We continue shining the spotlight on our local film industry through something called the Showdown in Chinatown. The 48-hour filmmaking contest returned to Honolulu last weekend after a 10-year hiatus.
Twenty teams submitted films that had to include a lighter, and the line of dialogue: “have you ever cared so much that…” Their projects were then judged by a panel of industry veterans, including Henry Ian Cusick and Moses Goods.
Today we talk to the team behind a film that won both the Judge’s Choice and Audience Choice Awards.
The short film is titled “Split Ends,” and it takes place inside an audition room. The creative team behind the film consists of Dayva Escobar, Hoapili Mossman, Roselio Hernandez, and Aysia Kaaumoana. They wrote, directed, and edited from their home base on the Big Island.
The Conversation’s Maddie Bender spoke with Escobar, Mossman, and Hernandez about the challenges facing the local film industry.
This story aired on The Conversation on Aug. 1, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
