By Staff Reports
(Hawaii)– A new, short film written, directed and produced by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni took home a pair of awards at the 2020 Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (HIFF).
Hawaiian Soul tells the story of George Helm, a musician who used his gift of song to lead a 1970s movement to protect Hawaiian land and Native Hawaiian rights. The film was written and directed by Academy for Creative Media (ACM) alumnus ʻĀina Paikai, and produced by ACM alumnus Kaliko Maʻiʻi. Hawaiian Soul won the Made in Hawaiʻi Best Short category and the Hawaiʻi News Now Audience Award for best short.
“It feels great knowing we’ve succeeded in two arenas of filmmaking. Winning Best Made in Hawaiʻi, and being selected by a jury of esteemed industry professionals means we were able to craft a critically acclaimed, technically sound film,” Paikai said. “At the same time, winning the Audience Award means that this is a popular story for our Hawaiʻi audiences, one that many are excited to see as well as happy with what they’ve seen once finished.”