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Speed of Light Virtual Cinema
July 6 - 31, 2022
Watch More. Save More.
With Speed of Light Virtual Passes.
80+ Virtual Cinema Film Premieres.
80+ Short & Feature Films All Maui Premieres from Around the World & Right Here in Hawaii For You to Enjoy Anywhere on Your Biggest & Smallest Screens.
All Streaming On Your Favorite Cozy Couch or Lazy Boy In Your Pajamas, Tuxedo, Lingerie or Birthday Suit With a Sip, Toke or Gummy and a Handful of Your Favorite Munchies, Crunchies, Popcorn, Poke, Pizza, Wings or ‘Tings’ You ❤️ Most!
Simply Click on Any Film Poster Below for More Information.
Each Film Program Includes One Feature Film or an Entire Short Film Compilation.
Feature Film Premieres.
This year's Virtual Cinema showcases a colorful array of feature film premieres highlighting politically, culturally and socially relevant films from diverse storytellers from around the world.
Short Film Premieres.
Storytelling at it's finest. This year's Short Film Programs showcase over 50 eclectic, powerful and inspiring short film premieres highlighting the diverse views of storytellers from more than 50 Countries from around the world.
Hawaii Short Film Program (85min.)
RESURFACING KOA SMITH | DOCUMENTARY | 13 MIN | HAWAII
When a devastating accident leaves pro surfer Koa Smith with a traumatic brain injury and depression, he searches for answers where ancient rituals meet modern science.
PILI KA MO'O | DOCUMENTARY | 14 MIN | HAWAII
The Fukumitsu ʻOhana (family) of Hakipuʻu are Native Hawaiian taro farmers and keepers of this generational practice. While much of Oʻahu has become urbanized, Hakipuʻu remains a kīpuka (oasis) of traditional knowledge where great chiefs once resided and their bones still remain. The Fukumitsus are tossed into a world of complex real estate and judicial proceedings when nearby Kualoa Ranch, a large settler-owned corporation, destroys their familial burials to make way for continued development plans.
BLUE COOLER | ANIMATION | 7 MIN | HAWAII
Blue Cooler, an oil painted animated short film, captures small moments of life in Hawaii through a montage of richly painted and colorful brush strokes, sounds and images. Like home movies that spark an atmosphere or feeling, the moving paintings in Blue Cooler pop with familiar experiences and vivid observations. The animation is hand painted frame by frame using oil paints.
NA KAMA KAI CHILDREN OF THE OCEAN | SURF DOC | 36 MIN | HAWAII
Nā Kama Kai (Children of the Ocean) is a short documentary about a non-profit’s mission to empower youth through ocean-based education, with the goal of cultivating environmental stewardship and building future community leaders. While traveling to Brazil for their first international clinic, participants quickly realize the many ways the ocean connects us rather than divides us.
KA MO'OPUNA I KE ALO | DOCUMENTARY | 15 MIN | HAWAII
Ka moʻopuna i ke alo, The grandchild in the presence is a short documentary, produced by HIHumanities and directed by filmmaker, Sancia Shiba Nash, honoring the life, work, and legacy of Mary Kawena Pukui, who dedicated her life to perpetuating ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, nā mea Hawaiʻi, and ʻike kupuna
Short Film Program #1 (104min.)
PLAY ME LIKE THAT | DRAMA | 24 MIN | US
Free-spirited sisters Slipper and Crescent (their parents were undoubtedly Burning Man meets Jesus freaks) have made a promise about the child they both long to have, until one sister's grasp on the promise and starts to slip.
SMALL TOWN BIG ART | ART | 20 MIN | HAWAII
In 2021, participants of a SMALL TOWN * BIG ART storytelling exchange led by artist Leilehua Yuen were paired up with community kūpuna to engage in an open talk story session.
