A Hawaiʻi-raised filmmaker is premiering her new short film at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, telling a personal story about grief and cultural identity.

• The film, "Sons Are Not Earthbound," follows a grieving boy trying to capture his late mother's spirit, drawing on the director's own experience of living far from home.
• It was shot in Hawaiʻi with a local crew, her younger brother in the lead role, and her family involved throughout production.
• The director says years spent living in New York sharpened her sense of homesickness and cultural connection, which shaped the film's themes.
• She's also working on a new documentary following a Hawaiʻi-born opera singer performing on major international stages, exploring similar themes of home and identity.

Outlook: The film premieres this Friday with additional screenings in the following days, and the director hopes to bring it to more audiences afterward.