Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 10, 1 October 2009 — Kaʻiulani film to debut at HIFF [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kaʻiulani film to debut at HIFF

ByT. Ilihia Gionson Publications Editor As the world prepares to witness the eanonization of Father Damien, a British filmmaker is shining the spotlight on another pivotal figure in Hawai'i's history: Prineess Ka'iulani. The romantie epie about Ka'iulani

with the ironie title that stirred the Hawaiian eommunity will debut at the Hawai'i International Film Festival on Oet. 16 - Ka'iulani's birthday. Based on her true story, Barbarian Princess by filmmaker Mare Forby tells the story of the heir to the Hawaiian throne who was anything but barbarie in her efforts to defend the independenee of her people. In the film, Ka'iulani's love for a boy is put to the test when she leams of the overthrow at home, and sails off to Washington, D.C., to do her part to help. The title Barbarian Princess was meant to entiee audienees to learn how wrong the media's portrayal of Ka'iulani as a barbarian prineess from a barbarian plaee was, produeer Roy Tjioe said.

Controversy in the Hawaiian eommunity prompted produeers to ehange the title to The Last Princess - but that prompted more eontroversy. The next title was simply Princess Ka'iulani, but produeers were eoneerned that audienees would have diffieulty pronouneing and remembering the name, whieh led them baek to Barbarian Princess. "Some think we are ealling the Prineess barbarie now, when in faet we are remembering what others ealled her in the past," Tjioe said. "I think that while we should not dwell on it. The painful past . . . should serve as a reminder that a prejudieed mindset ean never be allowed

to prevail again." Regardless of the title, all involved agreed that the story was an important one to be told. "This film is not only important for shining light on the darkest ehapters in Hawai'i's history, but for shining a light on the kingdom, foreefully overthrown out of greed - done in disrespeet for the people - whieh I see happening all around the world," said Q'orianka Kileher, who portrays Ka'iulani in the film.

Kileher spent part of her ehildhood in Hawai'i and remembers swinging from the banyan trees around 'Iolani Palaee. Although she is not Hawaiian, Kileher feels a eonneetion with Ka'iulani beeause of her own indigenous baekground - she is part Queehua, a native people from South Ameriea. "At 17, Ka'iulani went to Washington to work for her people. In her short years, Ka'iulani was a principal intemational diplomat for her nation," said Kilcher, who has also been to Washington to advocate for indigenous rights. "It drew me into who she was. She's my role model." Barbarian Princess is the first feature filmto be filmed in 'Iolani Palaee. Palaee caretakers were reluctant to allow film-

ing there until they read the script, Tjioe said. Filming in the palaee added a whole new dimension to the story for those involved. "To be able to see 'Iolani Palaee with the Hawaiian flag and to see it eome to life, it brought me to tears," Kilcher said. University of Hawai'i-Mānoa professor Puakea Nogelmeier, who volunteered as a cultural consultant for the film, said the film does the monarchy justice. "I was happy with the picture that they painted of the Hawaiian monarchy: a real, independent government with smart people," he said. "I was happy to see the kingdom portrayed as a proud kingdom." ■

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World Premiere Barbarian Princess Oct. 16, 8 p.m., Hawai'i Theatre Tickets: $25 ($5 discount for HIFF and Hawai'i Theatre members) and $15 Fortickets, eall 528-0506, visit hawaiitheatre.com or stop at the Hawai'i Theatre boxoffice, 1130 Bethel St. in Honolulu, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdayto Saturday ortwo hours before the show

Q'orianka Kilcher is Ka'iulani in Barbarian Princess. - Photo: Courtesy lsland Pilm Group