​​​​​R E E L I N G After a life altering accident, Ryan struggles to fit in with old friends and family at a birthday luau on his family’s homestead. As the pig slowly roasts in an imu pit and the partygoers cut loose, the celebration boils over when Ryan uncovers the missing memory of when his life took a tragic turn.

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DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT Our memories make us who we are. In Reeling, I explore the theme of memory through Ryan, a young man desperately seeking to recall the moment his life changed forever. As he returns to his family home for the first time since the accident, he moves through this familiar place and faces as though he is a ghost; A shadow of the man he used to be. The camera is a reflection of this, moving through scenes in choreographed long takes and lingering on improvised moments. The score is a reflection of Ryan's mindset, a chaotic percussion that feels out of step with the reality around him. Against the backdrop of celebration and fun, we watch Ryan in this moment to moment character study (over the course of 24 hours) as he finally remembers the accident that caused his TBI. However, the question remains: Can he trust his own memory? Can we? 

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What is unique about this film is that the cast is a mix of actors and non-professional actors; I cast friends and family who were at the real birthday Lu'au (two years ago) that inspired this film. I set out to capture this unique moment in time and the essence of this historical Hawaiian estate, with people I grew up with. I mixed improvisation with scripted scenes in order to feel like we are truly in this moment with Ryan. Executive Producer Werner Herzog’s motto is “filmmaking is athletics, not aesthetics”. His encouragement from script to screen has been invaluable. Oahu is home to me and Kikila (the shooting location) is a place where I've experienced thrilling and deeply moving memories that led to the inception of REELING.