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shareFilmmakers in attendance. Film program will be followed by Q&A.
Intimate portraits of resilience. From preserving Aloha far from home to pioneering athletes, activists, and spiritual teachers who defy expectations in the face of geographical barriers, prejudice, and societal norms—these short documentaries show how staying true to one’s self can be a transformative force.
In this program
DEAR ALOHA
Directed by CRIS ROMENTO
Dear Aloha is a heartfelt story about the meaning of aloha through the lives of Diasporic Hawaiians in the Pacific Northwest and how it sustains them through distance, loss, and longing. Meanwhile, in Hawai‘i, locals confront the lasting impact of colonization that has Hawaiians disappearing from their homeland.
Gaku: One Last Round
Directed by Taige Shi
Gaku Takahashi, a veteran professional Japanese boxer, is fighting to get back into the ring after a horrendous incident.
Girls Move Mountains
Directed by Anna Huix
Girls Move Mountains is a short documentary about young girls who use soccer as a catalyst for gender equality and independence in the remote Karakoram Mountain Range of Pakistan.
Maybe It’s Just the Rain
Directed by Reina Bonta
In their debut, an underdog group of young women become the first Filipino team in history to win a World Cup match. Reina, team center back, narrates this turbulent journey, culminating in an intimate trip to her grandmother’s hometown in the Philippines.
On My Road to Dharma
Directed by Yihuan Zhang
A documentary follows De Hong, a monk who has been teaching meditation in California prisons for ten years, and explores what motivates him to practice in such a way.
Dates & Times
Directors Guild of America
May 1, 2025
7:30 pm
