LAHAINA RISING is a searing yet hopeful documentary chronicling the devastation and resilience surrounding the August 8, 2023 wildfire that tore through the historic town of Lāhainā, Maui—the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century. With over 13,000 residents displaced and an entire town reduced to ashes, the film captures both the staggering loss and the community’s unbreakable spirit.

Told through firsthand accounts, archival police body cam footage, and deep historical context, the film—directed and produced by Maui residents with deep Lāhainā roots—traces how centuries of environmental degradation, rooted in plantation-era policies and modern tourism-driven exploitation, set the stage for catastrophe. The film reveals how these systemic injustices created a fragile, unsustainable landscape and left Native Hawaiian communities vulnerable and underserved.

At its heart, however, the documentary is a tribute to the people of Lāhainā. In the absence of adequate government support, residents organized relief efforts, cared for one another, and began the long road to healing and rebuilding. Their resilience and solidarity offer a vision for a more just and sustainable future—not only for Lāhainā, but for all of Hawai‘i. LAHAINA RISING is both a reckoning and a rallying cry: a powerful reminder that from the ashes of destruction, new life can emerge.

CREDITS

Director(s): Matty Schweitzer

Producer(s): Phil Schlieder, Blake Ramelb, De Andre Makakoa

Cast: Paele Kaikona, Courtney Lazo, Zane Schweitzer, Archie Kalepa, Kekai Keahi

Mahalo to our 2025/26 Season Sponsors: Kate Bell & Tom Blackburn, Fred Dosher & Carol Greenwell, Ceppie & Irwin Federman, Marsha & Tom Kerley, Mimi & Brian Kerley, Steve Kirkham & Jennie Dougherty, Caroline Landry & David Kirk, Rhoady Lee & Alan Gartenhaus, Timothy & Tina Lee, Bruce Redman & Eric Ewing, John C. Ryan