Perched atop a rocky bluff on O‘ahu’s southeastern coastline, offering picturesque ocean vistas and a pervasive sense of calm, the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design is a vortex of creative energy. Built in 1937 with a blend of coral, stone, teak, tile, and marble, the museum’s aesthetic and the artifacts within reflect former resident Doris Duke’s fascination with emblems of cultural identity. Home to more than 2,500 artworks and relics from Duke’s travels across North Africa and Asia, the estate features elegant decor and landscaping, a serene central courtyard and playhouse, and a Persian design-influenced lap pool. Here, architecture, art, culture, and environment intersect, creating the perfect space for the storytelling mind to inhabit.
Joining the artists and musicians long drawn to Shangri La’s gravitational pull was a recent cohort of Hawai‘i’s movie-making talent, who gathered at the private estate for the 2024 ‘Ohina Labs filmmaker workshop this past fall. The event, held over two Saturdays, paired 10 aspiring auteurs with three accomplished ‘Ohina alumni: Ty Sanga, director of the Emmy-winning food travel series Family Ingredients; Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, co-writer for Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch; and Zoë Eisenberg, director of the recent Slamdance selection Chaperone.
In the hallowed spaces of Shangri La, invitees found moments of creative reflection amid lush gardens and winding water channels. In the estate’s playhouse, they received guidance on script development, pitching, and production from their mentors and peers and mingled with surprise guests: Henry Ian Cusick, Emmy-nominated actor from the ABC television series Lost, and Stephen Brouchard, vice president of production and development at Marvel Studios. At the end of the second Saturday, the screenwriting protégés pitched their island-inspired short film ideas before a panel of judges.
Reserved for filmmakers with a creative tie to Hawai‘i, the ‘Ohina Filmmakers Lab and Short Film Showcase have played a pivotal role in both supporting and amplifying local and Indigenous voices. The original ‘Ohina Showcase—named for the Hawaiian word for “gathering”— debuted in 1999 and ran for nearly a decade. In 2017, filmmakers Gerard Elmore and Darrin Kaneshiro revived the event and added the ‘Ohina Labs component. Similar to how Slamdance champions indie films outside of Sundance’s spotlight, the synergistic ‘Ohina events empower Hawai‘i’s visual storytellers, who may lack access to the resources and connections needed to elevate their stories from script to screen.
“I don’t think a lab exists anywhere else in the world where you have this incredible museum right on the ocean and a retreat-style backdrop,” says Elmore, who currently serves as ‘Ohina’s executive director. “Seven years and 26 films later, here we are at Shangri La, building something that feels like a Sundance lab, with the arts community going all in … That makes it special.” Though 2024 marks the first ‘Ohina Labs hosted by Shangri La, Elmore hopes the glowing success of the event will lead to ongoing collaboration.
Closing out the final ‘Ohina Labs session, Samoan American writer Anette Arinix was awarded the Green Light Award for her script Kama‘āina Not Kanaka, which explores the deeper meaning of a cherished song between two best friends. Looking back on her “surreal” Shangri La experience, Arinix explained that being surrounded by art rooted in diverse communities and cultures inspired her to reflect on the unique challenges local and Indigenous creatives face: “Hawai‘i mirrors this complexity, with countless layers beneath the surface. Some of our stories don’t fit neatly into a polished narrative, but they matter. It’s vital to honor and acknowledge these stories that explain how we arrived here, how we continue to endure, and how we’re building a foundation for those who will come after us.”
As part of the Green Light award, Arinix receives up to $20,000 in production support and a commitment from the ‘Ohina team to help Kama‘āina Not Kanaka reach completion, with the goal of debuting the film during the 2025 ‘Ohina Showcase. “I’ve made magic on nothing but passion and plate lunch, and now I have a bit more to dream with,” Arinix adds. “This effort is not mine alone. I have been blessed with a wonderful village of people, and we are going to make sure all of our stories are told.”
