Photo retrieved from khon2.com
The biggest film festival in the Pacific is returning to Hawaii, with 186 films hailing from across the globe.
One of the films making its Hawaii debut at the 43rd Hawai’i International Film Festival is UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL, produced by Maui-resident Leah Warshawski. Directed by Warshawski and Todd Soliday, the heartwarming documentary tells the story of Maui Surf Instructor Bull Kotter and his special connection with the underserved and homeless youth of Lahaina.
When the pandemic hit, Bull Kotter, or “Bully”, saw his small business face rough times. Instead of seeking help for himself, he decided to give back to his community.
“I actually took a surf lesson from Uncle Bully during COVID,” said Warshawski.
“So I took a lesson and then found out that he was teaching some of the homeless kids on Maui, how to surf and having a free surf camp during COVID. We found out a little bit more about his personal journey, how he overcame some of his own challenges in life. My husband and I have a production company, Inflatable Film. We make impact films about people we call ‘Wounded Healers.’ People who make a huge impact in the world, but have overcome a lot to get where they are. He’s one of those people. We were just naturally drawn to him and his story and what he was doing.”
Uncle Bully and his young students were fortunate to be safe during the Maui wildfires. However, many families in the area lost their homes and livelihoods.