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Speed of Light Virtual Cinema
July 3 - 30, 2023
Watch More. Save More.
With Speed of Light Virtual Passes.
50+ Virtual Cinema Film Premieres.
All Short & Feature Films Are Maui Premieres from Around the World & Right Here in Hawaii.
Enjoy Anywhere on Your Biggest & Smallest Screens. All Streaming On Your Favorite Cozy Couch or Lazy Boy In Your Pajamas, Tuxedo, Lingerie or Birthday Suit With a Sip, Toke or Gummy and a Handful of Your Favorite Munchies, Crunchies, Popcorn, Poke, Pizza, Wings or ‘Tings’ You Love Most!
Click on Any Film Poster Below to View Your Feature Film or Short Film Program.
Feature Film Premieres.
This year's Virtual Cinema showcases a colorful array of feature film premieres highlighting politically, culturally and socially relevant films from diverse storytellers from around the world.
Short Film Premieres.
Storytelling at it's finest. This year's Short Film Programs showcase over 35 eclectic, powerful and inspiring short film premieres highlighting the diverse views of storytellers from more than 66 Countries from around the world.
Hawaii Short Film Program (99min.)
BAD DATE IN PARADISE | COMEDY | 13 MIN | HAWAII
The results of an online dating app experience and their first date.
I AM KANAKA | HAWAII HISTORY DOC | 15 MIN | HAWAII
With a dark history and only 5% speaking the native language, "I am Kanaka" gives a glimpse into the future with ex-teacher Kaina Makua’s non-profit program for underprivileged indigenous kids.
SCALING UP HAWAI'I'S FOOD FUTURE | AGRICULTURE DOC | 27 MIN | HAWAII
Hawai‘i farmers, entrepreneurs, elected officials and other stakeholders share their vision for growing Hawai‘iʻs agricultural sector with the aim of increasing the state's food supply and diversifying its tourism-dependent economy.
All ABOARD | COMMUNITY. KIDS. KINDNESS | 6 MIN | HAWAII
A short film that tells the story of a dedicated and passionate teacher who starts a non-profit organization to help deserving youth in her community. Brit Oliphant, who is inspired by a student and the inequality of board sports, decides to take matters into her own hands and starts Boards 4 Buddies.
TO SUM UP HAPPINESS | OCEAN SPORTS. HAPPINESS | 9 MIN | HAWAII
The story of Josh Bogle and Brett Sheerin as they work through struggles to find happiness on the water.
SHAMANIC JOURNEY | ART. MUSIC. CULTURE | 35 MIN | HAWAII
Shamanic Journey, A Collaboration with Hawaiian Native, Hula Kahuna, Lokelani Kelau Kailipaka-Day , is a prayer and a song honoring the Hawaiian pantheon and celebrating our unity with each other and all of creation.
STOKER MACHINE | SURF. SURF CULTURE | 12 MIN | HAWAII
Chad Campbell, an expert surfer discovers a mysterious surfboard on the big island of Hawaii. The retro board provides only a phone number and an email address as clues to its origin, leading Chad to accidentally uncover a central-coast California surf legend. The man they call, "Stoker".
48hs Film Contest Winners
Short Film Program #1 (80min.)
Short Film Program #2 (91min.)
QUARENTANERA | DANCE | 9 MIN | USA
A woman embodies the four elements air, earth, fire and water on the island of Maui, as a rite of passage for her 40th birthday.
ICE CREAM SLADOLD | DRAMA | 13 MIN | USA | SUBTITLES
A Day in the Life of a recent immigrant, where no one understands anyone else, and a trip to buy ice cream triggers a series of absurd misadventures.
HERITAGE DAY | DRAMA | 20 MIN | USA
After Evie dresses up like her estranged grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, on “Heritage Day” at school, she becomes increasingly obsessed with this dark part of her family history.
THE DISAPPEARING FOREST | OCEAN. NATURE. PHOTOGRAPHY DOC | 9 MIN | USA
Grant Downie, a generational sea urchin diver, has spent his entire life working in the kelp forests of California. He now struggles to keep his long-standing career in urchin diving alive as the disappearing kelp forests have forced him to rethink his profession and come to terms with a new future.
