Beyond deep-rooted stereotypes of ‘grass-skirt girls’, Nā Kamalei: The Men of Hula captures the journey of legendary master hula teacher Robert Cazimero and the only all-male school in Hawai‘i as they prepare to compete in the world’s largest hula festival. Blending dance and culture with the personal stories of the men, the film tells a story of Hawaiian pride as they celebrate their 30th anniversary continuing the revival of men dancing the hula.
Nā Kamalei: The Men of Hula is a co-production of Lehua Films and the Independent Television Service (ITVS), and a presentation of Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. National broadcast on the Independent Lens series on PBS on May 6, 2008 at 10pm. Check your local listings or visit www.pbs.org/independentlens for more information.
To buy a DVD of the film, click here.
Additional funding for this program was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, the Atherton Family Foundation, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation and Mariko Gordon.
Distribution support was provided by IFP through a re-grant program with New York State Council on the Arts, The Baum ‘Ohana Trust, and The Law Offices of David H. Baum.
Nā Kamalei: The Men of Hula was a selected project of the Tribeca All Access program at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2005 and the Independent Feature Project’s “Spotlight on Documentaries” program at the IFFM in 2006.
World premiere at Sunset on the Beach at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival in October 2006.
Winner of the Hawai‘i Filmmaker Award and Audience Award for Best Documentary.
Additional festival screenings and awards include:
- + San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Winner of Audience Award for Best Documentary
- + Martha’s Vineyard Independent Film Festival
- + Chicago Asian American Showcase
- + VC Filmfest: Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Winner of Special Jury Award for Best Non-Fiction Feature
- + Sydney Film Festival, Australia
- + Maui Film Festival
- + New York Asian American International Film Festival. Winner of Emerging Director in Documentary Feature
- + Rhode Island International Film Festival
- + DC Asian Pacific American Festival
- + Pacific Rim Film Festival
- + San Diego Asian American Film Festival. Winner of Best Documentary Feature
- + Music on Film, Film on Music Festival, Prague
For a downloadable press kit, click here.
Promotional stills:
