The 'oiwi Film Festival at the Honolulu Academy of Arts' Doris Duke Theatre ratchets up a notch Sunday with a talk-story panel discussion highlighting indigenous Hawaiian filmmakers.

The discussion/Q-and-A is a chance to listen to indigenous filmmakers on their approach to their films and their feelings on how important it is for indigenous Hawaiians to have control of stories told of their culture.

The session starts at 4 p.m. and costs $5 to attend. Panelists include Puhipau, Anne Keala Kelly, Kelly Pauole, 'aina Paikai and Ann Marie Kirk.

Several movies made by indigenous filmmakers will also be shown at Doris Duke Theatre through May 26. The following are two films highlighted this weekend at the festival.

"RELEASE OUR WATER"

by Maui filmmaker Kelly Pauole

For the past 100 years, billions of gallons of water have been diverted from East Maui Stream to Upcountry and Central Maui. More than half the population of East Maui is indigenous Hawaiian.

"Release our Water" interviews people from the community about the water issue. The film reveals that the displacement of East Maui's native people, the loss of their culture, and an overall decline[0xa0]in the health of the land and its people can be directly traced to the water diversion.

"NOHO HEWA: THE WRONGFUL OCCUPATION OF HAWAII"

by filmmaker Anne Keala Kelly

In Hawaiian, "hewa" means "wrong" and "noho" means "to occupy." "Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawai'i" is a contemporary look at indigenous Hawaiian people, politics and resistance in the face of their systematic erasure under U.S. laws, economy, militarism and real estate speculation. The film is told from the perspective of Hawaiians who make critical links between these seemingly unrelated industries, and who clarify the legal and political relevance of the Hawaiian sovereignty struggle in the context of indigenous rights and the U.S. occupation of Hawaii.