Lava Land - Glowing Hawaii(2013)

Hawaii, l'âme du ukulélé(fr)

A passionate ukulele player, cartoonist Joann Sfar ("The Rabbi's Cat") flies to Hawaii to explore the history of the little instrument, as well as the culture that surrounds it. For the pocket guitar, imported in 1879 by the Portuguese from Madeira who had come to harvest sugar cane, is the vector of a philosophy specific to the archipelago: the spirit of "Aloha", which condenses hospitality, joy, love and respect. With brushes in hand, Joann Sfar set out in search of the ideal instrument, meeting craftsmen, musicians, dancers and guardians of Hawaiian culture.

Shaka: A Story of Aloha(en)

A documentary on the origin, meanings and uses of the gesture. The shaka sign is reputed to be over a century old, but its origins are the stuff of myths and legends. It turns out that kupuna (Hawaiian elders) have kept the story secret for almost a century. Why? They didn't want it told incorrectly or commercialized. But given advancing age and a world in need, they decided it was time to share the story.

Kumu Hina(en)

A transgender Native Hawaiian teacher inspires a young girl to fulfill her destiny of leading the school's male hula troupe, even as she struggles to find love and a committed relationship in her own life.

Ring of Fire(en)

Ring of Fire is about the immense natural force of the great circle of volcanoes and seismic activity that rings the Pacific Ocean and the varied people and cultures who coexist with them. Spectacular volcanic eruptions are featured, including Mount St. Helens, Navidad in Chile, Sakurajima in Japan, and Mount Merapi in Indonesia.

Rise of the Wahine(en)

In the years following the Civil Rights movement and the passage of Title IX in 1972, Dr. Donnis Thompson (a headstrong African-American female coach), Patsy Mink (the first Asian-American U.S. congresswoman), and Beth McLachlin (the team captain of a rag-tag female volleyball team), battled discrimination from the halls of Washington D.C. to the dusty volleyball courts of the University of Hawaii, fighting for the rights of young women to play sports.

The Four of Moana(fr)

Documentary focused on underwater shootings and hawaiian dances.

Poisoning Paradise(en)

Journey to the seemingly idyllic world of Native Hawaiians, whose communities are surrounded by experimental test sites for genetically engineered seed corn and pesticides sprayed upwind of their homes, schools, hospitals, and shorelines.

Encounters at the End of the World(en)

Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger go to Antarctica to meet people who live and work there, and to capture footage of the continent's unique locations. Herzog's voiceover narration explains that his film will not be a typical Antarctica film about "fluffy penguins", but will explore the dreams of the people and the landscape.

Face of the Earth(en)

Face of the Earth explores the origin of our planet's outer layer, the why-and-how of its mobility. Through the use of well-designed diagrams, the earth's cyclical activity is clearly explained. Some unusual footage on volcanoes gives added punch to an already absorbing subject.

Riding Giants(en)

Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.

Vecinos del volcán(es)

Follow Me(en)

Documentary about two boys and a girl who travel to surfing spots around the world.

Kapu Aloha 101: Ke Kula o Maunakea(en)

Documenting the Kapu Aloha movement, as they take a stand to defend Mauna Kea in the wake of the Thirty Meter Telescope protests.

Out of State(en)

Out of State is the unlikely story of native Hawaiians men discovering their native culture as prisoners in the desert of Arizona, 3,000 miles, and across the ocean, from their island home.

The Birth of Korea(ko)

Since South and North Korea's liberation in 1945, North Korea, a communist dictatorship that suppresses freedom and oppresses human rights, and South Korea, which has entered the path of economic prosperity and advanced countries based on freedom and democracy, have taken different paths. How did the two countries with the same language, history, and race, become divided into two extreme countries? A work that highlights the sacrifices and struggles of President Syngman Rhee and the first generation of founding members who worked to create and protect today's Republic of Korea over the past 70 years of history.

Songs of Love from Hawaii(ko)

Embark on a mesmerizing musical journey through the multi-faceted history of Korean American immigrants in Hawaiʻi with SONGS OF LOVE, a captivating reverie of song and history.

Pele's Appeal(en)

In the swirling volcanic steam and misty rain forest of Kilauea volcano’s east rift zone on the island of Hawai’i, two forces meet head on. Geothermal development interests, seeking to clear the rain forest for drilling operations, are opposed by native Hawaiians seeking to stop the desecration of the fire goddess, Pele. Pele is a living deity fundamental to Hawaiian spiritual belief. She is the eruption, with its heat, lava and steam. Her family takes the form of forest plants, animals and other natural forces. But geothermal development interests see Pele as simply a source of electricity. When Hawaiians take the issue to court, they find that nature-based religions are not respected by U.S. law.

Iceland: The Quest for Origins(fr)

The fascinating landscape formations of Iceland in the North Atlantic bear witness to the beauty and primal power of nature. They were created through the interaction of powerful volcanic, geological and biological processes that have been changing the face of the earth for billions of years. This is what the Earth might have looked like four billion years ago. Iceland is the realm of ice and fire. Nowhere else is there such a high density of volcanoes. The landscapes, which are continually reshaped by eruptions, make the island a natural laboratory full of clues about the formation and development of the earth. The documentary follows a group of scientists through the most active areas of Iceland, along a mountain range that has emerged from the ocean. On the slopes of the volcanoes, in the fog of the fumaroles and on streams and rivers, the three researchers explore how the first forms of life populated the earth's surface and in what evolutionary steps they took over the earth.

Off in the Far Away Somewhere: Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawaii(en)

An original short film narrated by Academy Award-nominee Sigourney Weaver featuring excerpts from Georgia O’Keeffe’s personal letters to her husband written during her journey to and around the Hawaiian Islands.

After the Endling(en)

A shadow puppet film inspired by the story of an extinct Hawaiian tree snail (pūpū kani oe) named Lonely George.