Short Films
Browse individual student films and find the screening blocks where they are featured.
‘Ōpio Junior Showcase + Awards
12 films in this program
GROWING WITH POI
Growing With Poi is about more than just food — it’s about where we come from and where we’re going. By following the journey of poi from the loʻi to the table, we highlight how the POI Project uses culture and tradition to guide and support troubled youth, giving them purpose, connection, and a sense of belonging. As poi grows from the earth, the youth grow too — learning who they are and how their roots can shape a stronger future.
HANG LOOSE, SHARE THE SHAKA
From ''howzit'' to ''hang loose,'' the shaka is the iconic symbol of Hawaii’s spirit. Discover the story behind the world’s most famous hand gesture and how it continues to share aloha one thumb and pinky at a time.
HOW TO GROW A GARDEN WITHOUT SOIL
This video teaches people how to grow bok choy without any soil by using the Kratky Hydroponic method. The Kratky method only use containers, water, and nutrients for the plants to grow.
KA ULUWEHI O KE KAI (THE PLANTS OF THE SEA)
The film starts by introducing two locals from Hilo Intermediate school school on the Big Island. Aleiyah Silva (student) and Kumu Pohai ( Science teacher) share their knowledge about what hula means, why it is important to Hawaiian culture, and how it connects them to their ancestors. The song, Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai, means “the plants of the sea”. It celebrates the processes of gathering, cleaning, and feasting on seaweed (limu). And people frequently compare these traditional practices to a beloved person. Aleiyah Silva shares this story through the dance.
KICKING WITH CONFIDENCE
From a shy beginner to confident competitor, follow Aria''s journey as she kicks past her limits and finds her place in a supportive martial arts community.
KNOWING PEOPLE MADE EASY
A bullied boy finds a pair of mysterious glasses that give him the ability to know people''s secrets. What will he do with this power?
KU ‘IKE
A young girl expresses her ambition to become a runway model despite her young age and small stature. A modeling coach comes into her life to help her achieve her destiny to the surprise of all.
LEAH'S LIST
After losing their friend Leah, a group of kids discovers her unfinished bucket list and decide to complete it together in her honor. Along the way, they heal old friendships, share laughter and adventure, and realize that being the best friends ever was the most important goal of all.
THE LEGACY OF A PANIOLO, THE STORY OF GORDON KALANIOPIO
This student-made film tells the story of a paniolo and his deep roots in Hawaiian culture. Through Gordon Kalaniopio, a cowboy at Parker Ranch for over 40 years, we see how ranching was passed down from his father and shaped his life. From early morning cattle drives to the hard work of breaking horses, his journey shows dedication and pride. As fewer young people become paniolos today, Gordon hopes the next generation will keep this important tradition alive.
MAULOA: THE CANOE THAT AWAKENED OUR WAY
This student-made film tells the story of how a community brought back an important part of their culture by building the traditional voyaging canoe, Mauloa. Through the voices of three waʻa crew members and navigators, we learn how they used the same tools and methods as their ancestors, asked permission from the land, and relearned the art of celestial navigation. Guided by master navigator Papa Mau, the canoe became more than just a vessel — it helped awaken cultural practices that had been “sleeping” for generations. Mauloa shows how reconnecting to tradition can guide a community into the future.
SEEK SHELTER
When a group of middle school students received an emergency notification no one could have suspected what it meant.
ULU MAIKA
A determined young girl must face her longtime rival in a high-stakes ‘Ulu Maika (a Hawaiian stone disc-rolling game) showdown, discovering that true strength comes not just from skill, but from the wisdom and traditions passed down through generations. When an unscrupulous opponent threatens her dream of becoming champion, she learns that victory begins with believing in herself.
‘Ōpio Next Gen Showcase + Awards
21 films in this program
ART TO RAY & VULNERABILITY
Ray Tyrell, an 18 year old high school student who struggles with minor depressive episodes and gender dysphoria copes through art and drawing, finally opens up to the world about what it means to be an artist.
BETSY
In a strict 1980s classroom where sign language is forbidden and Oralism is necessary, a deaf girl risks punishment to teach her classmates their first words in silence—and discovers her own quiet power.
CURRENTS
Currents follows Kailani Kekoa, a senior in high school who has been raised by absent parents. In the beginning of her senior year, she unexpectedly reconnects with Brady Mendoza, an old friend but close to Kailani. As they reconnect their bond through long car rides, hikes, and moments on the beach, Brady questions why Kailani disappeared years ago, pushing her into a vulnerable state she wasn''t ready for. Their fallout leaves her stranded. Kailani shares her experiences in her video diary a week before graduation about her fear of opening up, the loneliness she mistaken as normal, and the realization that Brady had been the one person who made her feel like someone. In accepting her own part in losing him, she confronts the painful truth that she may have let her only real friend slip away forever.
FISHED
A fisherman''s greed catches up to him in this cautionary tale set on Maui.
FLOWERS
Surrounded by friends who refuse to let her disappear, a teenage girl finds her way back to herself after a battle with depression.
ISLAND OF RESILIENCE
Narrated in Hawaiian Pidgin, this short film explores Maui’s agricultural history — from Hawaiians living sustainably off the land to a system that now imports most of our food and often neglects the ʻāina (land). The film examines the impacts of these changes on the land and community, and closes with a hopeful message about how people can work to restore balance.
KE KINO LUA
Ke Kino Lua means the dual-natured in Hawaiian. After moving to Salt Lake City for his first day of work, does Kaleo stick to his island roots or accept western corporate culture?
THE LUNCHABLE
Chaos issues when an unwitting student brings a Lunchable into a high-strung vegan teacher''s classroom.
MANEKI
After the passing of his caretaker, Maneki, a stray cat living in Hawaii, faces a life of hunger, negative stereotypes, homelessness, and fear. However, he gains strong powers and must overcome his past struggles to save his town from a destructive fire.
NEVER NOTHING
A story in which two girls meet and go through the dynamic of being more than friends but less than lovers.
ONE SMALL THING
The smallest action can make a difference.
OPPA
A korean teenager living in Hawai''i celebrates her 16th birthday while grieving the brother she lost in Korea.
A RECIPE FOR RESILIENCE
Behind every burger is a story. Fueled by family, passion, and the courage to start fresh, Marshall''s story shows how something made with love can grow into something new.
SOMETHING NEW
Theo is a arrogant boy that creates a plan to secure the love of his life but it hit with some surprising news
TIDES OF CHANGE
Working from a small tourist shop on Maui, Kaipo faces a decision to take a stand when a luxury condo development threatens to destroy a favorite local beach.
UNDER PRESSURE
Blending animation and live action, the film follows Hoku as she discovers the pressures of the real world are much harsher than she imagined as a child.
UNRAVELED
A furious teen pushes his parents away, clinging to memories of the one person who truly understood him, until a single box of her belongings forces him to confront the truth he has been avoiding.
WAR BOY (TRAILER)
Trailer for war boy.
WAYFINDERS OF WAIʻANAE - HONORING OUR KUPUNA
What happens when the stories of legendary ocean elders are placed in the hands of their own community''s youth? In Waiʻanae, a new generation of storytellers rises to honor waterman Buffalo Keaulana and Aunty Edie VanGieson, forging a powerful connection between past, the present, and the future.
THE WHIMSICAL TALE OF WES & FRANK
Two roommates clash over differing views.
X MARKS THE SPOT
The discovery of an old map leads to an unforgettable adventure.