Filmmakers on Kauaʻi have been quietly fostering talent on the island for years now. The Kauaʻi Film Academy, founded in 2010, serves as an incubator for the development of student-driven films that portray the struggles of adolescence.
The academy also provides technical behind-the-camera job training and on-set experience with industry standard equipment.
This month it will release its first feature film, "Too Much Life," which uses all local talent, crew and resources.
It tells the story of Harper Hudson, a teenager trying to navigate school, friends and social media. Students based the film off of their real experiences.
"There's no reason why we couldn't make something of a Disney-caliber movie ourselves. And so that's what we started to do," said Elliot Lucas, one of the co-founders of the academy and a producer on the film.
"Too Much Life" will premiere at the Hawaiʻi Theatre on Saturday, August 19, at 7 p.m.
This interview aired on The Conversation on August 2, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. This interview was adapted for the web by Emily Tom.
