CAFF 2024: Community Partners
OHA
OHA is a semi-autonomous state agency responsible for improving the wellbeing of all Native Hawaiians (regardless of blood quantum). The agency is governed by a Board of Trustees, made up of nine members who are elected statewide to serve four-year terms and set organizational policy. OHA is administered by a Chief Executive Officer (Ka Pouhana), who is appointed by the Board of Trustees to oversee a staff of about 170 people. OHA works to improve the wellbeing of Native Hawaiians through advocacy, research, community engagement, land management and the funding of community programs. The need for an office dedicated to the well-being of all Hawaiians was born out of activism in the 1970s to right past wrongs suffered by Native Hawaiians for over 100 years. At the Hawaiian Constitutional Convention of 1978, Native Hawaiians such as Aunty Frenchy DeSoto and John Waiheʻe advocated to establish OHA, an agency that would use income from land taken from the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom to benefit Hawaiians. This was passed by voters of all backgrounds in 1978. The OHA headquarters are located in Iwilei, Oʻahu. OHA Community Resource Centers are also located on Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, and East Hawaiʻi (Hilo) and West Hawaiʻi (Kona). In 2021, OHA celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first investiture of trustees held on Jan. 17, 1981, at ʻIolani Palace. Media Pasifika & Lady Pasifika
Media Pasifika is a media lifestyle brand built by and for Pasifika creatives bridging our diversities through storytelling. We serve the Pacific Islander communities across the globe through different brands and networks that produce original content via our digital spaces and experiences unique to Pacific Islanders. Raatior Ventures
Raatior Ventures specializes in strength-based education consulting, capacity-building web design & training, Pacific-focused social enterprises, and equity-minded advocacy projects. Hawai'i Women in Filmmaking
Hawai‘i Women in Filmmaking is a feminist nonprofit organization committed to achieving gender equity in filmmaking. We are a creative and safe space where film and media-makers connect, create, mentor, and inspire current and future generations of women to explore and pursue careers in the field of filmmaking. |
Pacific Islanders In Communications
The mission of Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) is to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges.In keeping with the mission, PIC helps Pacific Islander* stories reach national audiences through funding support for productions, training and education, broadcast services, and community outreach. Pacific Islanders in Communications provides producer training. We work with independent producers to create and distribute programs about Pacific Islanders that bring new audiences to public television, advance issues, and represent diverse voices and points of view not usually seen on public or commercial television. The Center for Pacific Islands Studies UH Mānoa
The Center for Pacific Islands Studies, in the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa School of Pacific and Asian Studies, is both an academic department and a larger home for initiatives that bring together people and resources to promote an understanding of the Pacific Islands and issues of concern to Pacific Islanders. Its innovative instructional program is regional, comparative, and interdisciplinary in nature. The university’s Pacific Collection, one of the most comprehensive collections of Pacific materials in the world, attracts a worldwide audience, as do the center’s international conferences, its Web-based resources, its Pacific Islands Monograph Series, and its award-winning journal, The Contemporary Pacific. Working with scholars at institutions in the region and elsewhere, faculty at the center are seeking new ways to encompass a deeper understanding of a region whose boundaries are constantly expanding. Arpi Krikorian
Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Arpi Krikorian received her BA in illustration from the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Arpi’s background in entertainment stems at Nickelodeon Animation Studios where she was on the storyboard team for the shows Angry Beavers, Cat Dog, Hey Arnold, Dora the Explorer and Oswald the Octopus. Arpi established her current business in 2014 through which she creates artwork representing the beauty and joy of the Armenian culture and heritage. She has developed a vast collection of products with this artwork which have gained her an international following and were recently featured in the gift shop of the Armenia! exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. One of her most notable achievements has been being commissioned to create and personally present a portrait for the spouse of the Prime Minister of Armenia, Anna Hakopyan in April 2019. |
Indigenous Film Academy of Taiwan
The Indigenous Film Academy of Taiwan commenced in August 2022, marking the first-ever platform dedicated to educating and empowering Indigenous filmmakers in Asia. While it's still in its early stages, our goal is to gather Indigenous filmmakers from various ethnic backgrounds across Taiwan. Together, we'll share our creations, exchange knowledge on filmmaking, and nurture the next generation of filmmakers. Our vision is to have the younger generation of Indigenous people start telling their own stories in their own way through visual art.
The Indigenous Film Academy of Taiwan commenced in August 2022, marking the first-ever platform dedicated to educating and empowering Indigenous filmmakers in Asia. While it's still in its early stages, our goal is to gather Indigenous filmmakers from various ethnic backgrounds across Taiwan. Together, we'll share our creations, exchange knowledge on filmmaking, and nurture the next generation of filmmakers. Our vision is to have the younger generation of Indigenous people start telling their own stories in their own way through visual art.
The Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) conducts a broad range of activities to enhance the quality of life in the Pacific islands. In 1980, under the visionary leadership of Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and Hawaii Governor George Ariyoshi, a special East-West Center program was formed to specifically address the unique issues island nations face as they emerge from decades of colonization. The founding mission of PIDP is to assist Pacific Islands’ leaders to advance their collective efforts to achieve and sustain equitable social and economic development.
