By Ianeta Le’i, Indigenous Program Senior Manager

In recent years, Hawai‘i has become a hub for film and television — from big-budget franchise films to cable procedurals and everything in between. With a rich film scene on the rise and a hunger for Native Hawaiians to tell their stories, partnering with Linda and Robert Nichols and Creative Industries Hawai‘i (CID) to create a Hawaiian intensive on O‘ahu felt like a no-brainer. 

Taking place at the Entrepreneurs Sandbox, this three-day intensive sets out to provide mentorship, support, and a grant to five Native Hawaiian filmmakers. As someone who was born and raised in Waialua, I’m excited to be able to come home and share our Sundance Indigenous Program ‘ohana and community with these up-and-coming filmmakers. Our fellows are amazing and have such creative and innovative ideas and projects. We can’t wait to support them in getting their projects made with the ultimate goal of screening them for the Hawai‘i community.

Below you can learn more about the five fellows and their projects. 

The 2024 Native Hawaiian Intensive Fellows:

Kapena Liu with Olelo Kupuna: A nonfiction short that dives into the traditional Hawaiian language and the history that led to its current state. 

Kapena Liu is a filmmaker based in Mililani, O‘ahu. Liu made his directorial debut in 2023 with his film Blue Fish. His work explores themes influenced by his family, community, and everyday life in modern Hawai‘i.  

William “Billy” Roehl with Just A Rock: After losing a precious possession, a young nurse blames his bad luck on a cursed lava rock. Determined to set things right, he risks missing out on the gifts in front of him. 

Billy Roehl is a published marine biologist and merman. Born in Oregon, he spent summers in Kahaluʻu and Mānoa with the Hawaiian and Chinese sides of his family. From fishermen on both maternal and paternal lineages, his love of the ocean runs deep and is reflected in his work and art.

Taylour Chang with Untitled Pana O‘ahu Film Project: A meditation on pre-contact ceremonial sites of Oʻahu — inspired by and building upon the work of photographer Jan Becket.  

Taylour Chang currently serves as Director of Public Programs and Community Engagement at Bishop Museum. From 2013–2022, she was Curator of Film and Performance at the Honolulu Museum of Art and Director of Doris Duke Theatre. Past films include short documentaries and narrative period pieces.  

Conrad Lihilihi with Island Fever: With another pandemic on the horizon, disgruntled Hawaiian tour guide Greg Alaka‘i must reconnect to the power and self-sufficiency of how his ancestors lived in order to survive the impending apocalypse.

Conrad Lihilihi is an award-winning writer, director, and editor who explores culture and identity through various forms and genres. He’s currently a staff Assistant Editor at Warner Brothers and produces Mixed Plate Storytime, which encourages literacy with Hawai‘i children’s books.

Pumehana Cabral with Becoming My Own Ahupuaʻa: An Indigi-queer take on “self-care.” This experimental short tells the story of one queer Kanaka (re)connecting with culture and home through becoming their own refuge. We experience their journey through movement, mixed media, and a range of Native Hawaiian practices, moʻolelo (stories), and beliefs.

M. Kaleipumehana Cabral (Pumehana) is a queer Kanaka who has navigated in and out of diaspora. As an MSW (Master of Social Work) and proud Kanaka ʻŌiwi, Cabral’s life centers on social justice and community-building with other māhū and BIPOC. They believe that creative work is pivotal to ea and liberation.