HONOLULU, Hawai’i (April 9, 2024) – “SHAKA, The Story of Aloha” will make its world debut as an official selection of the Visual Communications (VC) Film Fest 2024 (formally known as LA Asian Pacific Film Festival) to begin a movement of sharing aloha through the shaka.
As one of the largest showcases of Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmaking in the country, this year’s festival theme is dedicated to cultivating joy and wellness within ourselves and our communities. “SHAKA, The Story of Aloha” will be screened on May 2, the festival’s opening night, at the Japanese American National Museum located at 100 N. Central Avenue in Los Angeles.
“Shaka, The Story of Aloha” is a heart-warming exploration of the origins, meanings and uses of the gesture that becomes a quest for the secrets to making and maintaining the concept of paradise. The film frames the belief and attitude that anyone can use the shaka to make their own form of paradise anywhere in the world. Through the film, the shaka stands as a mecca of positivity and sharing of the aloha spirit.
Says producer/writer Steve Sue, “The shaka is used and recognized around the world. But few know where it came from, the depth of itʻs meaning or even how to throw a legit shaka. Itʻs the best-known story of Hawai’i thatʻs never been told, which sets up a great subject for a film. And it truly holds the secret to paradise.”
Save the date for #VCFilmFest & order premiere tickets starting April 15, 2024 at festival.vcmedia.org.
Link to Movie Trailer: https://youtu.be/VBtAF59InIM
Link to Press Kit & Production Photos: https://shakafilm.com/press-kit/
Link to Sponsorship & Donor Info: https://shakafilm.com/donate/
About the Film, “SHAKA, A Story Of Aloha”
“SHAKA, A Story of Aloha” is a feature length documentary scheduled for release in late 2024. It features an award-winning team of production artists including Henry Kapono as Music Director (Grammy-nominated Hawai‘i music legend), Alex Bocchieri as Director, Bryan Spicer as co-Executive Producer (producer/director of Hawaii Five-O and Magnum PI) and Steve Sue as Executive Producer, Producer and Writer. The project has been in development since 2019 when first funding and cultural experts were provided by Kamehameha Schools. Interest in the project has spawned multiple Shaka-themed programs that have been aggregated into a movement known as Project Shaka. The documentary is produced by Hawaii-based 501(C)(3) ID8.