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New organization aims to boost Pacific Islanders in film and television

Hawaiʻi Public Radio | By Russell Subiono
Published October 25, 2023 at 4:17 PM HST
Courtesy ICAN

A new local nonprofit hopes to boost Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander representation in Hawaiʻi's film and television industry. The International Cultural Arts Network, or ICAN, was founded earlier this year by three Hawaiʻi industry veterans: Angela Laprete, Brian Keaulana, and Robert Suka.

Maori actress Te’ao O’ Hinepehinga Rauna is ICAN's first program director. She has starred in some of New Zealand's most popular television series, and recently landed a role in Jason Momoa's Apple TV+ show "Chief of War." Rauna and local actress Lelea'e Kahalepuna-Wong sat down with The Conversation to talk about ICAN.

Te’ao O’ Hinepehinga Rauna, middle, and Lelea'e Kahalepuna-Wong, right, with HPR's Russell Subiono at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
HPR
Te’ao O’ Hinepehinga Rauna, middle, and Lelea'e Kahalepuna-Wong, right, with HPR's Russell Subiono at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

This interview aired on The Conversation on Oct. 25, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
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The Conversation filmtelevisionNative HawaiianLabor
Russell Subiono
Russell Subiono is the executive producer of The Conversation and host of HPR's This Is Our Hawaiʻi podcast. Born in Honolulu and raised on Hawaiʻi Island, he’s spent the last decade working in local film, television and radio. Contact him at talkback@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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