Princess Kaiulani

The movie “Princess Kaiulani” is set against the dramatic island backdrop of Hawaii and based on the inspiring true story, Princess Kaiulani is a breathtaking romance about an unlikely heroine and her unwavering fight to defend the independence of her people. In 1888, Hawaii was a paradise teetering on the brink of civil unrest. The tide had turned against the long-incumbent royal family, under the malevolent influence of a rebel party with links to the American government. Within months, the Palace was overthrown, and the royals exiled. Among them was the beautiful “Princess Kaiulani.” Scarcely 13 years old, she was separated from her family and her homeland and for her own safety, sent to a climate and a country that couldn’t be more different from Hawaii – Victorian England. Coming to terms with her fate, Kaiulani underwent a harsh and testing education that equipped her with a sense of honor, duty and pride. What’s more, she fell in love, with the spirited and rebellious young Englishman, Clive Davies. Emerging from her childhood, and inspired by her blossoming romance, Kaiulani realized she had to bring an end to the injustices suffered by her people and set to sail for America, to meet President Grover Cleveland, to prove that she and her people were not the “barbarians” portrayed by the American press. Princess Kaiulani combines the profound natural beauty of Hawaii with the sweeping romance of a classic Merchant Ivory epic. The movie made its U.S. premiere at this year’s Phoenix Film Festival.