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A film about a journalist’s discovery 
of Korean American History made its world premiere at HIFF

From left, Gary Pak, Ronald Moon, Harry Kim, Jinyoung L. Won, and Beckie Stocchetti during the panel discussion of HIFF

Poster of Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State

Director Won and Gary Pak during the shooting of Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State

A film about 118 years of Korean history in Hawaii has been officially invited to the 41st Hawaii International Film Festival.

HONOLULU, HI, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A film about 118 years of Korean history in Hawaii, “Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State” has been officially invited to the 41st Hawaii International Film Festival, and made its world premiere on November 6 at the Kahala Theatre in Hawaii.

Having moved to Hawaii from South Korea in 2006, an author and former news anchor Jinyoung L. Won explores the inspiring history of Koreans in Hawaii. 102 Koreans came to Hawaii on January 13, 1903, starting the Korean immigration to the Americas. This small and forlorn group made incredible sacrifices and started the influx of Korean culture and heritage to the Hawaiian Islands. Won interviews various people in a look back on the lives of these Korean immigrants.

With the COVID-19 pandemic heightening ethnic tensions in the world, the film sheds light on one of the unique colors of the Hawaiian rainbow that is Korean community while also highlighting the shared values that allow Hawaii's many diverse communities to peacefully coexist in these increasingly divisive times.

The director explained that “Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State” is the first episode in a series. The remainder of this project will show a series of in-depth interviews with direct descendants of these first Korean immigrants to Hawaii. Interviewees include Ronald Moon, the first Korean American in the U.S. to become Chief Justice of a State Supreme Court, and Harry Kim, the first Korean American who became a mayor in the U.S. Jinyoung Lee draws out from these esteemed descendants the wisdom that was gained from their first generation immigrant ancestors and tells a story of togetherness, hope, and love.

The screening of the film was followed by a panel discussion with the director and three prominent Korean - American descendants who made appearances in the film: Ronald Moon, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, Gary Pak, a writer and a director, and Harry Kim - the former Mayor of the Hawaii County.

The film has also competed as a finalist in the Stockholm City Film Festival, and won the Best First Time Filmmaker Award at the Tagore International Film Festival and the Liberty International Movie Festival. 


The film can be watched on the official webpage of Hawaii International Film Festival at www.hiff.org until November 28.

For more info, please visit http://www.theRainbowWords.com

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[ LOGLINE ]
Korean-American Journalist Jinyoung Lee Won explores the 118 years of the inspiring Korean immigration history to
Hawaii and their contributions to the Rainbow State.

[SYNOPSIS]
Journalist Jinyoung Lee Won explores the inspiring history of Koreans in Hawaii. 102 Koreans came to Hawaii on January 13, 1903, starting the Korean immigration to the Americas. This small and forlorn group made incredible sacrifices and started the influx of Korean culture and heritage on the Hawaiian Islands. Jinyoung interviews various people in a look back on the lives of these Korean immigrants. This is to shed light on one of the colors of the Hawaiian rainbow that is Korea. It also discusses the values toward each other in this unique time of ethnicism amidst a pandemic.

[DIRECTOR’S NOTE]
Living in Hawaii since 2005, I discovered some fascinating stories behind the beauty that the islands are known for. Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State is about the story many of us, including myself, had no clue about. The wisdom of the first Korean immigrants ancestors in Hawaii have helped me to understand how differences and love do not have to be disparate, but can and have worked together in the Rainbow State.
This is a recording of the past whilst seeking direction for the future, and we hope it would be an encouraging and inspiring message to the younger generations of today who are trying to navigate an uncertain present.

[Director's Biography: Jinyoung Lee Won ]
Words of Wisdom From the Rainbow State is Jinyoung Lee Won’s debut work as a director. Born and raised in South Korea, she moved to Hawaii in 2005. Majoring in Journalism at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea, she was captivated by the beauty of Hawaii on her first visit and decided to move to the islands for good the next year.
She has worked in radio and as a news anchor for a Korean television station in Honolulu. Also, she has written multiple books on Hawaii and her essays on life in Hawaii have earned her accolades in the Dongsuh Literary Awards and the Overseas Koreans Literary Awards. Currently, Won is an editor of "Hana Hou!" Korean edition and also a content creator for Hawaii Tourism Korea. She is the winner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Digital Contents Competition, which was a significant contributor to the production of Words of Wisdom From the Rainbow State.

DAEUN AHN
NOW PRODUCTION
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[HD] Official Trailer of Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State