Directing Nonna, my first animated short film, was a huge experience. It was a challenge faced together with animation director Nina Pinho, who brought her ideas and exposed the limitations and potential that we could achieve with the language of animation. I believe we were successful in this process and managed to bring lightness to the original story of screenwriter Anne Salles, which deals with deep and complex issues, such as mourning, the transience of life and the resistance of memories and bonds that unite us to our ancestors. But beyond these universal issues, Nonna also discusses the rampant use of pesticides in agricultural production in Brazil, as well as their impact on the environment and on the lives of small farmers who seek to work in a sustaintable way. An aggravated problem in the current management of the Bolsonaro Government, which set a new brazilian record in the release of pesticides, including in the package products already banned by the European Union, for example. This is a theme that I believe is urgent and necessary to be dealt with and that in Nonna I sought to explore in a subtle and organic way, through the eyes of a child and the imagery power that animation made possible to reach.

As a little girl, I would sow flowers into thick ropes of fragrant color that my family would then gift or sell. It was was a tradition that, as a Native Hawaiian, I knew intimately, having spent many cool mornings picking blossoms of jasmine or crown flowers amongst the butterflies and bees. So, when producer Concepcion Saucedo-Trejo shared a real story from 1915 about a girl named Emma Pollock who loved to gift the last Queen of Hawai`i with flower garlands, it immediately felt like destiny. I felt like I knew Emma. As we began the process of collaborating with Director of Animation Daniel Sousa, I knew I wanted the film to be filled with visual kaona or Hawaiian layers of meaning. Every scene was not only painstakingly built off of historical reference images, it was also carefully encoded with symbols and gestures rich with meaning in Hawaiian culture. The intention was to present a nuanced introduction to traditions from my home mixed with staple elements of fantasy to make the work broadly accessible. In turn, my hope is that the first viewing of the film offers a feast for the eyes and on subsequent viewings there will be new details to discover and marvel over. The silent film quality of the movie was designed to force viewers to focus on the visuals on screen, rather than lean on dialogue to carry the storytelling. The world has seen high quality animation about Hawai`i made by the likes of Disney or Pixar, however THE QUEEN’S FLOWERS was made independently from within the Native Hawaiian community. It is exciting to think of reclaiming authorship of our Native stories for our children, especially for young Indigenous girls. So often when we think of history, we don’t think of children, let alone little girls. More often than not, the stories that come to mind are those of politicians or scientists or larger-than-life personas, particularly when it comes to film. Now, complicate this narrative by considering the dearth of depictions of Native Hawaiian children on screen. By engaging Emma’s viewpoint, we acknowledge children of our past while also igniting the imaginations of the kids of today. And, for myself, a former headstrong little Native girl, I get to share my love note to a woman long gone but still cherished, Queen Lili`uokalani.

"Ameka and Her Magical Crown" is an enchanting animated series that celebrates diversity, empowerment, and the strength within. As the director, I'm thrilled to bring Ameka's magical journey to life, inspiring audiences of all ages to embrace their uniqueness and face life's challenges with courage. Through stunning animation and a diverse cast of characters, we craft a visually captivating world that reflects the richness of the themes explored. Our series encourages empathy, teamwork, and using one's power to uplift others, fostering seeds of compassion and resilience in young hearts. "Ameka and Her Magical Crown" is not just entertainment; it's a heartfelt adventure inspiring self-discovery and kindness, with a powerful message that will resonate with audiences worldwide.

The Adventures of Captain Atom has been a long running project of mine. What started as a one-off homage to pulp science fiction has grown into an annual undertaking for me as I challenge myself to try something new with every chapter. The Captain Atom series is the embodiment of everything I love about adventure stories and I strive to make the films as entertaining to watch as they are for me to imagine.

I like to call myself a child of the sea, it is my sanctuary and my home. I am solar powered, I breathe the ocean, and I tell stories through film and animation. I’ve followed the water- centered themes of my previous films and returned to the sea to tell this story. The Red Sea earned its colorful name as a result of the abundance of red corals, at least that is one of the theories. When I snorkeled there as a kid, I saw the beautiful, multi-colored corals along with astonishing creatures peacefully enjoying their lives. I still remember my first encounter with a fish that watched me and bumped into me as I swam around. A few years ago, I returned to the Red Sea, but instead of the beautiful views I remembered, I saw bleached white corals. I saw death where there used to be life. I’d read about coral bleaching as one of the negative effects of 8 million tons of plastic dumped into our oceans each year, but I never expected it to come this close to home. I wondered if my fish friend could have survived in this dying environment fifteen years later. Would she cheerfully bump into other humans, or would she be suffocated by our irresponsibility? I decided that something had to be done to prevent the oceans all around the world from drowning in our trash. With this film, I would like to bring awareness to consumers of the damage caused by single-use plastic on the ocean’s ecosystems. This underwater adventure will take you through the day of Zahra, our leading fish, as she encounters a monster endangering her friends. Determined to save her sea creature pals, Zahra charges the monster: an insidious plastic bag. In my film, I aim to humanize the pollution crisis that our planet is facing by telling it through the experiences of relatable ocean creatures. I aim to tell a light story with humorous scenes and characters that experience friendship, fear, and most of all, compassion. Cleaning the oceans is an important global initiative, but cleaning is not enough when we continue to litter it. It is an endless, malicious cycle as plastics do not disintegrate and can be difficult to recycle if they can be recycled at all. The issues surrounding single-use plastic pertain to ordinary people, companies, and governments alike. We may not see it, but below the surface, entire ecosystems struggle with it daily. It is only a matter of time until the effects are irreversible. This story is both local and universal, as bodies of water both big and small, far and near, struggle with plastic pollution. My hope is that this prevalent issue paired with the film’s kind- hearted characters sparks compassion in an audience of all ages. My desire is for this film’s audience to see the consequences of our actions, to empathize with Zahra, and start a dialogue around single-use plastic. Though Zahra was able to beat the monster once, there is plenty more plastic still in the ocean. I believe that with this short film, people could become aware of the damage caused by plastic and begin to take the steps towards healing our oceans.