SKIN SWIMMER | SPORTS. ATHLETIC RESILIENCE DOC | 7 MIN | USA
Waking up on a cold, winter Vancouver morning, most people choose to stay inside sipping their steaming coffee. This is not the case for Roberta Cenedese, as her mornings look drastically different. Instead, she wakes up and heads for the ocean to dive into the frigid waters of the Pacific Northwest, only wearing a bathing suit.
THE BLUE HOUR | FRIENDSHIP. MENTAL ILLNESS. DOC | 13 MIN | USA
Rohan, an undergraduate student at the University of Washington (UW), prepares to graduate and move to L.A. to chase his film making dreams. Having battled extreme episodes of depression and anxiety early in his collegiate experience, Rohan recounts how he survived those years with the support of his best friends whom he met at UW.
DIVERSITY | COMMUNITY. CULTURE | 3 MIN | USA
In this infinite diversity of life we are verses of a never ending song
playing the soundtrack of our being alive in the universe as one...
playing the soundtrack of our being alive in the universe as one...
BELOW SURFACE | COMMUNITY. MULTICULTURAL | 20 MIN | USA
This documentary gathers numerous moving stories of a multicultural and multigenerational Aquafit class to demonstrate how kindness and caring for others, combined with exercise, can be an antidote for grief, stress, and physical illness. The heartwarming honesty of the participants is a reminder of the power we all have to support one another.
Short Film Program #3 (81min.)
THE EYE BEGINS IN THE HAND | ART. CULTURE. DOC | 16 MIN | USA
A tribute to Campesino histories in rural CA through the artwork of an artist largely absent from critical conversations on Chicanx art, Ruben A. Sanchez, as well as an unsentimental reckoning with the fate of many cultural workers that struggle between paying rent and/or creative endeavors.
EARTHBOUND: ZAMBI MATEE | ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS. LIFE STORY. DOC | 40 MIN | JAPAN
Amidst a catastrophic plastic waste crisis in her hometown of Nairobi, Nzambi Matee risks everything to pioneer revolutionary technology that transforms plastic waste into sustainable paving bricks.
STAMP OUR STORY | HISTORICAL DOC | 19 MIN | USA
The determination of Japanese American World War II soldiers, who were asked to fight for their country despite having their freedom unjustly taken away, embody the best of the American spirit. This award-winning short documentary tells the extraordinary story of how, a grassroots movement led by three elderly Nisei (2nd generation) women overcame all odds to successfully campaign for a Go For Broke Forever stamp.
THIS IS NOT A PIPE | MUSICAL DOC | 6 MIN | USA
'This Is Not a Pipe' is a short, experimental film made by Joshua Satyam Milowe and Zakaria Ismail Kronemer in collaboration with a quarter-mile-long chunk of lead pipe, placed along the route of what some intend to be a natural gas transport project.
Short Film Program #4 (95min.)
DAUGHTER OF THE SEA | DRAMA. CULTURE | 20 MIN | PUERTO RICO | SUBTITLES
After the death of her grandfather, a young woman experiences a spiritual awakening when she is called by Yemaya, the Orisha Goddess of the Sea.
WE EVEN TRAPPED WATER | STORYTELLING ANIMATION | 18 MIN | PANAMA
In the early days our ancestors lived in harmony with nature, depending solely on their instincts, creativity, and unity for survival. They developed skills, formed communities, and established the first economies through trading. As their basic needs were met, they neglected their spiritual well-being, allowing the destructive spirit of Ego to infiltrate their minds. As humans and Ego evolved together, people became increasingly disconnected from their divine spirit, setting the stage for a world driven by Ego's insatiable desire for more.
FOR THE BEES | CULTURE. STORYTELLING. DOC | 16 MIN | USA
Khaled came from war-torn Yemen to Oakland, CA to pursue beekeeping and a better life. But with an increasing amount of uncertainties, life’s not always as sweet as honey.
DIRTY SECRETS | 5 MIN | DANCE. ART | USA
An autobiographical dance with an all women cast and crew, that traces a lifetime of sexual abuse and harassment across my lifespan in both the east and the west which is a surprisingly common story. This is an international collaboration across a cast and crew from the US, Malaysia, and India.
WROUGHT | PHOTOGRAPHY. FOOD. TIME LAPS | 20 MIN | CANADA
A stunning visual exploration of matter in various states of microbial transformation begs fundamental questions about human cultures’ complicated relationships with other species.
