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A Journey Across the Pacific Toward an Unknown Future

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about the film

This 95-minute feature documentary dives behind the scenes for a rare look into one of Hawaii’s most popular (and least understood) tourist stops… It’s a backstage, unscripted exploration of what it means for young Pacific Islanders to preserve and pass on the culture of their ancestors even as the winds of tourism in Hawai’i (both over-tourism, and the pushback against it) shift and change, potentially threatening the foundation upon which they stand — and dance, chant and (sometimes nail-bitingly) perform.

It follows characters each standing at a crossroads: a young dancer struggling with his body image… another walking the razor-fine line between family obligations and performance expectations… a leader who shines onstage but is unsure of her place off it… and a star performer trying to prove to his parents that he’s not a failure after all.

“Sharing Aloha” explores what it means to seek out your place in the world when one audition determines the role you’ll play in determining how — and if — you and your culture are seen at all.

Producer/Director Blair Treu

Blair Treu is an American film director. He directed Meet the Mormons. More recently he has teamed up with Brigham Young University (BYU) professor Stephen F. Duncan, KBYU-TV and BYU TV to create Real Families, Real Answers. He was also a codirector of BYUtv's Granite Flats. He graduated from BYU with a bachelor's degree in theatre in 1985.

see more from Blair Treu

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I Am Moana and the Fire Dancers from the Polynesian Cultural Center

The popular Disney movie Moana comes to life with this incredible music video “I Am Moana” filmed at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Continuing with a series of videos produced by Working with Lemons that bring the Disney movie to life, this amazing video features fire dancers from the center’s iconic show Hā: Breath of Life.

Experience the Polynesian Cultural Center

Not to be missed Broadway-like production!  As soon as you think you’ve seen everything at the Polynesian Cultural Center, there is a grand night show called Ha “Breath of Life”.  This 90 minute production tells a story of life from beginning to end that weaves through the different Polynesian cultures.  The magic of the open air stage, the special effects, and the performances given, is what makes this an award-winning production.

Exploring the Polynesian Cultural Center–Oahu’s Best Hands-On Experience

One of the coolest aspects of PCC is that most of the people staffing each village are from the island they’re representing! We worked our way slowly through PCC and had great conversations with fire knife throwing cousins from Samoa and hula dancing Lena and David from Hawaii. The pride each person feels in his or her native island culture is truly inspiring and comes through in all their interactions.

Videos

Cast

A star performer who shines in the spotlight… but his journey to stand before thousands of audience members each night started in some very dark and lonely places. Just how far does he need to go, literally and figuratively, for his family to be proud of him?

Performs – on stage, and off – with a lightness and joy that’s hiding a deep, aching pain. The emotional heart of the show, every step she takes in front of the public eye takes her further away from what (and who) she really wants.

Isn’t sure where, or if, she belongs. A quiet introvert still searching for her voice, it’s not entirely clear if she has what it takes to be on stage in the first place – or what that place should be.

A walking a tightrope… On one side, the mother who sacrificed everything for him; on the other, a world that’s widening the enormous cultural and economic gulf between them. Will being a student performer drive him even further away from his roots?

Surrounded by performers with massive bodies and even bigger personalities, is carrying an additional weight on his slight frame: his father was a dancer on the very same stage. How can he keep the heavy burden of expectations and self-doubt from crushing him?

Facing cultural norms head-on, fighting for her place in a male-dominated sport. But what’s driving her to the kind of young woman who picks up a knife and sets it on fire in the first place?

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