PIDP was formed at the specific request of the region’s island leaders. Since 1980 PIDP has served as a forum through which Pacific leaders discuss critical issues of development with interested countries, donors, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. On four occasions Heads of Governments, under the auspices of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PICL), have met with Presidents of the United States at the East-West Center.
From the very beginning, the East-West Center has maintained special interest and expertise in the Pacific Islands. Many of the earliest students who received their education through East-West Center fellowships were from the region, especially the then-Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Shortly after its founding, the world-renowned Polynesian Voyaging Society was supported by a special Center program.
Tok Stori for Peace project in Isabel Province, Solomon IslandsPIDP is the only East-West Center program whose activities have a defined geographic focus informed by both the area studies and disciplinary expertise of its staff and participants. PIDP activities draw heavily upon the expertise in other areas of the East-West Center such as the Pacific Regional Integrated Science and Assessments (Pacific RISA) Program, the Professional Development Program, and the Education Program.
PIDP was formed at the specific request of the region’s island leaders. Since 1980 PIDP has served as a forum through which Pacific leaders discuss critical issues of development with interested countries, donors, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. On four occasions Heads of Governments, under the auspices of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PICL), have met with Presidents of the United States at the East-West Center.
From the very beginning, the East-West Center has maintained special interest and expertise in the Pacific Islands. Many of the earliest students who received their education through East-West Center fellowships were from the region, especially the then-Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Shortly after its founding, the world-renowned Polynesian Voyaging Society was supported by a special Center program.
Tok Stori for Peace project in Isabel Province, Solomon IslandsPIDP is the only East-West Center program whose activities have a defined geographic focus informed by both the area studies and disciplinary expertise of its staff and participants. PIDP activities draw heavily upon the expertise in other areas of the East-West Center such as the Pacific Regional Integrated Science and Assessments (Pacific RISA) Program, the Professional Development Program, and the Education Program.
CAFF: Organizing Partners
Twiddle Productions Inc.
Located in beautiful Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, Twiddle Productions is a unique animation, production, and multimedia studio whose work have been featured on television, in schools, and screened at film festivals around the world. The Twiddle teams across the board experience in production, animation, and game design allows a fresh and innovative approach to each project created. Mary Therese Perez Hattori
Dr. Mary Therese Perez Hattori is Interim Director of the Pacific Islands Development Program.She has a BEd & PD in Secondary Social Studies with a focus on Pacific Islands History, an MEd in Educational Technology, and Educational Doctorate in Professional Educational Practice.She is Affiliate Graduate Faculty of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the USC Rossier School of Education.A native Chamoru of Guåhan (Guam), she is a community organizer and advocate for Pacific islanders in Hawaiʻi, co-organizer of cultural events such as the Annual Cultural Animation Film Festival, the Annual Celebrate Micronesia Festival, and Micronesian Women’s Summit.Dr. Hattori is also an author, poet, public speaker, and philanthropist. Read more about her at https://maryhattori.com/ |
Honolulu Museum of Art Doris Duke Theatre
The 280-seat Doris Duke Theatre screens independent, documentary, and international film, and hosts lectures, performances and concerts by visiting and local performers.The Honolulu Museum of Art has had a film program since the 1930s, when it showed classic films in Central Courtyard. Screenings moved to what is now the Doris Duke Theatre in 1977. The theater was named in honor of Doris Duke, who was a generous philanthropist and supporter of Islamic art and culture, jazz and other music and performing arts. Sarah Fang - HoMA Theatre Manager & Programmer
Sarah grew up in Honolulu as a first-generation immigrant. Her career at the Honolulu Museum of Art began as a projectionist and she went on to serve as Program Coordinator and Assistant Curator, Film and Performance, before assuming her current role as Theatre Manager & Programmer. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys going to the movies and eating out. |
Michael Q. Ceballos, is a Producer/Director/Animator and the CEO of Twiddle Productions Inc. With over 25 years of experience in the animation and game industries, he has created a track record of creating engaging content for audiences of all ages. His first job in the animation industry was on Duckman at Klasky Csupo. He then worked at the legendary Hanna Barbera studio on an animated series version of the film Dumb and Dumber. But it was at Nickelodeon where he honed his skills on five seasons of the cult hit, The Angry Beavers, as lead character designer and supervisor. He also worked with legendary Godfather and Rosemary's Baby film producer Robert Evans on his animated biographic show for Comedy Central, Kid Notorious. In 2005, Michael relocated to Honolulu, Hawai‘i, where he art directed and co-wrote two RPG educational games titled Cosmos Chaos! for struggling 4th-grade readers for the Nintendo DS system. He also created and produced the award-winning E Hoʻomau! animated series of films and educational books which featured three animated Hawaiian legends, nine science books, and three graphic novels. In 2013, Michael formed Twiddle Productions Inc. and directed and produced Ola Na Iwi: Hāloa, an animated short film telling the origins of the Hawaiian people, along with the companion children's storybooks Ola Na Iwi: I am Hawai’i and Ola Na Iwi: He Hawai’i Au. In 2017, his short film Maisa the Chamoru Girl who Saves Guåhan, which was produced with the Guam Department of Education, won Best Short Film at the 2017 Pasifika Film Festival.
