County reallocates Maui Film Festival funds to launch Wailuku Film Festival initiative

The committee recommended first reading of a budget amendment to reallocate remaining Maui Film Festival funds (approximately $90,250 for FY25) to a new Wailuku Film Festival initiative stewarded by the Maui County film office and the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB).

Chief of Staff Cynthia Lalo and film commissioner Brian Cohn described the proposal as a new, locally focused festival and educational initiative that will center student and Made-in-Hawaii works, provide training and professional interaction opportunities, and create an annual gathering for Hawaii makers in downtown Wailuku. Cohn said the inaugural full-scale, multi-day festival would be targeted for 2026, with a series of one-day or one-off events and training programs beginning sooner as the brand, partnerships and programming are developed.

Cohn said the festival will use existing and forthcoming venues in Wailuku — including MAPA's Naylor Theater / Black Box space and other community venues — and that organizers expect to leverage partnerships with unions, guilds and industry groups to provide training and professional contacts for local filmmakers. Budget Director Leslie Milner confirmed the FY25 reallocation and said a larger request for FY26 is under consideration as the program's scope is finalized.

Committee members expressed support and asked for budget details; staff and MEDB said the film office and MEDB would provide additional budget information and clarified that salaries for the film office positions are covered in separate MEDB funding lines. Members also asked MEDB for documentation showing how MEDB intends to steward funds and whether MEDB would use its existing grant structure for donations and sponsorships.

The committee approved the recommendation for first reading and asked staff to provide a FY26 funding plan and clarifications about MEDB's fiscal role.