HAOLE

HAOLE, the latest film from local filmmaker James Sereno (PARADISE BROKEN, HIFF 2011) and novelist Chris McKinney (THE TATTOO) takes place in Kahalu’u, on the Windward side of Oahu. Thirteen-year-old David Kealoha dreams of escaping rural Hawaii. But when Jonah Morris, a white kid from Phoenix, Arizona moves into the neighborhood, tragedy strikes, irrevocably changing the trajectory of David's life and those closest to him. It’s a provocative exploration on race relations couched in a story about three boys who may seem different on paper, but share similar journeys of finding themselves in a environments where they feel displaced.

Director James Sereno, who runs a successful commercial production company in Honolulu, has dabbled in indie film for over two decades. Most recently, he has served as an executive producer for several award winning features by directors with local ties—Justin Chon’s GOOK and MS. PURPLE, which had world premieres at Sundance and Christopher Makoto Yogi’s AUGUST AT AKIKO’S. In his latest film, he steps behind the camera and crafting an original story by local novelist Chris McKinney, who’s own work explores issues of class and race in Hawai‘i.