THE SINGING PLANET | DOC | 39 MIN | US
Throughout all of human history, people have paid meticulous attention to natural sounds, but in our noisy industrial world, these wild voices largely go unheard. From a tiny warbler announcing the awakening dawn, to sibling brown bears growling over fishing rights, to the roar of a calving glacier, the earth offers a rich and varied chorus for those who listen.
R. CARLOS NAKAI : THE SOUND OF PRAYER WITHIN | SPIRITUAL DOC | 8 MIN | US
Native American Flute Master R. Carlos Nakai reflects upon the relationship between prayer and music in his work.
FOOT STEPS ON THE WIND | ANIMATION | 7 MIN | UK
Based on the harsh and intense reality of refugees around the world, this film broaches a narrative told through the eyes of children that never give up on their dreams. Footsteps on the Wind follows the plight of Noor and her little brother, Josef as they journey far away from home, orphaned from a devastating earthquake. Animated to Sting’s song “Inshallah".
A BOY WHO CANNOT SEE BEAUTY | DRAMA | 6 MIN | INDIA
A boy realize that he cannot see beauty in anything, the only way to cure is to see the absolute beauty.
Short Film Program #2 (91min.)
FETCH | ANIMATION KIDS | 18 MIN | AUSTRALIA
George the dog and his human August are the only souls aboard a space station. They’re charged with maintaining it, but when August’s depression overwhelms him, he stops working… and the ship malfunctions!
BACON 'N' LACES | DOCUMENTARY | 19 MIN | US
A single dad of three boys manages a diner. But, there's more to John than meets the eye
MORNINGS WITH MY GOOD SIS BLACK BIRD | ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO | 2 MIN | US
This short animation re-imagining the energetic exchange between writer and producer Elle Clay and the black bird features an original song written and performed by Rahrah Gabor with production from Hasan Insane. The song recapitulates 2020’s barrage of blows on black people, from the pandemic and police brutality to the senseless murders of women.
CONDUCTING LIFE | DOCUMENTARY | 31 MIN | US
CONDUCTING LIFE follows the remarkable journey of Roderick Cox as he tirelessly pursues his dream — to secure a top position with a major orchestra. Poignant and revealing, this is a story about the passion, sacrifice, and courage it takes to succeed in an elusive profession with limited opportunities.
IN NATURE | ANIMATION | 5 MIN | FRANCE
In nature, a couple is a male and a female. Well, not always! A couple is also a female and a female. Or a male and a male. You may not know it, but homosexuality isn't just a human story. English Subtitles.
PLANKTONIUM | SCIENCE | 16 MIN | NETHERLANDS
Planktonium is a short film about the unseen world of microscopic plankton. It is a voyage into a secret universe, inhabited by alien-like creatures. These stunningly beautiful, very diverse and numerous organisms are unknown to most of us because they are invisible to the naked eye and are vital to life on earth.
Short Film Program #3 (84min.)
TAZARA | MUSIC LOVE STORY | 20 MIN | ZAMBIA
Based on a true story this short musical film is about a young boy in the early 1950s who finds a mysterious toy train in his village in Tanzania.
The magical toy train sets him on a path that leads him to the love of his life.
The magical toy train sets him on a path that leads him to the love of his life.
MUJER ESPIRITU | ANIMATION | 6 MIN | MEXICO
The spirits of the night produce life with their songs. The spirit woman, who understands the magic of nature, can cross between all the kingdoms, become an owl, water or tree. Spirit Woman is an animation inspired by the ceremonial chants of Maria Sabina, Mazateca sage, connoisseur of indigenous medicine based on the understanding of flora and fauna.
HOLDING STILL | INSPIRATIONAL DOC | 22 MIN | US
A group of men, formerly incarcerated together at Folsom Prison, share their most personal insights practicing centering prayer while serving time. The film, also featuring men currently at Folsom, is an intimate testament to inner transformation.
FOLLOW THE LIGHT | ACTION DOC | 4 MIN | FRANCE
Kilian Bron returns again with a trip to the heart of Cappadocia in Turkey! For two weeks he discovered a region with mesmerizing unique scenery in search of the best spots to put down the tires of his mountain bike.
