San Antonio Film Festival Audience Choice Award - Kuleana
A disabled Vietnam vet rediscovers the Hawaiian warrior within to protect his family, defend their land, and clear his father's name.
Interview with Writer/Director Brian Kohne
Watch Kuleana on Prime Video and Vimeo on demand
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
My family moved to Maui in 1969; the islands have been very kind to us. I observed much as a child which is reflected in the movie; namely the routine bombing of Kaho’olawe, a Hawaiian island, by the US Navy for target practice, and the fact that no one was doing anything to stop it at the time. The Hawaiian renaissance of the mid-seventies brought a battle by the people to regain control of the island’s future, and a gradual return of culture and tradition, language and indigenous arts. KULEANA is an act of culture, it is something I suppose I began writing at age 5.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Because you care about our world and people who inhabit it. ‘Kuleana' means many things, among them is Spiritual Responsibility. I identify this energy as the importance to honor those who came before, while making the world a better place for those who follow. If you align with that belief system, or love a unique mystery, you’ll dig this movie.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
They are intertwined, I believe. One of the challenges with a cultural motion picture is to craft a universal story, without sacrificing authenticity. Those of us who work in this space are quite familiar with the risks when matters tip one way or another. What Disney does with culture is often to rewrite history and fact. The responsible filmmaker, I believe, respects their audience enough so as to be bold, and to trust in the truth intellect of mankind.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Incredibly so. Kuleana began as a feature comedy twelve years ago, up to draft three. I put it down for a while, then got back after it in 2012. Seven drafts and five years later we shot an intense mystery/drama. I pretty much gave over to the story and the characters, and as I matured and grew so did the material. It took a major leap once in production and post as other artists had their say. The final product is truly a collaboration with hundreds of people equally as passionate as I for the Hawaiian culture and our people.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Overwhelmingly positive. Early in test screenings we had a night when twenty people watched, and provided written feedback. One of the questions was: “what is this story about?” We were astonished to receive twenty completely different answers. For me, I was not surprised entirely, as that was the type of art I was seeking to create. But I was surprised that my scheme seemed to be working. In two public Festival screenings to date, the Maui Film Festival and the San Antonio Film Festival, we were honored with Audience Choice awards. So something is working with this story, in a public setting, at least.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The feedback and response to our work has simply reinforced my world view, and commitment to crafting meaningful story. Commitment to Cinema. I so wish the current generation were not missing out on the magic of cinema, and I become as cynical as any as we devolve further into collective narcissism enabled by various technology and (un)social media. But I am an optimist, ultimately, and so just as vinyl LPs seem to be on the return, perhaps we’ll experience a resurgence of cinema as a means to heal and celebrate our differences and similarities once more.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Shameless publicity :-)
I truly appreciate that you provide a quality and immersive forum for lovers of film to discover new voices. Our aim with the marketing and distribution of Kuleana are logical yet fairly ambitious, and they start with legit Theatrical in Hawaii. That sounds like a no-brainer, but consider the theater chains are not owned and operated by Hawaii people, so to them it’s simply a numbers game. In the past we have not created many homegrown narrative works of quality. When we have achieved such product, the audience doesn’t show up in numbers great enough to generate statistical success.
It’s a dynamic our homegrown industry is collectively working to overcome — for we must tell better story, be better writers and producers, and to do so we also must have sources of financing adequate to elevate Production Values and justify a $12 spend at the multiplex. It’s a chicken and egg thing; so in some way, I am simply a Chicken. Or an egg, I suppose. Our goal is to have our unique Hawaii movie experience a successful theatrical run on the US mainland, as well. But how can we expect outsiders to want to see something that Hawaiians themselves don’t actively support? It’s early in the game, but so far Hawaii people in and out of state are expressing tremendous passion for our project, and taking action to help us move forward, so for that I am truly grateful.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We have a fantastic, experienced sales agent in Strath Hamilton and TriCoast Worldwide, and they see the potential and are working with us to make it happen. So far the Press that has seen our movie have reacted with overwhelming praise, and most seem to get it. We’ve been invited to a number of wonderful Festivals, and plan to enjoy that ride through late fall. Distribution is certainly the end-all, and we are taking those matters in our own hands, initially. Optimally one of the bigger players grasps what we have created and helps us to realize its potential in both domestic and international markets.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
For it to be seen, and discussed. For it to emerge as an educational tool for teachers and others world wide. The movie does not seek to teach or preach — but it does raise many topics and questions that I feel are best addressed by others with passion and understanding of our culture and history. For ‘Olelo Hawai’i, the language of our islands, to be further recognized and valued as the true connection to our past and future. For visitors of Hawaii to arrive with a greater sense of compassion for our people and our history, our unique and precious culture, as we are far more than the Mai-Tai and Grass Skirt facade we ourselves are responsible for peddling exclusively for far too long. For there to be a true Hawaii Genre; one in which we are empowered to tell our own stories so that Hollywood does not have to do that for us.
