Utah Pacific Island Film Series

Utah Pacific Island Film Series Utah Pacific Island Film Series showcases Pasifika Films and offers support to Pacific Filmmakers.

We are currently the longest and only running film showcase dedicated specifically to Pacific Islander Films. Through various partnerships with arts and film organizations throughout Utah, we offer the opportunity for audiences to watch Pacific Islander Films supplemented by panel discussions and audience dialogue. We are dedicated to sharing stories from the Pacific using film as the tool to facilitate conversations around topics such as climate change, social justice, and identity.

🌟 MĀSIMA FILM FESTIVAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHTMāsima Film Festival is all about highlighting and gathering all of our Pasifika ...
06/19/2026

🌟 MĀSIMA FILM FESTIVAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Māsima Film Festival is all about highlighting and gathering all of our Pasifika storytellers, regardless of medium, especially encouraging our local Pasifika storytellers to share their work. We’re excited to have the creative team behind The Kau Mana tabling at our Opening Night on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30pm! Come meet the artists and learn more about this incredible world they’ve created.

🔹Leki Mahe
🔸Teisa Mahe

About The Kau Mana: The Kau Mana is a Saga that dives deep into the rich cultures and real life histories of our peoples. You will enjoy this project if you are a fan of Avatar the Last Airbender, One Piece, Justice League Unlimited, Ben 10, and Mythology. It’s a story of how heroes can come from anywhere, and that we are the the ones responsible to make a change in this world.

As the story goes, the Kau Mana are selected by the gods to act on their behalf. They are about to head out on their first mission as a team, but mysterious attacks all across Hawaiki derail their plans. Amasked super villain emerges and the Kau Mana must protect the people. Who is behind the attacks and can the Kau Mana figure out who it is before it’s too late?

The Kau Mana team will be there to answer questions and you can learn more about how to support this wonderful, original Pasifika project.

Get your tickets for our Opening Night at slfstix.org while they’re still available!

MĀSIMA OPENING NIGHT PANEL: We’re so excited to share our moderator and panelists for the panel discussion following our...
06/17/2026

MĀSIMA OPENING NIGHT PANEL: We’re so excited to share our moderator and panelists for the panel discussion following our screening of Before the Moon Falls on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30pm.

This film covers very heavy and sensitive themes and so we approach the conversation with great respect. In order to give this dialogue the care it deserves, we have enlisted local Sāmoan community leaders, health workers, and victim advocates, who will help navigate those difficult topics with cultural sensitivity and concern. On our panel:

🔹 Oreta Tupola, moderator
🔸 Miracle Ioane, panelist
🔸 Jakey Sala Siolo, panelist
🔸 Representative Jacob Fitisemanu Jr., panelist

Don’t miss out on this panel! Get your tickets now at slfstix.org.

For more information about the films and our festival you can also visit our official Māsima Film Festival website at masimaff.org before purchasing your tickets at slfstix.org.

06/17/2026

The Māsima: Pacific Islands Film Festival returns June 23 - 25 with films from acclaimed filmmakers and emerging voices from the Pacific Islander community presented by Salt Lake Film Society, Pacific Island Knowledge 2 Action Resources, and the Utah Pacific Island Film Series.

Get details at the link below ⬇️
https://slfstix.org/broadway/masima-pacific-islands-film-festival/

Have you gotten your tickets for Māsima Film Festival's Opening Night next Tuesday, June 23rd? How about our other days ...
06/16/2026

Have you gotten your tickets for Māsima Film Festival's Opening Night next Tuesday, June 23rd? How about our other days of programming on June 24th and 25th? Well, don't wait too long, this year's line-up is one of our strongest yet and we know the demand is steadily rising for tickets so don't get left out!

Māsima is a film festival for our Pacific Islander community and access to our stories and the dialogue that happens after these screenings should never be dependent on whether or not someone can afford the price of a ticket.

We are cognizant of the ways our community is underserved so we are so proud to continue our yearly offering of a community discount code specifically created to ensure that financial reasons don’t keep our Pasifika people from seeing Pasifika Films down at the Broadway in Salt Lake City. We are grateful our co-presenters at Salt Lake Film Society feel the same way.

Please use code MASIMAFREE26 at checkout for 100% complimentary tickets to any and all of our Māsima 2026 screenings. This code can be used multiple times. Visit slfstix.org to get your tickets now. For additional information on the line-up and festival you can visit masimaff.org.

We also have a code for supporters of our Pacific Islander community who would like to buy tickets but would benefit from a 20% discount. For friends and allies we recommend using MASIMADISCOUNT26 at checkout. Feel free to share this post with others in our Utah Pacific Islander community and let’s pack the Broadway to support our Pacific Islander Filmmakers!

Māsima Film Festival concludes on Thursday, June 25th at 9:00pm with Tides of Truth: Shorts Collection. This collection ...
06/10/2026

Māsima Film Festival concludes on Thursday, June 25th at 9:00pm with Tides of Truth: Shorts Collection.

This collection of short films showcases both narrative and documentary explorations of Pasifika life, offering a contemporary and nuanced glance at Pasifika identity.

Featured films include:
- The Ocean in Soonkahni (Salt Lake City), directed by Āfā 'Aikona
- Firstborn, directed by Veisinia Moalapau'u Fulivai
- Tuimaseve: A High Chief Story, directed by Benjamin Pola
- The Forest is a Spirit that Beckons Me, directed by Jacob Cruz-Rine
- Tales of the Diaspora, directed by Lidwina Tutuvanu
- I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden, directed by Vea Mafile’o
- Vaimoe, directed by Edith Amituanai

For more information about the films and our festival you can also visit our official Māsima Film Festival website at masimaff.org before purchasing your tickets at slfstix.org.

