AIKAne

A NEW ANIMATED SHORT FROM THE creators of KAPAEMAHU

Synopsis

A valiant island warrior, wounded in battle against foreign invaders, falls into a mysterious underwater world. When the octopus who rescued him transforms into a handsome young man, they become aikāne, intimate friends bound by love and trust, and an epic adventure begins.

Why This Film Now - Dean Hamer & Joe Wilson, Directors

Over the past few years, the world has felt, literally, like it is falling apart. A pandemic swirls, the planet warms, politics regresses, and hostilities rise, with no end to the turbulence and strife in sight. As love like ours once again becomes love which dare not speak its name, we believe that telling a queer love story with a happy ending is an urgent and beautiful form of resistance.

Searching for a title that would express the depth of the relationship between the two characters, we realized the only word that would suffice comes from the place we are fortunate to call home: Aikāne, the Hawaiian term of respect for intimate friends of the same sex. Inspired by that unique historical understanding, we created an imaginary world that also drew from myths and legends, places and peoples across space and time, in which the characters’ mutual magnetism is celebrated rather than scorned, arousing strength rather than weakness.

We hope this heroic gay romance reflects the world we’d all like to live in – a world where courage has no limit and love has no bounds.

From Hawaiian Moolelo to Mythic Dream - Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Producer

I am Kanaka — a native person descended from the original inhabitants of the islands of Hawaii. Our survival as indigenous people depends on our ability to know and practice our cultural traditions, to speak and understand our language, and to feel an authentic connection to our own history. Filmmaking is my way of fulfilling that responsibility.

After collaborating with Daniel, Dean and Joe to convey the Hawaiian legend of Kapaemahu, I was thrilled to join them in expanding the boundaries of indigenous storytelling in our new work, Aikāne. By interlacing elements of Hawaiian moolelo with myths, legends, and histories of other cultures, this animated film charts a new journey that begins in my islands but navigates through uncharted waters of the imagination. It took great effort, and I’m fortunate to have so many strong paddlers in our canoe.

JUDITH LIGHT TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE ANIMATED SHORT

A Tale of the Spirit - - Judith Light, Executive Producer

Aikāne is profoundly universal and hopeful, a testament to bravery and the power of following one’s heart. It is a tale of the spirit, transformational and mystical in nature that resonates with love, courage, compassion, and community.

I am honored to be a part of this transcendent film that brings an inspirational message that love is love is love when it is so profoundly needed.

The Art of Aikāne - Daniel Sousa, Director and Animator

Aikāne explores a vast, rich, and colorful world, and I knew I would have to step out of my comfort zone in order to fully embrace it. The main challenge was to orchestrate a fully developed love story with individual character visually through pantomime and action. Set in a mythical fictional world abound with sweeping vistas and underwater environments, our heroes navigate brutal ground combat, shark attacks, dizzying cliff climbs, and swash-buckling sea battles. The connection between the two main characters proved to be essential in grounding the story and providing a focus within such vast scenarios.

One of the most exciting aspects of the visual development was the world-building. Unlike our previous collaboration, Kapaemahu, where the aim was to portray Hawai’i as it might have appeared long ago, Aikāne is a fictional tale calling for an imaginary landscape and culture that felt familiar and believable, yet was not specific to any one place or time. I loved exploring the color and light in this world. From the luminous underwater settings, filled with colorful coral and sea life, the island’s brutal and sun-drenched cliffs, to the infernal and cavernous interiors of the invaders’ ship. I am so proud of what we have accomplished, and I can’t wait to share with audiences.

meet the team

Credits

Directed by Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson. Producer Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu. Executive Producers Judith Light, Daniel Karslake. Design and animation Daniel Sousa. Music and sound design Dan Golden. Writer Dean Hamer. Sound mix Bill Jackson. Story consultant Will Csaklos. Aikāne is a production of Qwaves in association with Kanaka Pakipika.

SCREENINGS

National Gallery of Art

Thomas Edison Film Festival

August 3, 2024

AIKAne

A NEW ANIMATED SHORT FROM THE creators of KAPAEMAHU

SCREENINGS

THE 21ST ANNUAL NEW HAMPSHIRE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AIKĀNE and other OSCAR-QUALIFYING AWARD RECIPIENTS

More information