THE PERFECT DAY | DRAMEDY | 16 MIN | USA
Charlie Hoover, an aspiring ad man living in his van, eagerly answers a job posting to videotape Linda Lindell’s online life coaching series. However, the gig quickly evolves into an indoctrination of Charlie to Linda’s peculiar methodology, as the two form an unlikely bond in pursuit of completing the “Perfect Day”.
Short Film Program #5 (94min.)
A BLACK SATURDAY | FAMILY. CULTURE | 9 MIN | USA
For Nia and Bakari, like Black kids for generations, Saturdays are a rhythmic ritual of obligation and exploration. A Black Saturday is an anthropological love letter to Black people everywhere.
DEAR ANI | ART. LIFE STORY. DOC | 39 MIN | USA
In 1995, an aspiring artist, took a semester off to live in a cabin in Northern Maine. He sat by the edge of a lake and asked the universe to send him a “story worth telling”. Two months later, he was admitted to Bellevue Hospital, while searching for Ani DiFranco. Was this a vision quest? A mental health issue? Was this all an elaborate art project?
LITTLE MOMENTS EVERYWHERE | DRAMA | 8 MIN | USA
While dealing with emotional numbness after finding out her mother has cancer, a memory helps Lily unlock her feelings.
THE VACATION | FRIENDSHIP DRAMEDY | 10 MIN | USA
In Flatbush, Brooklyn, four friends are stuck in their car after it breaks down on the way to the beach on the last day of the summer.
LITTLE T | ANIMATION | 6 MIN | USA
Follow Alexis, a recent college graduate, on the most stressful day of her life - her dream job interview. She's armed with a resume, design portfolio, and two trusted companions: her 'inner critic' and 'inner child.'
MESSAGES TO SELF | PHOTOGRAPHY DOC | 22 MIN | USA
In a local neighborhood surrounding California’s remote and somewhat mysterious desert town Joshua Tree, photographer Gordon Clark crossed paths with David Kilburn aka “Drywall Dave” and spent the ensuing next year and a half creating theatrical photographic tableau that is a metaphor of David’s journey through life.
Short Film Program #6 (86min.)
COOL FOR YOU | ANIMATION KIDS STORYTELLING | 3 MIN | USA
An animated film based on the book of the same title, explains global warming to children in a friendly way. Incorporating different characters and families, animals and plants, children are introduced to CO2, and positive, easy ways to improve our impact on the earth.
WALKING ON CLOUDS | SPORTS. ADVENTURE DOC | 6 MIN | BRAZIL | SUBTITLES
This short film shows the high-line crossing between two hot air balloons, performed in the city of Praia Grande, Santa Catarina, Brazil, by athlete Rafael Bridi, achieving the highest high-line record in the world by the Guinness Book.
CROOKED TREES GON GIVE ME WINGS | DRAMA. FAMILY. CULTURE | 15 MIN | USA
Savannah's moss-covered forests, with all its whispering winds and enchanted branches, are alive to Bertie Bee Hooks, the gifted granddaughter of an experienced midwife. As she absorbs the wisdom of folk medicine, Bertie Bee will work with her mystical connection to the spirit world.
DEMI-GODS | ART ANIMATION | 6 MIN | GERMANY
What is the human experience of war, narcissism and ecological destruction? Demi-Gods addresses these three dark aspects of humanity in the form of a musical and visual essay. It shows our worship of these dark forces, which have now become normalized and fetishized.
JAHLEEL AND STAR | DRAMA | 12 MIN | USA
Two siblings set off to see their father in prison. On the ride through rural area, Star confides in her brother, Jahleel reveals a defining moment from his past and presents his sister with a letter that'll have her rethink the circumstances surrounding the estranged relationships throughout their family.
PART OF ME - ANUAR KHALIFI BY YASIIN BEY | ARTIST LIFE DOC | 11 MIN | SPAIN
This is the story of the appreciation, respect and fondness of musician, actor and activist Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) for Spanish-Moroccan painter Anuar Khalifi. Yasiin reflects on the cultural, ethnic and religious issues present in Khalifi’s work while sharing his thoughts candidly and providing his very personal take on his friend’s art and life in general.
LA CALESITA | ANIMATION FAMILY FRIENDLY | 10 MIN | ARGENTINA
A heartfelt story of the beloved Argentinian merry-go-round operators who have dedicated their lives to providing fun and happiness to children and their neighborhoods. This is a story of perseverance and community above the individual.
