My Partner
| My Partner | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Keli’i Grace |
| Written by | Lance D. Collins Alexander Deedy Sean Dunnington |
| Screenplay by | Alexander Deedy Sean Dunnington |
| Produced by | Keli’i Grace Jess T. Johnston |
| Starring | Jayron Munoz Kaipo Dudoit |
| Cinematography | Brock Ladd |
Production company | KSG Films |
| Distributed by | Random Media |
Release date |
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| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Tagalog Hawaiian |
My Partner is a 2023 American romantic drama film directed by Keli’i Grace and starring Jayron Munoz and Kaipo Dudoit. The film was described as the first Hawaiian gay film and the last film to be shot in Lahaina due to the 2023 wildfires.[1][2]
Plot
The film follows two Lahainaluna High School seniors Edmar, a smart Filipino student, and Pili, a native Hawaiian athlete, who work together on a school project about kalo.[1][2] Despite initially being reluctant due to being part of different friend groups, they agree to work on the project together and later better understand each other's cultural struggles.[1]
Cast
- Jayron Munoz as Edmar
- Kaipo Dudoit as Pili
- Charieze Lianne Cacayorin as Maymay
Production
The cast and crew of the film are from Hawaii and the cast are all newcomers.[1]
Reception
Devin Hung reviewing the film at the HIFF wrote, "MY PARTNER is a cute and necessary addition to the Boys Love genre. By showing two boys of Pacific Island heritage falling in love, the film is saying that everyone, no matter what cultural background you come from, should be able to be in a relationship that makes them happy".[3]
Bradley Gibson of Film Threat rated the film 7.5/10 and wrote, "My Partner is a slick, polished romance targeted at a specific audience. Even if you aren’t part of that demographic, Grace manages to infuse this wispy-thin cotton candy film with culturally and historically significant elements that inform and entertain".[4]
Accolades and festivals
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival | Audience Award (Narrative) | My Partner | Won | [5] |
| Mpumalanga International Film Festival | Best Foreign Film | Won | |||
| Honolulu Rainbow International Film Festival | Grand Jury Award | Won | |||
| LGBTQ+ Unbordered International Film Festival | Outstanding Excellence Award (Romance) | Won | |||
| San Antonio QFest LGBT International Film Festival | Lily Tomlin Memorial Award | Won | |||
| 2024 | Hawaiʻi International Film Festival | Honorable Mention, Made in Hawaiʻi (Feature) | Won |
Additionally, the film was selected to be a part of the following film festivals in 2023:[6]
- Hālāwai Film Festival
- 16th Festival de Cine Indígena de Barcelona (IndiFest)
- Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival
- Beijing Queer Film Festival
- Golden Isles Film Festival
- San Diego Filipino Film Festival
References
- ^ a b c d "Film on two Lahainaluna boys from separate worlds to debut at LA festival". Maui News. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Ako, Diane (September 7, 2023). "New film showing this weekend may be last ever shot in Lahaina". KITV Island News. Honolulu. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ Hung, Devin (November 10, 2023). "MY PARTNER is a necessary addition to the 'Boys Love' genre". Hawai'i International Film Festival. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ Gibson, Bradley (September 17, 2024). "My Partner". Film Threat. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ "Following a Successful Film Festival Run, Critically Acclaimed MY PARTNER Now on Major VOD Streaming Platforms". EIN Newswire. Los Angeles. 26 September 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2025 – via Fox40.
- ^ KSG (2023). "My Partner". Retrieved June 29, 2025.