Films

Best Narrative Feature, Hawai’i International Film Festival

Director Alika Tengan expands his acclaimed short into a deeply personal feature about Kainoa, a young man striving to reintegrate and reconnect with his son and his culture as a Native Hawaiian after seven years incarcerated. However, old habits die hard, and the restrictions of his parole confining him to the Island stifle his pursuit of redemption, driving him to take desperate measures to reconnect – measures that may jeopardize his son’s safety and his very own freedom. 

With a raw, grounded performance from Holden Mandrial-Santos, the film captures the beauty and complexity of island life while confronting the lingering effects of colonization. Moloka’i Bound is a poignant, character-driven meditation on redemption, family, and cultural identity, and signals the rise of the Kānaka Maoli New Wave from Native Hawaiian filmmakers.

Introduction by Melissa Bisagni (VAFF)

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This film will be presented with Open Captions visible on screen. For more information, visit VAFF Accessibility.