling within this dialogue-free film and commend director Thole for taking a risk that truly paid off.”
2ND PLACE AWARD
The 2nd Place High School Award for the Future Filmmakers Showcase is HĀNAI KAIĀULU: WEAVING HOPE FROM WASTE, directed by Jeremiah Magallones of Nānākuli High & Intermediate School.
The jury stated: “The heart in this film is truly astounding. We can feel the sincerity radiating from the screen from the voiceovers to the editing. Homelessness in Hawaii is such an important issue, and we commend the directors for showcasing it in a way that is both authentic and real. For shedding light on a problem while serving as a beacon to inspire others, we would like to congratulate and recognize HĀNAI KAIĀULU and thank the directors for taking the time to create a film that shows us how we can come together as a community.”
DKII SPECIAL AWARDS
These two special awards, selected by the Daniel K. Inouye Institute, recognized two exceptional films that embodied this year’s theme of “Together We Thrive.” These awards celebrate films with that aligned with the ideals held by the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye. By honoring these cinematic achievements, the DKII Special Awards aim to amplify the voices of Hawai’i’s youth and their commitment to shaping a better future.
DKII SPECIAL AWARD FOR CREATIVE CAPTURE OF A CIVICS LESSON ABOUT CONFLICT
The DKII Special Award for Creative Capture of a Civics Lesson About Conflict goes to UNITED WE SIP, directed by Lauryn Jim On, Evangeline Cu, Finley Fujikake, Oliver Fujikake, Kainoa Kelly, and Yumi Ricalde-Harada of ‘Iolani School.
DKII SPECIAL AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING
The DKII Special Award for Documentary Storytelling goes to HEALING THROUGH TIME, directed by Angel Jack of Angoon High School, Alaska.
For these two films,. the Daniel K. Inouye Institute stated: “Congratulations to all the young filmmakers representing four of our islands and our sister state of Alaska. It is so important to creatively use your voice to applaud positive actions and question those less so. The DKI Institute is proud to partner with HIFF, and this year recognizes two films with their embedded civics lessons – in reaching across the aisle/battlefield, you may find much more in common, and it is never too late to right a wrong and make amends.”
MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS:
- 1ST PLACE: DRIVING THROUGH THE STORM (Directed by Eliana Viernes, Maui Waena High School, Maui)
- 2ND PLACE: RACING FOR THE CAUSE (Directed by Jude Darby, Highlands Intermediate)
HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS:
- 1ST PLACE: IT TAKES A FOREST (Directed by Kainoa Thole, Raven Homeschool, Alaska)
- 2ND PLACE: HĀNAI KAIĀULU: WEAVING HOPE FROM WASTE (Directed by Jeremiah Magallones, Nānākuli High & Intermediate School)
DKII SPECIAL AWARDS:
- DKII Special Award for Thematic Creativity: UNITED WE SIP (Directed by Lauryn Jim On, Evageline Cu, Finley Fujikake, Oliver Fujikake, Kainoa Kelly, and Yumi Ricalde-Harada, ‘Iolani School)
- DKII Special Award for Documentary Storytelling: HEALING THROUGH TIME (Directed by Angel Jack, Angoon High School, Alaska)
If you missed the screening, you can watch the student films featured in the Future Filmmakers Showcase here until April 21, 2025.
The Daniel K. Inouye Institute was established in 2013 to preserve Senator Inouye’s papers and tell his life story; support STEM education, civics learning and international educational-cultural exchanges; and establish a repository of the Asian American/Pacific experience.
The mission of the Ted Stevens Foundation is to recognize and honor the Senator’s career in public service, and to apply his legacy of bipartisanship and collaboration through outreach and education. In this spirit, the Foundation works with organizations to inspire the next generation of leaders in critical thinking, community advocacy, and respect for cultural and civic engagement.
This contest is also supported by Philip Chung of the YOMYOMF Foundation, which supports Asian Pacific American artists as well as artists from other traditionally underrepresented communities who wish to pursue careers in film, TV, theater and new media.
See Stories was founded as a nonprofit in 2019 by a dedicated and diverse Board on the premise that representation matters, that Alaskan youth are uniquely equipped to share authentic local histories through film making and podcasting, and that empowering youth with media literacy is a vital skill in today’s world.
