‘OHINA debuted in 1999 to support independent filmmakers and give them an opportunity to exhibit their films to the community through a short film showcase. The Hawaiian term for "gathering" or "collecting , ‘OHINA has grown through the years into a media pipeline.

Today, ‘OHINA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping emerging filmmakers and storytellers bring their cinematic visions to the screen through the ‘OHINA LABS mentorship program, ‘OHINA SHOWCASE, and ‘OHINA FILMS. 

LABS — our O‘ahu-based filmmakers’ workshop — starts at the story level, pairing short scripts from promising voices and visionaries with a who’s who from the industry as guest mentors, and providing  opportunities for program fellows to pitch why their project is ready for a greenlight.

Projects emerging from LABS and through ‘OHINA educational partnerships may be produced with support from the FILMS team, and/or become a part of our popular SHOWCASE screening events. Our primary focus: stories and people with a connection to Hawai‘i (current or former residents) and a project that can be filmed in the islands. All genres welcome.

To learn more about programs, partnership and event opportunities, please email info@ohina.org.