My Tongan friends at East-West Center (Joseph, Tricia, and Lea Lani) invited me to see this film. Aside from supporting my friends, I really wanted to learn more about other Polynesian's experiences in sports. For my family sports were (and still are for my entire ohana) a big part in our development as youth--whether we made it big or not.
This screening was extra-special because the directors Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn were present to give a Q&A. They were here to debut the film at the Hawaii International Film Festival. This documentary filmed followed 4 second-generation kane from freshman year of high school til graduation. I was inspired by the intent to share a Polynesian American narrative and shed some light to the complexities of success for Polynesian in sports as means to grasp the "American Dream", pay for college and perhaps make it in the NFL. I applaud the directors for their beautiful craftsmenship to share these stories.