STAR BOUND | ANIMATION KIDS | 3 MIN | US
Joey Jefferson, a Mission Operations Engineer at NASA, talks with his outer space-obsessed six-year-old nephew Jerry Morrison. Together they explore why space is so fascinating, where they would live if they could choose another planet, and how much more we have to discover.
EAST BELFAST BOY | MUSIC ART | 29 MIN | IRELAND
Meet Davy. The things he sees. His streets, His mates, His girl and...The Boys. Pumping techno, pulverizing movement and street-sharp poetry, East Belfast Boy is a cliché-free zone.
Short Film Program #4 (94min)
SPARING PARTNER | LOVE STORY | 19 MIN | US
When a long flirtation between two co-workers comes to a head during a revealing lunch break in the park, who gets to walk away with their head held high?
BREAK BUG | ANIMATION KIDS | 3 MIN | US
A humanoid finds a severed, big mechanical hand in the desert. He's old, but an inventive man and brings it home to his workshop, over the course of many years he assembles his own big robot buddy which he thinks he's in full control of and through which he re-lives his youth as a break dancer.
TASTE OF THE INDIGENOUS | CUISINE | 21 MIN | US
Discover the history, tradition, and culture of the Indigenous through their food.
THE LAST LAST HIKE | INSPIRATIONAL | 20 MIN | US
83-year-old Nimblewill Nomad is about to become the oldest person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. But he didn’t start at Springer Mountain, Georgia - his trek began on Flagg Mountain in Alabama. Throughout his odyssey, he’s meeting hikers along the way and shares the magic of Flagg Mountain.
NOT ENOUGH | DRAMA | 17 MIN | US
A darling Newly-wed couple, receive unexpected news, which threatens their relationship.
THE SHOT | DOCUMENTARY | 14 MIN | US
PenFed Credit Union’s Digital Team is making a difference by raising awareness of the stellate ganglion block or SGB. This 15-minute procedure is a game-changer, the difference between life and death for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Short Film Program #5 (94min)
GENERATION IMPACT: THE CODER | INSPIRATIONAL KIDS | 7 MIN | US
Jay Jay Patton was only 13 when she designed and built Photo Patch, a mobile app to help kids send photos and letters to parents who are incarcerated. The app was inspired by Jay Jay’s own experience.
BIG MEDICINE | NATURE | 15 MIN | US
A film about the people and activities of Friends of Black Rock High Rock: a non-profit that takes a stewardship role helping to preserve the 'Black Rock High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trail National Conservation Area', in Northern Nevada.
CANDIED LIPS | LOVE STORY | 7 MIN | US
For blue-haired Steve, it's just another day working at his mom's candy store in Montauk. That is, until the girl of his dreams suddenly walks in. Her name is Strawberry; she has red highlights and an edgy sense of style.
THE ALTORS | DRAMA | 12MIN | US
A couple haunted by their past is forced to decide whether love can survive beyond life. Set in today’s world, The Altors explores the various inhabitants of our cities, the isolation they may feel, the battles they lose while among the living and how it often traps them in a never-ending cycle of guilt and regret.
IDODO | ANIMATION | 10 MIN | SWITZERLAND
IDODO adapts a local legend by the Ziag Zagaz clan of Papua New Guinea into film and brings the diverse and unique cultural heritage of Papua New Guinea to an international audience. The animated short film retells the story of how reef fish got their beautiful colors.
WOMAN OF SPACE | SPIRITUAL DANCE | 7 MIN | CANADA
This short experimental film stars internationally acclaimed (Canadian and Aboriginal) slam poet, Natasha Kanapé Fontaine in a film about reclaiming one's land. English Subtitles.
