The Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival kicks off this Friday and features works from established and up-and-coming artists.
Sayla Uʻilani Whalen is a young filmmaker who grew up in California and Nānākuli, Oʻahu. She made her first film at the age of 16 and it was accepted into the Cannes Film Festival.
Whalen is making her directorial debut at the HRFF.
The Conversation spoke with this rising star about her short film, “First Comes Love,” and her philosophy as a filmmaker.
Whalen’s short film, “First Comes Love,” will be screened on June 28 at the Honolulu Museum of Art Doris Duke Theatre. For more information, click here.
This story aired on The Conversation on June 25, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