Starting in 2019, Michael has produced and directed a range of other projects, including Titration: Radioactive Waste, Princeton, and the Navajo Nation, an award-winning short animated film created in association with Princeton University. He also produced and directed Moho, a story about what would happen if Duke Kahanumoku were to return to Waikiki today, The Peek-a-Bows, an animation/live-action mini-series featuring the Maui-based musical group Peek-a-Bows, and most recently, the 5-episode series Nā Kama Kai’s Maka‘ala Bay: Lessons from the Sea which teaches kids ocean safety and Hawaiian culture for the Hawai’i based non profit company Nā Kama Kai.
Currently, Michael is working on a Hawaiian language version of Nā Kama Kai’s Maka‘ala Bay: Lessons from the Sea series, and he just completed production on The Red Scarf: A Story of Armenian Hope, which tells the story of how a young Jackie Coogan raised money, food, and clothing for surviving orphans of the Armenian genocide. This project is in association with The USC Shoah foundation .
In addition to his production work, Michael is also passionate about teaching and education. He recently created Keiki Coding, a place-based educational program and series of books that teach kids how to create and code video games. He also holds Animation, Drawing, and Robotic classes at the Twiddle Productions Studios located in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Starting in 2019, Michael has produced and directed a range of other projects, including Titration: Radioactive Waste, Princeton, and the Navajo Nation, an award-winning short animated film created in association with Princeton University. He also produced and directed Moho, a story about what would happen if Duke Kahanumoku were to return to Waikiki today, The Peek-a-Bows, an animation/live-action mini-series featuring the Maui-based musical group Peek-a-Bows, and most recently, the 5-episode series Nā Kama Kai’s Maka‘ala Bay: Lessons from the Sea which teaches kids ocean safety and Hawaiian culture for the Hawai’i based non profit company Nā Kama Kai.
Currently, Michael is working on a Hawaiian language version of Nā Kama Kai’s Maka‘ala Bay: Lessons from the Sea series, and he just completed production on The Red Scarf: A Story of Armenian Hope, which tells the story of how a young Jackie Coogan raised money, food, and clothing for surviving orphans of the Armenian genocide. This project is in association with The USC Shoah foundation .
In addition to his production work, Michael is also passionate about teaching and education. He recently created Keiki Coding, a place-based educational program and series of books that teach kids how to create and code video games. He also holds Animation, Drawing, and Robotic classes at the Twiddle Productions Studios located in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
CAFF: Team Members
CAFF 2024 judges
This year CAFF received over 1,200 amazing animated films from around the world! We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the following amazing people who helped judge submissions for this years fest. Without their help in reviewing, scoring, and taking notes on each film, CAFF 2022 and our Spring 2023 showcase would not have been possible. Mahalo to all.
Keith Kaczorek - Writer and Producer
Writer and Producer with over 30 years experience in film and TV. He has an M.F.A. in dramatic writing from New York University and began his career writing for MTV’s groundbreaking comedy game show “Remote Control.” He has written animation. comedy, drama and video games in NYC and Los Angeles for ABC, NBC, CBS, FBC, PBS, CBC, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel, Disney TV Animation, Warner Brothers Animation, Jim Henson Productions and others. He developed and was head writer for Nickelodeon’s “The Angry Beavers” and wrote for NBC’s primetime drama “Las Vegas.” He’s a member of the Writers Guild of America, West, Inc. and Broadcast Music, Inc. In addition to writing and producing, he is an adjunct professor of mass communications for the University of New Haven and Sam Houston State University.
Writer and Producer with over 30 years experience in film and TV. He has an M.F.A. in dramatic writing from New York University and began his career writing for MTV’s groundbreaking comedy game show “Remote Control.” He has written animation. comedy, drama and video games in NYC and Los Angeles for ABC, NBC, CBS, FBC, PBS, CBC, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel, Disney TV Animation, Warner Brothers Animation, Jim Henson Productions and others. He developed and was head writer for Nickelodeon’s “The Angry Beavers” and wrote for NBC’s primetime drama “Las Vegas.” He’s a member of the Writers Guild of America, West, Inc. and Broadcast Music, Inc. In addition to writing and producing, he is an adjunct professor of mass communications for the University of New Haven and Sam Houston State University.
A.J. Rivera, Chad Takahashi, Christopher Nakamoto, Ghian Aceret, Guy Goya, Jason Reyes, Ken Aramaki, Kylie Swider, Lena Young, Meredith Chee, Samantha Woodman, Silas Toledo, Stacey Ueda, Yvonne Phillipson
14 of Hawaiian Electric’s T&D and Interconnection Planning Division participated as judges. The diverse group is made of engineers, project managers, and contract managers who support and develop electric utility plans for 5 of Hawaii’s islands.
14 of Hawaiian Electric’s T&D and Interconnection Planning Division participated as judges. The diverse group is made of engineers, project managers, and contract managers who support and develop electric utility plans for 5 of Hawaii’s islands.