Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu is a Native Hawaiian teacher, cultural practitioner, and filmmaker who uses digital media to protect and perpetuate Indigenous languages and traditions. She began her film work as an advisor for the award-winning films
Kumu Hina and
A Place in the Middle, and received a National Education Association Human Rights Award, Native Hawaiian Educator of the Year, and White House Champion of Change Award for the groundbreaking impact campaigns associated with those films. Hina produced the PBS/ARTE feature documentary
Leitis in Waiting and award-winning short "
Lady Eva" about her transgender sisters in the Kingdom of Tonga. Hina is also a transgender health advocate, burial council chair, and composer of "Ku Haaheo E Kuu Hawaii," the internationally-known anthem for the protection of Mauna Kea, which was honored as Hawaiian Song of the Year in the 2020 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, known as the Hawaiian Grammys.
Daniel Sousa is an Academy Award-nominated animator who uses the themes embedded in myths and legends to examine archetypes of human nature. Born in Cape Verde, he approaches filmmaking from a painter's perspective, focusing on the fragility of fleeting moments, memories and perceptions. His short films include
Feral, which was supported by a Creative Capital Foundation grant and screened at Sundance, and
Fable, which won awards at festivals around the world. He recently completed animating several native legends for the four-part PBS special
Native America, which weaves history and science with living indigenous traditions. Sousa has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, Harvard University, the Museum School, the Art Institute of Boston and the Animation Workshop in Denmark.
