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Reviews

Portraying the Faces of the Climate And Housing Crises In RAZING LIBERTY SQUARE

Filmed over the course of five years, RAZING LIBERTY SQUARE is a powerfully directed and insightful documentary that follows the redevelopment of New Liberty Square, a $300 million mixed income public housing complex, which begins with the demolition of Liberty Square.  Liberty Square is a historically Black neighborhood of Liberty City located in Miami, Florida […]

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Reflecting upon freedom of the press in BAD PRESS [Op-Ed]

The fragility of freedom of the press is at the forefront in the documentary feature BAD PRESS, which screened at this year’s Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF43). The unique precarity surrounding the issue is detailed onscreen as viewers follow Angel Ellis, a reporter for Mvskoke Media and part of the Muscogee Creek Nation, which is

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Preserving ʻIke Kūpuna in HOMETOWN LEGENDS & ISLAND COWGIRLS

HOMETOWN LEGENDS and ISLAND COWGIRLS are two films that are preserving ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Knowledge) from nā kupuna (elders) themselves. It is tradition for nā kupuna to pass down knowledge to the younger generations by ma ka hana ka ʻike, learning by doing. In these films, the audience watches as nā kupuna reminisce on their

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UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL represents Maui’s resilience

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

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Women on the rise: REEL WĀHINE OF HAWAI‘I Season 4

In the intricate tapestry of cinematic storytelling, the role of women filmmakers is an essential thread that weaves narratives of diversity, creativity, and perspective. Historically underrepresented in various aspects of the film industry, women have, nonetheless, made indelible contributions that have shaped the cinematic landscape. Their voices, both in front of and behind the camera,

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Riding the waves of resilience in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL

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

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Climate gentrification’s DNA explored in THE SETTLERS (Los colonos)

Climate gentrification is omnipresent. With rising sea levels, people are forced to move further inland and the housing market must turn elsewhere. This search for new land to “develop” leaves many minority groups out of a place to live in favor of the upper and middle classes who can afford new, up-to-date housing. And though

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Ka Nani o Lāhainā (The Beauty of Lāhainā) in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL & MY 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

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