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Shed Your Insecurities!
In school they told us day in and day out - "Be yourself! Be original! Use your imagination!" What we found out as we grew up, however, was that there are some social codes and norms in place that society assumes we live by.
In this mother-daughter / coming-of-age / black sheep comedy, our main character is a passionate young Taiko drummer and heir to Maui's highest-rated fine-dining restaurant. Kalei, a 23-year-old Maui woman, is stuck living at home with a burning sense of island fever. She lies to those around her and hides her individuality because her mother, Janis, insists that she falls in line. Janis's constant pestering and nagging at her daughter to follow in her footsteps drives Kalei to weigh her priorities in life.
Taking a local spin on big girl-power movies, this story explores how some of us feel the pressure from others of what our futures should turn out to be. In Hele Kalei, Kalei decides to follow her heart, no matter what is expected of her.
A Note from the Director:
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Hey all, my name is Kelsie Greene, a graduating senior at University of Hawai'i at Mānoa from Ha'iku, Maui. Winning the Abernathy Screenwriter's award last year has given me the opportunity to collaborate and create with some of Honolulu's most talented filmmakers. I am inspired by their dedication to help me bring this script to life and am eager to get started!
Telling this story is important to me because growing up haole in Hawai'i, there have been times where I have felt pressure to act a certain way. I have often felt embarrassed to try something new because it didn't feel like it was my culture. In this story, Kalei finds out that it is okay if you are interested in something outside of your culture or different from what your parents expect you to do. What matters is to follow your own authentic passion.
When a movie is set in Hawai'i, the islands are often used as a background prop to the film itself. What we seek to do with Hele Kalei is to share with the rest of the world that Hawai'i has so much more to offer than just being a pretty backdrop. The islands are steeped in multiple cultures in a beautiful and unique mishmash of varying people and ideas. Hele Kalei is important in capturing that spirit of Hawai'i and the wonderful differences that inhabit all of us.
With your contribution, we will be able to bring to life one of many tales from Hawai'i seldom seen in mainstream media.
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Don Your Hachimaki!
Why we need your help // a short budget breakdown
- Food - $770 - Our crew gets hungry! Food is a crucial and necessary part of working on a set; the money donated will guarantee that our crew of 20+ is firing on all cylinders.
- Air Travel and Lodging - $680 - With your help we will be able to send over a small crew to film in Pa'ia, Maui and capture establishment shots in a place vital to our tale.
- Art Department/Props and Set Design - $250
- Location Fees - $200
- Sound Equipment - $100
- Office Supplies - $50
- Wardrobe - $100
- Production Essentials - $300 - Radios, tents, generators, and other set necessities
- Post-Production/Marketing - $100
- Film Festival Entrance Fees - $150 - Some film festival possibilities that we are looking to enter are International Student Film Festival Hollywood, Hawai'i International Film Festival, Shanghai University Film Festival and Boulder International Film festival, as they are always looking for films that depict and promote diversity.
- Indiegogo 5% Platform Fee - $145
Other ways you can help support us:
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Mahalo nui for your support!
