The feature film "The Big Bend" takes place in Texas in the least visited National Park in the country. Here in Hawaiʻi, we know it’s often all about a sense of place: the smell of the air, the texture of the earth and the sky… the mana of where you stay at any moment. That's where the story of "The Big Bend" comes into play.
It's also the metaphor for a real-life drama between two friends. It started with a parent's worst nightmare. The characters are in for a big twist. The Conversation talked to former Hawaiʻi resident Brett Wagner, the writer and director of the film, about its connections to Hawaiʻi.
The movie had a successful screening at the 2021 Hawaiʻi International Film Festival and has won awards on the festival circuit. It opens Friday at Consolidated Theaters Kahala for a limited run. Wagner will be on hand for a Q-and-A session following the second showing.
This interview aired on The Conversation on June 5, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
