MOLOKA’I BOUND

After years of incarceration, Kainoa De Silva, a wayward Hawaiian man, is paroled. Fully committed to reconnecting with his family, most important is rebuilding a relationship with his son, Jonathan. But acclimating to normal life in Hawai‘i is harder than it seems and Kainoa tends to do all the wrong things for the right reasons. In trying to prove himself worthy of his family and native heritage, Kainoa''s journey is a story of reconciliation and redemption. In his sophomore feature, Alika Tengan (EVERY DAY IN KAIMUKI, Sundance 2022) produces an astute and sober look at family dynamics, the impacts of colonization, and father-and-son relationships while navigating contemporary Kānaka Maoli identity. HIFF is honored to present the “hometown” premiere of MOLOKA‘I BOUND as this year’s Centerpiece Film. Tengan is a stalwart example of a burgeoning filmmaker that has gone through the ropes of HIFF, as an audience member and cineaste, a student, to becoming the first Kānaka Maoli filmmaker to have a feature film world premiere at Sundance. With creative collaborator Chapin Hall, who also serves as cinematographer, and producer Nina Yang Bonjiovi, there is a verisimilitude to Hawai‘i life. Led by a nuanced performance from Holden Mandrial-Santos, the film is a shining milestone in what the Festival has coined “The Kānaka Maoli New Wave.” This film is also nominated for the Kau Ka Hōkū Award presented by Hawaiian Airlines.