The film explores social themes including cultural and self/sexual identity, immigration in Hawaiʻi, and land (ʻaina) stewardship. Recognizing the practices of Hawaiʻi’s kanaka host culture it was a conscious effort that a pono (respectful, righteous) filmmaking process be implemented throughout the film to ensure that all aspects of the production would have a positive impact on Hawaiʻi and the communities represented in the film.

Community engagement with key stakeholders in the Kanaka, LGBTQIA+, and environmental community was vital to get by in order to create the film. The cast, all Kanaka or local, are the majority of first-time actors and real-life representations of the issues highlighted in the film.

The production crew was also composed of Kanaka or local members. The final on-screen product is a celebration and acknowledgment of the exceptional filmmaking talent that resides in Hawaiʻi showing that high-quality filmmaking with significance can be purely Hawaiʻi made.