PIC partners with the State of Hawai'i
PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN COMMUNICATIONS NAMED FACILITATOR OF THE HAWAI‘I FILM AND CREATIVE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT FUND
Hawai‘i-based nonprofit in partnership with Creative Industries Division, DBEDT, deploys new strategies to support independent filmmakers and share Pacific stories
HONOLULU, HI (June 5, 2025) – As a national public media organization that has provided hundreds of hours of programming to PBS and public television stations across the country, Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) remains steadfast in its mission to uplift and share stories that reflect the lived experiences, histories, and cultures of the Pacific despite the unprecedented funding challenges for public media across the United States. Ahead of the recent attacks to defund public media, PIC made the difficult decision to pause its two primary filmmaker support initiatives, the Media Fund and the Shorts Fund. This decision was made proactively, as the organization reassesses how to best serve independent storytellers and maximize long-term impact through programming such as the Hawai‘i Film and Creative Content Development Fund in partnership with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID). The fund was established by the Hawai‘i state legislature in recognition as an investment fund to support original works for global export.
“PIC has championed stories from across the Pacific for more than 34 years,” said Cheryl Hirasa, Executive Director of PIC. “Though we’ve been forced to pivot, we are actively reimagining our programmatic schedule to ensure we continue providing the creative, financial, and professional development support that our storytellers need. This is a moment of reflection and innovation, not retreat.”
In a major step forward, PIC has been active as a facilitator of the Hawai‘i Film and Creative Content Development Fund (HFCF), a new state initiative aimed at cultivating Hawai‘i’s creative and film sector content creators. In this role, PIC will lead the selection process of small, mid-sized, and microbudget film and media projects through seed funding from CID’s Hawai‘i Film and Creative Industries Development Fund. “This partnership with PIC aligns with our mutual goals to advance local film and content creation to elevate the talent in the islands to global audiences,” said Georja Skinner, Division Chief, Creative Industries, DBEDT.
The HFCF seeks to support local filmmakers, media makers, and content creators with the goal of growing Hawai‘i-originated intellectual property (IP) for licensing, distribution, and export. This initiative reflects the continued investment in skills development of the local film industry by CID/DBEDT and PIC’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the state’s creative economy and Hawai‘i’s media landscape.
As part of this strategic transition, PIC will relaunch a reimagined funding opportunity in 2026. In the meantime, the organization has expanded its fundraising efforts and community engagement strategies to continue serving creators committed to telling Pacific Islander stories.
Since 1991, this funding has made it possible for PIC to provide nearly $25M to filmmakers through film project funding, talent development, distribution and engagement, and to share stories of our communities, culture and perspectives. Every PIC-funded project is created for far-reaching distribution, introducing the content to new audiences. A primary outlet for PIC-funded films is public media, including national PBS broadcasts, digital platforms, and educational distribution. These channels ensure that these stories are accessible to communities across the country for free and commercial-free. Public media has long been a consistent platform for multifaceted and wide-ranging storytelling, affirming PIC’s longstanding commitment to authentic, Indigenous narratives in the public sphere.
Filmmakers exploring Pacific stories can find additional resources on our website.
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