| The Wind & the Reckoning | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David L. Cunningham |
| Written by | John Fusco |
| Based on | Ka Moʻolelo ʻoiaʻiʻo o Kaluaikoʻolau by Piʻilani |
| Produced by | Dale Armin Johnson |
| Starring | Jason Scott Lee Johnathan Schaech Ron Yuan |
| Cinematography | Scott Lee Mason |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Hawaiian English |
The Wind & the Reckoning is an AmericanHawaiianWesternhistorical drama film produced and directed byDavid L. Cunningham. The film is "a story inspired by real-life events" that are known as theKoʻolau Rebellion inHawaiʻi, particularly a 1906Hawaiian-written account by Piʻilani, the wife of one of its combatants.[1]
The film had a limited released on 4 November 2022 in Hawaiʻi before playing in the mainland United States.
The film is set in 1893 onKauaʻi, after theoverthrow of theKingdom of Hawaiʻi. As an outbreak ofleprosy engulfs the island, thenew government orders allNative Hawaiians suspected of having the disease banished permanently to theKalaupapa Leprosy Colony on the island ofMolokaʻi that is known as 'the island of the living grave'. When a localcowboy named Koʻolau (Jason Scott Lee) and his young son Kalei (Kahiau Perreira) contract the disease, they refuse to allow their family to be separated, sparking an armed clash with the white island authorities. The film is based on real-life historical events as told through the memoirs of Piʻilani published in 1906, titledKa Moʻolelo ʻoiaʻiʻo o Kaluaikoʻolau (The True Story of Kaluaikoʻolau).[citation needed]
The film is spoken primarily inHawaiian and subtitled in English, which makes it one of the first Hawaiian language films with an international distribution. For cultural and linguistic accuracy, Hawaiian cultural experts were called upon, including Leināʻala Fruean, Kumu Kaʻea Lyons, Kumu Kauhane Heloca, and Kumu Naʻauao Viva.[1]
The cultural experts helped translate the script by John Fusco into Hawaiian. They worked with the cast to teach them the language, and they were on set giving notes while filming. The cultural experts also ensured the costumes were accurate, using historical photographers for inspiration.[1][2][3][4]
The film was shot in late 2020. Due to the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic, the film's crew and cast were sequestered on a 50-acre (20 ha) ranch on the island ofHawaiʻi. This was the final film appearance of Lance Kerwin.[5][6]
The Wind & the Reckoning had its world premiere at theBoston Film Festival on September 24, 2022 where it won Best Film.[7][8] The film also won theKumeyaay Award and theAudience Choice Best Feature Film award at theSan Diego International Film Festival.[9]
The film has a 50% rating atRotten Tomatoes.[10]The New York Times found the film "too self-contained and the characters too one-note" and said "the film does not carry the emotional punch that the subject matter warrants."[11]