KAPAEMAHU

Kapaemahu tells the long forgotten story of four mahu, extraordinary beings of dual male and female spirit who brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii.  Beloved by the people for their gentle ways and miraculous cures, they imbued four giant boulders with their powers.  Although the stones still stand on Waikiki Beach, the true story behind them has been hidden – until now. Narrated in an ancient Hawaiian dialect, and seen through the eyes of a curious child, the story of Kapaemahu brings to life this powerful legend in richly hand-drawn and 2-D animation.

The film is a collaboration between Native Hawaiian teacher and filmmaker Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer, and Academy Award-nominated animation director Daniel Sousa.  A winner at numerous international film festivals, and recently acquired by the Criterion Collection, Kapaemahu is a reminder of the rich cultures and diverse identities that deserve recognition and representation through storytelling.

In addition to the animated film, the Kapaemahu project includes a children’s book published by Penguin Random House, a feature length PBS documentary film broadcast on Pacific Heartbeat, and a major exhibition at the Bishop Museum titled The Healer Stones of Kapaemahu. The impact campaign for the film, which includes an augmented reality application and display at the Hawai’i Convention Center, has captured the attention of millions of the visitors who pass by the current site of the stones in the heart of Waikiki.

Premiere: Tribeca Film Festival, Special Jury Mention. Winner four Oscar-qualifying and 44 additional film festival awards including Animayo, Hiroshima, Atlanta, Nashville, New York Children’s and Chicago Children’s; Streamed on PBS and Criterion Channel; 326 theatrical screenings; Shortlisted for Best Animated Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.