Advancing a Hawaiian-Led Screen Economy and Protecting Hawaiʻi’s Cultural and Creative Sovereignty

The Ministry of Commerce of the Independent & Sovereign Nation State of Hawaiʻi formally announces the establishment of the Nation of Hawaiʻi Film Commission.

The Film Commission is created to advance film, television, and digital media production aligned with Hawaiian values, historical integrity, and responsible stewardship of ʻāina. The Commission serves as a coordinating body for domestic and international productions seeking to engage respectfully with Hawaiian lands, communities, and cultural narratives.

The Hawaiian Kingdom was internationally recognized in the nineteenth century through formal treaties and diplomatic relations with global powers. That historical foundation remains central to the Nation of Hawaiʻi’s ongoing efforts to restore governance grounded in international law and inherent sovereignty.

Through the Film Commission, the Ministry of Commerce will:
• Facilitate culturally aligned film and media production
• Support Indigenous storytelling and creative industries
• Establish production standards rooted in cultural protocol
• Build long-term infrastructure for a Hawaiian-led screen economy

Kawika Hoke has been appointed Film Commissioner of the Nation of Hawaiʻi Film Commission under the Ministry of Commerce. Commissioner Hoke brings direct experience within Hawaiʻi’s film and television ecosystem, including leading productions on Maui and working across union crews, production vendors, permitting agencies, and cultural stakeholders at broadcast and streaming scale.

“Hawaiʻi is a place of deep stories — stories carried through generations,” says Commissioner Hoke. “The Film Commission exists to honor those stories and the people who hold them. This Commission is about building trust, opening doors, and creating opportunity.”

Hawaiʻi’s production economy supports more than 14,000 unionized film and television professionals across crafts, technical trades, and creative roles. The economic multiplier effect of film production extends into hospitality, construction, transportation, catering, post-production, and small business supply chains.

Under Commissioner Hoke’s leadership, the Commission will prioritize workforce development pathways for Native Hawaiians and local residents, strengthen coordination between production entities and land stewards, protect Hawaiʻi’s intellectual property and cultural narratives, and advocate for long-term industry infrastructure — including the eventual establishment of a Hawaiian-owned studio model.

Producers, studios, and independent filmmakers seeking advisory coordination are invited to submit formal production inquiries to film@nohgov.com.

Media Contact:
Kawika Hoke
Film Commissioner
Nation of Hawaiʻi Film Commission
film@nohgov.com

, , , ,