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November 25, 2006 10:22 PM
Hokulea Stars in a Disney Movie
Today off Diamond Head, the Hokulea was a floating movie set. Helicopters with
cameras hovered overhead.
The actors are 14 high school sailing students who were chosen out of hundreds
to play crew members training for a yacht race from California to Hawaii.
"We came together as a group of 30 in Long Beach in August and that was for
the selection trial so this is our first experience as a crew of 15," said Punahou
student Mark Towill.
The movie is being made by Roy E. Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney and an
avid sailor. His dream of making a film about the youngest trans-Pacific sailing
crew brought him together with Hawaii's own master navigator Nainoa Thompson.
Together they share special respect for the ocean.
"As it happened, we met Nainoa Thompson, who runs Hokulea, and he set the
parallels between what we were doing and what he does with youth," Disney said.
"What's common is that he loves the ocean. He is a man that loves deep sea
sailing and he is a man that realizes that these are powerful schools, these
vessels," Thompson said. "And he just wants to help young people grow and
that's exactly what we do."
While on board, the teenagers learned the ancient art of Hawaiian navigation and
sailing. Thompson says the skills they learn will help them prepare for the
grueling trans-Pacific race next year, but more importantly, bring them together
as a team.
"My great hope is that they become a family at sea and they are going to take
care of each other and they are going to do they best they can," Thompson said.
The Disney film about the crew's adventure will be released late next summer in
theaters nationwide.
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The film featuring the Hokulea
will be
released late next summer. |
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TRANSPAC RACE STATUS