Most motion pictures simply depict the visitor experience — and that is so very narrow, and boring, frankly. For 100 years our culture and people have been distorted through stereotypical depictions on TV and motion pictures — but that is no one's fault but our own in this day and age. We can tell our stories, and many of us are taking responsibility to do so in earnest. There are so many incredibly talented creators from Hawaii working in Hollywood — we need more of them to return and make a difference now, while we are still fighting this battle simply to create and to be seen. We need more of us at the highest level to join the fight and create an industry for our children to thrive in here at home up the road.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
One aspect of the motion picture, at least I’ve been told this by folks who have seen it, is that it asks a viewer to ponder: “What is my Kuleana?” I think that’s a good a place as any for one to begin: with an internal dialog. Our work is, among other things, Provocative. So I’m pretty certain the movie itself will create the conversation on its own.
Would you like to add anything else?
On behalf of cast and crew and other Hawai’i Creatives, we appreciate you taking the time and devotion to shine a little light on our art and efforts to tell story in the islands, for the world. We too love movies, and the people who create and consume them.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Our Producer, Stefan Schaefer, has a number of TV projects in the works that are island-based. I’m writing my next, an ambitious eco-thriller, which I hope will be my first big-budget affair. Sonya Balmores, one of our leads, debuts this fall in ABC’s Marvel series INHUMANS, which was shot in the islands. Pretty much everyone associated with our project have incredible goals and dreams they are pursuing; the types of persons Stefan and I gather on these adventures are doers. I believe that in order to get something meaningful done, one must ultimately take responsibility for doing it yourself. And that energy tends to attract like-minded lunatics, and before you know it something special has been set loose into the world.
Interview: August 2017
_______________________________________________________________________________
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
_______________________________________________________________________________
Kuleana
A disabled Vietnam vet rediscovers the Hawaiian warrior within to protect his family, defend their land, and clear his father's name.
Length:
95 minutes
Director:
Brian Kohne
Producer:
Stefan Schaefer
Writer:
Brian Kohne
About the writer, director and producer:
Hawaii’s BRIAN KOHNE is an award-winning music producer (BAREFOOT NATIVES, WILLIE K) and independent motion picture writer/director/producer (GET A JOB, KULEANA). Kohne is principal of both MALAMA PONO PRODUCTIONS and HAWAI’I CINEMA INC, an island-based marketing/publicity company.
Stefan Schaefer is a writer, director and producer. His films have premiered and won awards at festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival and SxSW, among many others, and have been successfully released theatrically and on TV channels such as PBS, HBO and the Sundance Channel.
Key cast:
Moronai Kanekoa (TEN YEAR PLAN)
Sonya Balmores (SOUL SURFER, Marvels INHUMANS)
Kristina Anapau (TRUE BLOOD, BLACK SWAN)
Stefan Schaefer (AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELLA)
Augie T (GET A JOB, HAWAII 5-0)
Branscombe Richmond (RENEGADE, SCORPION KING)
Plus: Marlene Sai, Vene Chun, Kealani Warner, Mel Cabang, Steven Dascoulias, Kainoa Horcajo
Social media handles:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
www.Instagram.com/HawaiiCinema
Where can I see it in the next few months?
Louisville International Film Festival (KY)
Tribal Film Festival (OK)
Guam International Film Festival
Santa Cruz Film Festival (CA)
Hawaii International Film Festival