De Andre Makakoa is a grassroots videographer and filmmaker who, along with his team, has won two film awards in the 2026 Wailuku Film Festival, ‘Remembering Wai’ (water) and Lāhainā Rising’. The latter also won at HIFF45 last year and recently screened at the United Nations (UN) in New York City (NYC). 

The Wailuku Film Festival was a massive success, drawing packed audiences over five days with sold-out screenings and standing ovations. The festival showcased over 100 films, spotlighting more than 55 Hawai’i-based filmmakers, 31 student projects, and indigenous stories. The festival’s focus on authentic, local storytelling resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike.  

Makakoa explained, “The narrative in our locally-made film, ‘Lāhainā Rising’ was told by the generational families of Lāhainā, offering a profound understanding of the island’s cultural heritage, resilience, and the enduring struggle to protect its natural and ancestral legacy.”  

Through raw and harrowing footage, the audience witnessed the wildfire devastation unfold, families fleeing, homes consumed, and Lāhainā reduced to ashes. Through powerful storytelling, the documentary becomes not just a chronicle of loss, but a testament to the unyielding communal lifeforce continually showing a path toward healing, and a future where Hawaiians reclaim their place at the decision-making table.  

“The most compelling segment of Lāhainā Rising is dedicated to the remarkable resiliency of the Lāhainā community,” Makakoa said. “Immediately after the fire, the locals stepped up to rebuild and support each other, exemplifying a solid unifying spirit. This narrative of communal strength and solidarity serves as a beacon of hope, symbolizing the potential for recovery and renewal, which we are involved in.” 

Some key intentions of the ‘Remembering Wai’ film include educating audiences on the Hawaiian belief that wai is life and should flow freely from mauka (mountains) to makai (sea). Makakoa, who addressed the UN in NYC, added, “Lāhainā’s journey toward sustainability and regeneration serves as both a beacon and a warning, igniting global conversations on building resilient communities in the face of climate change and adversity. Through powerful story-telling and compelling visuals, we seek to mobilize support for tangible action and critical policy changes in Maui, Hawai’i, and the world. Our media work has amplified Lāhainā’s voice for a national and international audience.”