PLSTC | ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS DOC | 2 MIN | FRANCE
Welcome to the world of PLSTC, an undersea dystopia that submerges you in the disturbing reality of plastic pollution. Through a series of graphically confronting AI-generated and hand-composited images, this animated film confronts you with the devastating consequences of our habits on marine life and leaves you gasping for breath.
REFLECTION | DRAMA | 15 MIN | UKRAINE | SUBTITLES
A professional photographer accidentally falls into the apartment of woman. He notices a combination of her attractive appearance with her caring for children and understand what beauty is.
THE ELEVATOR DANCE (FOR ELISE) | BASED ON TRUE EVENTS | 6 MIN | USA
On February 13, 2013, the Los Angeles Police Department released surveillance footage of a missing young woman. The footage showed Elisa Lam in a hotel elevator behaving strangely. This was her last known sighting. It was an instant internet sensation and was seen by 3 million people in China alone.
Short Film Program #7 (95min.)
NICHOLAS BROTHERS: STORMY WEATHER | DANCE. MUSIC HIP HOP DOC | 20 MIN | USA
In the 1940s, virtuoso tap dancing duo the Nicholas Brothers performed a dance routine so beautiful, so athletic, so SEMINAL, it prefigured hip hop dance by 3 decades. Contemporary dancers Les Twins, inspired by their story, bring this iconic routine out of the shadows, creating a modern incarnation of the groundbreaking original.
1000WATT | JAZZ. ART DOC | 15 MIN | USA
This short experimental and immersive film shares the making of 1000 Sumi Ink paintings in performance with jazz musicians and filmmakers.
No scripts, no scores or charts, just artists inspiring each other and improvising in real time, an interactive expression of listening, seeing, and creating.
No scripts, no scores or charts, just artists inspiring each other and improvising in real time, an interactive expression of listening, seeing, and creating.
IRIDESCENT | PHOTOGRAPHY. NATURE DOC | 17 MIN | USA
When it comes to the discovery and documentation of birds, Tim Laman is one of the best in the world. As he entered the final curation stages of his forthcoming book, Bird Planet, fellow bird lover and National Geographic photographer Keith Ladzinski reached out with an opportunity to go on safari in one of the world's birding hot-spots, Brazil's Pantanal region.
WITCH REBORN | ESOTERIC DOC | 19 MIN | UK
Documentary short film following US singer Sabrina Kennedy as she finds herself at the Samhain celebrations in Glastonbury and dives into the hidden world of modern-day paganism in the UK.
INSPIRE ME | LIFE STORY DOC | 12 MIN | AUSTRALIA
Inspire ME follows Stewart as she sets out to become the most inspirational disabled person ever
THE ENCHANTED MISSION | TRAVEL. CULTURE. DOC | 12 MIN | BRAZIL | SUBTITLES
With the water almost running out and the fridge empty, Farofeira receives an enchanted mission and embarks on an adventure made of dream, nightmare, prophecy, fiction, and reality through the paths and ancestral knowledge of the South American peoples.
Short Film Program #8 (76min.)
BEYOND THE MILKY WAY | 27 MIN | SCIENCE. PHOTOGRAPHY | AUSTRALIA
Experience the greatest scientific endeavor in history as you step onto Australia’s future site for the incredible SKA telescope and journey to the edges of the Universe.
UNWITNESSED | 7 MIN | PHOTOGRAPHY. NATURE DOC | USA
An abstract exploration of the Earth’s striking textures and cyclical rhythms. Unwitnessed lays bare the Earth's imposing elements and mesmerizing patterns, and reminds us that all life is deeply interconnected, and that the Earth herself is a living, breathing organism.
MANTA WATCH DISCOVERING AOTEAROA'S GENTLE GIANTS | 26 MIN | NEW ZEALAND
Come on a journey with the Manta Watch New Zealand team, as they use the help of citizen scientists to track down the the worlds most intelligent and most endangered fish. The Oceanic Manta Ray.
FILI | DRAMA | 16 MIN | USA
Recent graduate Fili Tanuvasa is torn between following his
father's footsteps in playing football and pursuing his hidden passion
for acting.
father's footsteps in playing football and pursuing his hidden passion
for acting.
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