Daniel Dae Kim, the actor and producer known for two Island-filmed TV series – ABC’s “Lost” and CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” – will executive produce “Makawalu,” an indie feature film initiated by the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF).
The project will be wholly created and co-directed by eight Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) filmmakers.
Kim, who is currently starring on Broadway in David Henry Hwang’s “Yellow Face” farce at the Todd Haimes Theatre through Nov. 24, will be involved in what stacks up to be the largest budgeted indie project filmed here, according to Deadline, which broke the news. A figure has not been announced.
Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Asian American Foundation (TAAF), and Pacific Islanders in Communication (PIC), “Makawalu” is attracting 90 per cent of funding resources outside of Hawaii, with a team of eight filmmakers attached to the project: Justyn Ah Chong, Taylour Chang, Ty Sanga, Ciara Lacy, Āina Paikai, Erin Lau, Scott W. Kekama Amona and Katherine Wong . They comprise a network of skilled Kanaka Maoli (indigenous people of Hawaii or Hawaiians or native Hawaiians) talent.
“’Makawalu’ represents an important step in recognizing Native Hawaiian filmmakers and the power of their stories. As someone who’s worked with this talented group firsthand, it’s been an honor to be able to amplify their voices and help this project come to life,” said Kim in a statement.
Currently in pre-production, the feature starts shooting in spring 2025 for an early 2026 release.
First presented in 2021, the “Makawalu” project involved an extensive selection process after which the eight filmmakers participated in a five-day filmmaker lab and retreat in Honolulu with high-profile industry mentors.
Kim has been all over the map in several genres since exiting the pair of isle-filmed shows. He portrayed the King of Siam in “The King and I” in London and on Broadway. As a producer, he launched “The Good Doctor” on ABC. Kim has been a Hawaii resident for nearly two decades, traveling often for his Mainland roles, and he’s one of the most talented actors-turned-producers in the industry.
Clearly, he’s been huddling with industry figures as Sean Baker (“Anora”). Sarah Wayne Callies (“The Walking Dead”) and Dana Ledoux Miller (co-writer and co-director of Disney’s forthcoming ”Moana 2.”)
Other producers include Sundance alum Sarah S. Kim (“August At Akiko’s”), and HIFF artistic director Anderson Le. John Cheng of 3AD Media will also executive produce.
“Makawalu” tells the story of a typical July 4th luau on the island of Oahu through eight different perspectives. The word Makawalu, in modern Olelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) terminology, references “different perspectives of a situation.”
“The filmmakers crafted a layered screenplay that will unpack many ongoing issues that modern Native Hawaiians face,” said HIFF’s Le. “From the exotification of Native Hawaiian culture in Hollywood media, to the repercussions of American colonization through capitalism and militarization of Hawai‘i, ‘Makawalu’ explores what it means to be ‘Hawaiian’, being priced out of ‘paradise’, all on U.S. Independence Day.”
Beckie Stocchetti, HIFF executive director and “Makawalu” executive producer, said: “The intention of the ‘Makawalu’ project is to provide an opportunity and access for these groundbreaking filmmakers to have full ownership over the telling of their story from their perspective. In order to make that happen we also needed to fundamentally change the traditional financing structure of independent film.”
Casting details have not yet been finalized.
Since the production is funded and ready to shoot in early 2025, HIFF is simultaneously launching the HIFF Studios, to support independent film productions in Hawaii, with a suite of support of financing, legal, and artist development programs to increase career opportunities and develop an industry pipeline for Hawaiian and Pacific Islander creatives…
And that’s Show Biz…