FREEDOM SWIMMER | ANIMATION | 15 MIN | CHINA
Freedom Swimmer documents one of the most extraordinary mass escapes of the 20th century – and offers context for a city in uprise, today. Our hybrid, poetic documentary, interweaving extraordinary hand-drawn
animation and film, tells the tale of a grandfather’s perilous swim from China to Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution. English Subtitles.
animation and film, tells the tale of a grandfather’s perilous swim from China to Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution. English Subtitles.
AFTER ICE | NATURE DOC | 12 MIN | UK
Glaciers show us undeniable evidence that climate changes are happening and that human beings are transforming Earth’s systems. They reflect our past and reveal our future. Four years in the making, this intimate short combines historical and current-day aerial views of six outlet glaciers in the Hornafjörður region of Southeast Iceland, exposing a rapidly disappearing frozen world.
YELLOW STONE 88: SONG OF FIRE | ANIMATION | 7 MIN
In the summer of 1988 dry lightning sparked a fire in the parched and drought ridden landscape of Yellowstone Park, igniting a blaze that would scorch over 1.5 million perimeter acres of the park.
Short Film Program #6 (83min)
AMARA'S SMILE | ROMANTIC DRAMA | 19 MIN | CANADA
After being stood up for a date, a woman runs into an old college classmate who gives her an unforgettable night under the stars.
THE MOMENT WITH THE ARTIST: JEAN PAUL FOREST NATURE ART | 4 MIN | FRENCH POLYNESIA
In the heart of the Papenoo valley on the island of Tahiti, the artist Jean-Paul Forest transports us to his unique place of creation, to discover his work of art hidden in a natural setting. Then, on the island of Moorea, we follow him in search of his artwork that has disappeared under the water. English Subtitles.
CYN | ROMANCE MUSIC | 8 MIN | UK
Liverpool 1960. Art students, Cyn and John, find their blossoming romance in a state of flux as music and fame starts to overtake their passion.
THE OCEAN SOLUTION | NATURE DOC | 14 MIN | US
Patagonia Presents: Bren Smith, the ocean farming pioneer whose vertical kelp and shellfish farms can transform the way food is produced.
EBEN-BILD | PHOTO DOC | 12 MIN | GERMANY
The gentle composition of images, text and music leads deep into the essence of nature and our own soul.
In a calming, almost meditative narrative, the focus lies on the current spirit and our attitude towards life.
In a calming, almost meditative narrative, the focus lies on the current spirit and our attitude towards life.
FIND YOUR WILD | NATURE DOC | 7 MIN | US
Wild food forager, Sunny Savage, shares the secrets of the simple and profound medicine that is growing right outside our own homes.
KARU PART ONE: A SHORT STAR WARS FAN FILM | SCI FI | 12 MIN | US
Years of hiding and secrecy, a surviving Padawan has been hastily training his younger brother Jaccar to the best of his abilities. Hoping to eventually have someone to fight back with against the Empire and the horrors of Order 66.
THE AMAZING AIRWALKER | ANIMATION KIDS | 5 MINS | US
When a young boy is upset after being ignored by his idol, his loyal pet bird seeks revenge.
THE SWAN OF NEW YORK | DANCE | 2 MIN | US
The short film depicts the idea of being who you are and shows the struggle of a French dancer, who lives in New York City, trying to avoid other people's judgment and being able to break through from her insecurities, eventually pursue her dream of being the swan of New York. English Subtitles.
Short Film Program #7 (99min)
GUARDIANS OF PARADISE | PHOTO DOCUMENTARY | 12 MIN | SWITZERLAND
An intimate glance into the Burmese life and culture in the months preceding the 2021 military coup. A meditation on Freedom & Peace to support the People of Myanmar in their painful struggle towards self-determination and a more equal society.
THE ORIGINALS | ANIMATION | 10 MIN | US
Cristina Costantini and Alfie Koetter moved into a brownstone apartment on Union Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn quickly they fell in love with the neighborhood and their landlord, Matty “Square” Ruggiero. 10 later Cristina and Alfie get back in touch with Matty to hear him and his childhood friends, tell their story of what it was like to grow up in South Brooklyn.
