Returning to Hana Bay from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, the eighth annual MauiFEST Hawaii Hana Film Festival promises great live musical entertainment in the afternoon and premieres of films steeped in Hawaiian culture after it gets dark.
As always, it's all free.
Headlining the afternoon music bill are New Orleans greats Coco Robicheaux and Hubie Vigreux. Sharing the stage will be island musicians Brother Noland, Bradda Francis and Calvin Hoe.
Article Photos
The audience savors the Hawaii-flavored program at a previous Hana Film Festival
MauiFEST Hawaii photo
A highlight of the evening's film program will be the world premiere of "Hana Remembers Her Sons - The Sarah Joe," written, directed and produced by MauiFEST founder Kenneth Martinez Burgmaier. Accompanied by music by Brother Noland, the film is part history, part mystery, recalling a fateful afternoon when five Hana friends went out fishing, and were never seen again.
Current residents of Hana, many related to the men who disappeared, provide the narration, delving into their memories and piecing events together in their own words.
"Massacre at Kaupoa Beach," also produced by Burgmaier with music by Keola Beamer, is a cautionary tale about the conflict between culture and commerce on the island of Molokai.
"Endangered Species" by New Orleans' Vigruex, a filmmaker as well as a musician, shows that Hawaii doesn't have a monopoly on threats to local culture.
More films, each with a strong island flavor, are on the program, which will screen under a tent to keep viewers safe from Hana's fickle weather.
For more details, visit www.mauifest.net.
-Rick Chatenever
