About

A nuanced portrait of life behind the glossy façade of the tourist mecca that is Hawaii, Waikiki follows the beautiful hula dancer Kea. She juggles three jobs as a dancer, schoolteacher of Hawaiian language and works in a seedy bar. Actress Danielle Zalopany delivers a stunningly raw and complex performance as Kea – a woman who, while running from an abusive partner, accidentally crashes her car into a homeless man she befriends, and this event sends them on a spiritual journey to reckon with her past.

Director Christopher Kahunahana is an award-winning Kanaka Maoli (indigenous Hawaiian) artist and a Sundance Institute Feature Film and Native Lab Alumni. Kahunahana subtly highlights the dissonance between the tourist version of Waikiki and the lived experience of the city’s residents while foregrounding the beauty of the island and power of spiritual traditions. RH

Ages 18+ | Strong impact adult themes, moderate impact violence

Ages 18+