LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES, January 26, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Oscar-qualifying film festival favorite, Kamaʻāina, starring Malia Kamalani Soon, Twinkle Borge, Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Aria Alexander, Alex Suvusa and Nainoa Brown-Kahananui is set to screen at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York on February 22nd, during this year’s Virtual Cinema program, The Future of Film Is Female, Part 3.

Written and directed by first time director, Kimi Howl Lee, Kamaʻāina, which in Hawaiian means “child of the land” and refers to any resident born on the islands - regardless of their racial background, follows a queer 16-year-old girl, Mahina, who must navigate life on the streets in Oahu, until she eventually finds refuge at the Pu’uhonua o Wai’anae, Hawaii’s largest organized homeless encampment.

“Our intention with Kamaʻāina was to shed light on the staggering homeless crisis that plagues Hawaii’s youth, without fetishizing the hidden poverty in paradise,” stated Lee. “The cast was primarily houseless, first-time actors, including our 16-year-old lead, Malia Kamalani, whom we met at the local Starbucks.”

“We would love to ultimately gain distribution for this film, but our main goal is to continue raising awareness of Aloha Lives Here in order to assist in building permanent housing structures.” said producer Natalé Olsen.

“Kama'āina delivers on all the possibilities of short filmmaking: telling stories in fresh, new ways while also having an impact that reaches beyond entertainment. Lee's short introduces audiences to an unfamiliar part of paradise with compassion, realness, and beautiful kindness.” stated Caryn Coleman, Future Of Film Is Female.

Produced by Conor May, Natalé Olsen, Anastasia Solovieva, Sabina Friedman-Seitz, and Kimi Howl Lee, Kamaʻāina has been screened at over 70 film festivals including the Oscar-qualifiers the American Film Institute (AFI) Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival and Palm Springs International ShortFest where the 17-minute short picked up Best LGBTQ+ film.

For more information visit: www.instagram.com/kamaainafilm

Liz Rodriguez
EMR Media
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