PERPETUAL PLASTIC | DOCUMENTARY | 10 MIN | INDONESIA
Millions of single use plastics are discarded every day across the globe. What happens then?
HEART VALLEY | DOCUMENTARY | 19 MIN | UK
Wilf’s has never left his valley, eats the same meal every day and works his farm alone, where his family of over one hundred black-spotted sheep rely on him. Although faced with a rapidly changing farming community, Wilf’s inquisitive attitude and connection to nature provokes big questions about what it is we should truly need and value. ENGLISH SUBTITLES.
ODE TO JOY | POEM | 25 MIN | US
This intense film encourages us to consider the wisdom we all have, bestowed by our ancestors and the natural world, one that modern, technology-enthralled societies ignore or deny.
STEM TO STONE A WREATHS JOURNEY | DOCUMENTARY | 6 MIN | US
Each December, volunteers lay 250,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery, one on every veteran’s grave. The sight is breathtaking and iconic.
Short Film Program #8 (93min)
ASPIRATIONAL SLUT | COMEDY | 15 MIN | US
A heartbroken woman, on advice from a pizza delivery guy, decides to become a slut. In the process, she finds that wild random sex leads to something unexpected.
INSIDE THE POINTE | DANCE DOC | 40 MIN | CANADA
Five young women who meet at Ballet school share where they are twenty five years later and what dance and ballet have meant in their lives.
MILLIE MOON | DRAMA | 29 MIN | SCOTLAND
When a fiercely independent Glaswegian woman decides to move to New York, her estranged childhood best friend attempts to change her growing disdain for her hometown, whilst also trying to regain her trust and work his way back into her life.
Short Film Program #9 (103min)
GROUNDED IN MY ROOTS | FAMILY DOC | 19 MIN | CANADA
With a tenacious entrepreneurial attitude, Nicolette Richer has dedicated her life to learning and teaching that food is medicine.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE | ART DOC | 6 MIN | US
This film is a short documentary featuring a unique multimedia group located in Venice, California during the 1970’s. They produced videotapes and slide sets about art, architecture, and the environment.
LAYERS CONNER TRIMBLE | PHOTOGRAPHY | 2 MIN | US
LAYERS is a snapshot into the deeper motives behind those who have laid their mark on the world.
THE TREE | NATURE DOC | 7 MIN | US
"The Tree" draws attention toward environmental concerns, such as deforestation and its effects on wildlife and our ecosystem.
PATRICIA SAYS GOODBYE | DRAMA | 19 MIN | US
Patricia Pearson, retired doyenne of the New York stage, finds her routine morning dog walk turn into something far more profound. A series of chance encounters forces her to confront a painful personal loss, and with it the beauty and transience of life itself.
CARTOON OF A CAT SLEEPING | ANIMATION | 8 MIN | US
A 7-minute comedy which unfolds entirely in one shot with no edits, cuts, or camera movements. As the story gets more and more chaotic, one big question looms: Will the cat ever wake up?
CLOSE TIES TO HOME COUNTRY | DRAMA | 15 MIN | US
Millennial immigrant Akanksha waits for her sister’s visit from India (they haven’t seen each other in nine years!) Meanwhile, she’s dogsitting the fancy Frenchie of Instagram influencers India and Harry, who themselves are on a trip to India’s namesake.
FIRST SAKE BREWERY IN NEW YORK | DOCUMENTARY | 12 MIN | US
Dave Gustine, the brewer of the first brewery in Brooklyn of New York--Kura. For him, the similarity between the fermentation and the photograph made him excited. Deceptively simple ingredients create a broad range of flavors and aromas.
SOMETHING IN THE CLOUDS | DRAMA | 15 MIN | US
A fourteen-year old boy witnesses his neighbor get abducted across the street.
A moment of bravery to save her will test his courage on the bike ride of his life.
A moment of bravery to save her will test his courage on the bike ride of his life.
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