The Maui Strong Fund is providing financial resources to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs for the people and places affected by the devastating Maui wildfires.
Community leaders are unsung heroes. Oftentimes, they are unfortunately left unrecognized by those outside of their sphere of influence, no matter how much good they contribute. Bull Kotter, lovingly known as Uncle Bully, is one of Maui’s heroes, and the documentary UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL tells his story so that his goodwill may never be […]
UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL represents Maui’s resilience Read More »
UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL was one of the most anticipated films of HIFF 43. Directed by Todd Soliday and Leah Washawski, the uplifting documentary features Bull Kotter, a surf instructor, affectionately known as “Uncle Bully”. Raised in Maui, Bully’s passion for surf education and community development in Maui is a guiding light for youth during
Riding the waves of resilience in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL Read More »
HOCCI’s Sean Oketani sits down with filmmaker Hunter Naho‘oikaika to discuss her film, SEEING WITH HAWAIIAN EYES, an official selection of the 43rd Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani (HIFF43) and screened in the Kānaka Maoli Legacy: New Hawaiian Docs program. Here is the film’s synopsis: Lehia establishes an indigenous farm with her partner
The deadly fire in Lāhainā should have never happened. It could have been prevented if the ʻāina (land) had been properly cared for, as it once was before land changes occurred that made the area dangerously dry. Lāhainā is a very important place to Kānaka Maoli, it was once the capital of the Kingdom of
Ka Nani o Lāhainā (The Beauty of Lāhainā) in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL & MY PARTNER Read More »
Directed by husband and wife filmmaking duo, Todd Soliday and Leah Warshawski, UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL spotlights a surf instructor in Lahaina, Bull Kotter (Uncle Bully), and his dedication to serving his community amidst the pandemic and following the wake of the August 8th Lahaina wildfire. The documentary begins by showcasing Uncle Bully and the
Cultivating community in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL Read More »
Bully Kotter, also known as ‘Uncle Bully,’ teaches children how to surf at a camp in Lahaina, Maui. He is the subject of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival’s co-opening film, UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL, a documentary by Maui-based filmmakers Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday which began shooting during the pandemic. One of the kids Bully
Lahaina doc UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL delivers message of hope Read More »
With aloha, HIFF acknowledges its occupation of ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Indigenous Hawaiian people, the Kānaka Maoli.
With gratitude, we honor the ʻāina itself and the generations who steward it.