Movie about Princess Ka'iulani to start production in fall

Advertiser reports that:

A film about Hawai'i's Princess Ka'iulani, who in her short life witnessed the overthrow of the monarchy and strove to restore Hawaiian self-rule, is under way with an A-list team of filmmakers and a rising young star.

This fall, English filmmaker Marc Forby will begin production on the as-yet-untitled film about the revered princess' attempt to restore her nation's monarchy.

Playing the title role is former Hawai'i resident Q'orianka Kilcher, who captivated audiences and critics as Pocahontas in Terence Malick's 2005 epic "The New World" opposite Colin Farrell.

A 12-year-old O'ahu girl is following in her footsteps. After an extensive search, Forby has cast unknown Kaimana Pa'aluhi as the adolescent Ka'iulani.

Personally, I was very impressed with Kilcher's complex and captivating performance as Pocahontas, and believe she has the capacity to bring Ka'iulani's character to the screen in a sensitive and appropriate way, especially given her background and interests:

Although Kilcher is not Hawaiian, her background parallels that of the royal woman she will play. The daughter of a Peruvian man of Quechua-Huachipaeri descent, Kilcher, though only 17, has campaigned extensively for indigenous rights, founding on-Q Initiative, an environmental and human rights youth group, and spoke last year on a United Nations' panel on indigenous rights.

"Q'orianka brings a strong indigenous voice to this character," said Dawson. "There was a very significant casting attempt to find a part-Hawaiian actress who could carry the role. It's not for lack of trying. Q'orianka brings cachet to the role in terms of her indigenous voice, the work she has done for her own people and her experience level. We're very fortunate that she's able to do this role."

Kilcher lived in Honolulu as a child, and moved with her family to California when she was 10.

The article talks about the extensive research Forby has done into the Princess' life, efforts to incorporate Hawaiian language into the script in ways it was spoken at the time, and how Ka'iulani's story is "a point of view to tell the story of the overthrow."

I have long believed that the best way for Hawaii's history to be more widely known and understood would be through a movie that reaches a broad audience. There are many characters and episodes in the history who would make compelling movies, and Ka'iulani is certainly one of them. There have been a few abandoned efforts over the years. It sounds like this film has the combination of factors to be historically accurate and educational while still being a good dramatic movie that can appeal to a broad audience.

Star-Bulletin also has a brief article.

Posted: Sat - June 9, 2007 at 03:40 PM

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Movie about Princess Ka'iulani to start production in fall

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