Emmy-nominated Native Hawaiian filmmaker Ciara Leina‘ala Lacy has written and directed "The Queen’s Flowers," a children’s animated short that debuted at the New York International Film Festival this month.
The Queen’s Flowers is a nonverbal, 11-minute film following the story of Emma, a Native Hawaiian girl who lives next door to Queen Liliʻuokalani, Hawai‘i’s last reigning monarch, during her remaining years at Washington Place.
Lacy said the film is a magical adventure for kids.
“This is a simple story of a little girl dining her way to connect with the queen who lived next door,” she said.
Since the film has no dialogue, viewers can watch and listen to the music, textures and the characters’ gestures.
The film takes place in the early 1900s and highlights historical events such as the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Queen Liliʻuokalani was exiled to Washington Place near ʻIolani Palace.
Lacy said the images in the film are based on photos from the archives that capture that moment in time.
Her favorite part of the film nods to Hawaiian customs.
“There is a moment where before Emma picks flowers from the crown flower bush or the pua kalaunu, which was Queen Liliʻuokalani’s favorite flower, she bows toward the bush. And that is a nod to protocol in terms of asking permission before you pick a flower,” she said.
Other people who worked on the film were Daniel Sousa, the director of animation; Concepcion Saucedo-Trejo, the producer; Dean Hamer, an executive producer; Terry Leonard, an executive producer; Jonathan Zalben, a composer; and Timothy Korn, a sound designer.
Lacy said she and her team are working on getting the film to Hawai‘i this year.
