LĀHAINĀ RISING to screen for county leaders nationwide

By AI, Created 9:48 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – The award-winning documentary LĀHAINĀ RISING will screen for county officials at NACo and NOBCO events in May, widening its outreach after a United Nations screening. The rollout is designed to push the film into community education and policy conversations on disaster recovery, resilience, and Indigenous rights.

Why it matters: - LĀHAINĀ RISING is moving from film festivals into county-level policy circles, where disaster recovery decisions are made. - The screenings aim to connect local governance with community-driven approaches to resilience, land and water stewardship, and long-term recovery. - The film’s broader campaign is built to support education, dialogue, and policy change as climate-driven disasters intensify.

What happened: - LĀHAINĀ RISING will screen for members of the National Association of Counties during the NACo Western Interstate Region Conference from May 5-7. - An additional screening is scheduled for May 8 at the 40th Annual National Association of Black County Officials Economic Development Conference. - The announcement follows a screening at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 2026 in New York City. - The film first premiered at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival, where it received the Made in Hawai‘i Award. - The film will also host private “first look” community screenings in Lāhainā before the national campaign launch.

The details: - The NACo Western Interstate Region Conference brings together county leaders from seventeen states to discuss issues facing Western communities. - Conference participants also meet with federal, state, and regional policymakers and share tools for addressing complex challenges. - LĀHAINĀ RISING centers Lāhainā residents, Native Hawaiian leaders, and the next generation of cultural stewards. - The documentary focuses on resilience, cultural survival, and community-led recovery after one of the most devastating wildfires in U.S. history. - The film also examines disaster preparedness, ecological stewardship, land and water rights, and long-term community health. - The Lāhainā community screenings are meant to give local residents, cultural leaders, and impacted families space to gather, reflect, and talk about healing and the community’s future. - The film’s official website provides more information.

Between the lines: - The screenings position the documentary as both a storytelling project and a policy tool. - County officials are being asked to see disaster recovery through the lens of lived experience, not just emergency management. - The United Nations screening suggests the film’s themes resonate beyond Hawai‘i and beyond wildfire recovery alone. - The project’s emphasis on Indigenous knowledge points to a broader push for recovery models that include cultural stewardship and community leadership.

What’s next: - The film’s Community Education & Impact Campaign is expected to launch in Fall 2026. - That campaign will include educational licensing, discussion guides, a Traditional Ecological Knowledge Toolkit, and facilitated conversations with filmmakers and community leaders. - The national rollout will continue using the film as a resource for counties and community groups.

The bottom line: - LĀHAINĀ RISING is being positioned as more than a documentary: It is a vehicle for public education, disaster recovery planning, and community-centered policy change.