Mele Murals Chicago Premiere

 Had a great sold-out Chicago Premiere at the Gene Siskel Film Center as part FAAIM's Chicago Asian American Showcase. Tim Hugh and FAAIM have always supported my work over the years and I always look forward to screening in the Chi, even if it's snowing in April. 

Mele Murals features the students at Kanu o ka ʻĀina in Waimea, HI. Kanu alum Alyssa Heenan now goes to college in Chicago and was able to see herself projected on the big screen. She was a senior in HS when we shot the film.

The Mele Murals family has a far reach, even in the Midwest. Estria Miyashiro's family in Chicago came to the screening. Estria is one of the main characters featured in Mele Murals.

The highlight of every trip to the Chi is catching up with my dude Steve Moon and his wife Tina. This time they took me to Papas Cache Sabroso and introduced me to the jibarito! Now I'm always going to have to hit this spot up when I'm in town.

At least I got to break in my new foamposite boots.

Mele Murals World Premiere

Cinematographer Justyn Ah Chong, me, Executive Producer Keoni Lee, Associate Producer Aina Paikai

We did it! The sold-out World Premiere of Mele Murals at the Oakland Museum of California was exactly what we had envisioned! We were privileged to have our premiere at CAAMFest which has been supporting my work since my first film.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out. The strength of our communities were on full display that night and left me grateful and inspired. The event started with live paintings by Prime and Estria - the artists featured in the film - and ended with performances by Bambu, Geo and Sabzi.

The premiere was part of Friday Nights @ OMCA featuring Off The Grid food trucks.

Prime and Estria (the artists featured in the film) doing what they do best.

Me and the rents!

Cast and crew.

Prometheus Brown and Bambu performed at The Bar after the screening.

Impromptu Blue Scholars set! Sabzi produced the score for Mele Murals.

The Mele Murals 'Ohana in San Francisco's Japantown after the second sold-out screening.

Mele Murals Trailer!

#ProtectMaunaKea

Last year I had the great opportunity of filming in Waimea on the Big Island of Hawai'i. There I got to witness the true meaning of Aloha ʻĀina in action as the people and land continuosly protect and provide for each other. Many of the friends I made during that trip are now engaged in a battle to protect their Mauna Kea. All week people have been protesting the start of construction for the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on the peak of Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea is one of the most sacred places for the Hawaiian people and this telescope will further its desecration.

This footage is from an upcoming documentary on artists Estria Miyashiro and John "Prime" Hina and their Mele Murals project. Uncle Kalani Flores and Auntie Pua Case explain the sacredness and importance of Mauna Kea to a group of students from Kanu o ka 'Āina Learning ʻOhana (KALO) and the Mele Murals staff.

Editor: Tadashi Nakamura
Camera: Justyn Ah Chong & ʻĀina Paikai
Music: Misty Mountain by Humble Soul

Budokan of Los Angeles Video

I had the pleasure of making this video for The Budokan of Los Angeles, a massive project headed by the Little Tokyo Service Center. Nine years ago I made a similar video for the campaign as this gym in Little Tokyo has been something that the community has been organizing around for over 20 years.

Please watch and help spread the word about this epic community effort.

JANM screening of Life on Four Strings with Jake

Photo by J.K. Yamamoto/Rafu Shimpo

The Japanese American National Museum, Angry Asian Man, First Pond Ent. and Visual Communications hosted a fun screening of Life on Four Strings. This was the first time Jake and I did a public Q&A session in LA and as expected, it got a little goofy. It had been a while since we talked about the film so we shared a lot of funny behind-the-scene stories. You can read a very detailed write-up about the event in the Rafu Shimpo.

Jake treated the crowd to an intimate performance.

My first (and best) Xmas gift! The Mike & Mike aloha shirt 
that they made for Jake when he was on their show.

Holiday screening of Life on Four Strings in LA with Jake!

A very special Los Angeles screening of Life on Four Strings featuring a guest appearance and performance by Jake Shimabukuro himself on Dec. 21st! The show starts at 3p so it's a perfect event for all ages.

Pilgrimage screening at UC Irvine - Oct. 27th

I'll be presenting Pilgrimage at UC Irvine on October 27th at 10:30a. The screening and discussion will take place in Prof. Julie Cho's Asian American Documentary Practices class but is open to the public.