Kapaemahu Wins at India’s Bengaluru International Short Film Fest

AnimationXpress: The Bengaluru International Short Film Festival winners have been announced! BISFF has the distinction of being one of the largest Film Festivals in India, showcasing shorts from across the world, creating a physical space for a great experience of cinema. The Oscar accredited film festival is a reputed one and has lately announced the winners for its animated short films category. Based on legend from Hawaii, animated short Kapaemahu about transgender spirits, is the winner in the category, followed by Avarya and Radha: The Eternal Melody as first and second runners up respectively.

Kapaemahu Co-Director Kumu Hina Named One of Hawaiiʻs “Women of the Century”

This year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, when American women won the right to vote, the USA TODAY Network is naming 10 women from every state, plus the District of Columbia, as “Women of the Century.” These women have made significant contributions to their communities, states and country with documented achievements in areas like arts and literature, business, civil rights, education, entertainment, law, media, nonprofits and philanthropy, politics, science and medicine, and sports.

Best Animated Short at Atlanta Film Festival

Atlanta Film Festival Jury Statement: “Above all, Kapaemahu is a beautifully crafted story. We love the themes of acceptance, selfless giving, and the importance of passing knowledge down to future generations. The concept of the film exemplifies the voice and message of humanity, creating a blend of male and female as one: human. The visual styling evokes feelings of ancient storytellers and weaves patterns, vibrant colors and legend into the imagery in a natural flowing way. The sound design and music composition underscores its powerful themes to transfix the viewer. Amazing cinematic choices all around make Kapaemahu our choice as Best in Show for animation.”

Special Jury Mention for Kapaemahu

The New Zealand International Film Festival jury made special mention of Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson: “Kapaemahu is an animated film which tells of mahu – “four extraorindary individuals” who travelled from Tahiti to Hawaii in ancient times to share their healing and restorative powers. The observation of the dismissal of this rich legacy in modern times is poignant and the narration in Hawaiian and the powerful chants add potency to this beautiful indigenous story which holds so much weight here in Aotearoa.”

“The Film Looks Like Poetry In Motion”

Kapaemahu takes one on a surreal journey, celebrating the power of the androgynous minds which are now being suppressed. The film looks like poetry in motion, and the chant transferring the powers of the four ‘mahu’ into the stones creates a meditative effect. The animation technique is unique and evokes a feeling of witnessing the legend and its history in person.

Pasifika filmmakers looking to shine at Whānau Mārama NZ International Film Festival

Kapaemahu, explained curator Leo Koziol, explores the relationship between the ancient mahu healers of Tahiti who brought their gifts to Hawai’i.

In pre-colonial times, mahu were notable priests and healers of the third gender, similar to Samoa’s fa’afafine and fakaleiti of Tonga.

“If you walk down Waikiki Beach,” there are some stones there that were dedicated to the Mahu that came in ancient times and brought these gifts and learnings of healing, and, you know, real traditions that were embraced by the Hawaiian people for centuries,” said Mr Koziol.

Kapaemahu Wins Nashville Film Fest Audience Award

The Kapaemahu film team is honored by the Nashville Film Festival audiences’ love for this story from the Pacific and hopes that the healing spirits of Kapaemahu stay in their hearts in the days ahead.

“Kapaemahu Must Be Remembered Come Awards Season”

The word “beautiful” doesn’t do justice in describing Kapaemahu, an eight-minute animated short film screening as a finalist during this week’s Indy Shorts International Film Festival in Indianapolis. It’s brought magnificently to life by the trio of directors, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson. Using the eyes of a curious child as their lens, the filmmakers have masterfully created a film with tremendous artistry and integrity and devotion to Indigenous people.

Animation. What else? At the Zlín Film Festival. Where else?

Variations of different animation techniques, diverse themes and exotic countries will delight the eye not only of our youngest viewers, but also of those who are interested in contemporary worldwide animated production.

Festival films bring viewers audiovisual pleasure and education. This is no different in this year’s competition. They will follow the original inhabitants of the distant Hawaiian Islands in the film Kapaemahu , which represents the recent Grand Prize winner of the Animayo festival. Directors Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, and Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, who comes from a local tribe, tells in her native language an engaging mythical story about magic stones on Waikiki beach.