Māsima Film Festival continues on Thursday, June 25th at 7:00pm with the feature narrative Kalamasa’s Revenge directed b...
06/10/2026

Māsima Film Festival continues on Thursday, June 25th at 7:00pm with the feature narrative Kalamasa’s Revenge directed by Kā'eo Drumright.

Four friends discover an old board game that turns their perfect summer into a living nightmare.
This screening will feature a Q&A with the cast and crew. More details to follow.

For more information about the films and our festival you can also visit our official Māsima Film Festival website at masimaff.org before purchasing your tickets at slfstix.org.

Māsima Film Festival continues on Wednesday, June 24th at 8:30pm with the feature documentary Remathau: People of the Oc...
06/10/2026

Māsima Film Festival continues on Wednesday, June 24th at 8:30pm with the feature documentary Remathau: People of the Ocean directed by Daniel H. Lin preceded by the short animated film The Rain directed by Kā'eo Luke.

Remathau: People of the Ocean follows the journey of Nicole Yamase, the first Micronesian and Indigenous person to dive to the deepest part of the ocean, Challenger Deep, in the Marianas Trench. This experience ultimately opens her eyes to the true resilience of Pacific Island people who–despite immense hardship brought on by external forces–continue to draw strength from the cultural practices, languages, and ancestral knowledge that anchor them to their oceanic homeland.

The Rain is a 2D hand-drawn short animated film that features a narrated poem written by Kā'eo Luke. This film reflects on what it means to be alive day to day. The human connection to nature through the wisdom of the birds is explored and showcased through unique species. The spoken word can be interpreted differently between viewers and asks the question, "what does it truly mean to live and love to each, individual mind?"

For more information about the films and our festival you can also visit our official Māsima Film Festival website at masimaff.org before purchasing your tickets at slfstix.org.

Māsima Film Festival continues on Wednesday, June 24th at 7:00pm with Beyond the Reef: MVPFAFF+ Shorts Collection, prese...
06/10/2026

Māsima Film Festival continues on Wednesday, June 24th at 7:00pm with Beyond the Reef: MVPFAFF+ Shorts Collection, presented in collaboration with our community partners at Nuanua Collective.

This collection of short films showcases MVPFAFF+ Pasifika stories in all of their color, character, and complexity.

Featured films include:
- O Alofa Nei, O Alofa Nā, directed by Giselle Ilaoa
- In Conversation with Dan Taulapapa McMullin, directed by Angelique Kalani Axelrode
- Lanu Moana is the Warmest Colour, directed by Sione Tuívailala Monū
- MĀHŪ: A Trans-Pacific Love Letter, directed by Lisette Marie Flanary

For more information about the films and our festival you can also visit our official Māsima Film Festival website at masimaff.org before purchasing your tickets at slfstix.org.

Māsima Film Festival opens on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30pm with the feature documentary Before the Moon Falls directed b...
06/10/2026

Māsima Film Festival opens on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30pm with the feature documentary Before the Moon Falls directed by Kimberlee Bassford.

Before the Moon Falls was an intimate portrait of acclaimed Samoan writer Sia Figiel eight years in the making when tragedy struck. Now the film offers an in-depth and thought-provoking look at Sia’s tumultuous journey leading to that traumatic moment, illuminating the complexities of inconsistently treated mental illness and the devastating toll it can exact on individuals, families and entire communities.

After the film, we will have a moderated panel discussion with local community leaders and advocates. More details including moderator and panelist announcements to follow. Content Warning: This film includes references to mental illness, sexual abuse, su***de, and violence. Viewer discretion is advised.

For more information about the films and our festival you can also visit our official Māsima Film Festival website at masimaff.org before purchasing your tickets at slfstix.org.

The Utah Pacific Island Film Series is excited to announce our Māsima Film Festival 2026 Screening Committee!These indiv...
03/08/2026

The Utah Pacific Island Film Series is excited to announce our Māsima Film Festival 2026 Screening Committee!

These individuals represent the intersections of art, education, and community. As a community festival, it’s important to us to always have the community we serve be part of our deliberations. We look forward to seeing these committee members thoughtfully digest and discuss the treasure trove of Pasifika Films we’ve received for consideration in our upcoming 2026 festival taking place June 23rd - 25th here in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Join us in welcoming our 2026 Screening Committee:
Isaiah Asiata
Isa Bracewell
Gary Hansen
Shania Juzil
Ike Mauga
Gemini Manuma Olotoa
Charlie Prescott
Richard Wolfgramm

Each member brings their own unique perspective but are collectively united in the belief that exhibiting Pasifika Films in a festival format can be a pathway to powerful conversation, connection, and change.

Our committee members are guided in the selection process by Māsima’s Festival Director and Lead Programmer, Lauren To’omalatai, and Festival Coordinator and Salt Lake Film Society Liaison, Claudia Benítez Duarte, who have been at the helm of Māsima since it’s inception in 2021.

Māsima Film Festival is co-presented by the Utah Pacific Island Film Series, a program of PIK2AR, and the Salt Lake Film Society. Māsima is proud to have originated as part of Salt Lake Film Society’s ongoing Cultural Tours that champion underrepresented communities by providing direct support to bring those communities stories to their screens at the Broadway Centre Cinemas.

Stay tuned for more details about Māsima in the coming weeks!

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