Nestled on the western shore of Oʻahu, Hawai‘i, Mākua Valley is a sacred place where Native Hawaiian creation stories speak of earth and sky deities giving birth to the first people. Once a thriving community rich in natural abundance, Mākua’s fate changed just days after the 1941 Pearl Harbor bombing, when the U.S. Army forcibly evicted its residents. For decades, the valley and its pristine beach were subjected to relentless military target practice, scarring both land and spirit in the name of national security.

MĀLAMA MĀKUA traces the valley’s transformation from a place of deep cultural roots to a rallying point for grassroots activism. It chronicles the ongoing struggle to restore U.S. military-occupied lands to Native Hawaiian stewardship, connecting this local fight to global movements for peace, demilitarization, and environmental justice. With the U.S. government’s lease set to expire in 2029, the call for Mākua’s return grows more urgent—and more hopeful—than ever.

CREDITS

Director(s): Mikey Inouye
Producer(s): Laurel Mei-Singh, Ciara Lacy
Writer(s): Laurel Mei-Singh, Mikey Inouye
Cast: Sparky Rodrigues, Lynette Cruz, Vince Dodge, Leandra Wai, Fred Dodge
Cinematographer(s): Michael Cruickshank

HO‘OMAU

Ho‘omau is an animated short that explores grief, love, and the eternal bond between mother and daughter. After the devastating loss of her mom, a young girl struggles to comprehend mortality and the vastness of existence. Through memory, spirit, and self-discovery, she begins to find her mother again in the lessons left behind. The film reflects on how love transcends death, offering hope and connection beyond loss.

MEMORY AS MISSIONARY POSITION

Through the language of poetry and the art of movement, a Pasifika wahine reawakens her connection to the land and her body, confronting colonial histories while celebrating ancestral power and eroticism.

BACK TO THE LOKO

A group of indigenous Hawaiians come together to not only revitalise a native fish population in their local fishponds, but also the next generation of indigenous leaders in their ancestral grounds through the merging of traditional and modern practices.

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