Ciara Leinaʻala Lacy is a talented writer-producer-director whose passion is telling stories influenced by her Native Hawaiian heritage.
Her documentary-style content has shown at Sundance and Berlinale and on streaming platforms including Netflix, PBS, ABC, and Al Jazeera. The inaugural Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellow, Ciaraʻs work has been supported by Tribeca, The Princess Grace Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and Pacific Islanders in Communication.
Her award-winning filmography includes Is That Black Enough for You? (2022), This is the Way We Rise (2021), Out of State (2018), We Are Still Here (2018), and 11/8/16 (2017), and as well as other commercial projects.
And as if all of that wasn’t impressive enough, Ciara is humble and gracious. She recently carved out some time out of her busy schedule to talk story with us.
Click the stills below to see trailers of the films.
Aloha e Ciara! For those who haven’t met you, could you please tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Hawaiian, Chinese, Caucasian born and raised in Central Oahu. I love to make things and collaborate with teams, and have spent the majority of my career crafting non-fiction work, whether for TV or Film, about the Kanaka Maoli experience.
Where did you grow up? What high school did you grad from?
I grew up in Mililani, and attended Kamehameha High School, Kapālama.
Me, too! Go, Warriors! Who is your biggest supporter?
This was a tough one! I’ve been really fortunate to have a TON of support. My parents have always been huge supporters of anything I wanted to do, no matter how crazy, and my husband has been as well. I have to give thanks to all my friends who endure watching cuts of my work or reading drafts because Iʻm a huge believer in the power of feedback to help make work better.
Why did you become a filmmaker? Did you always know you could create art?
I became a filmmaker, because I am crazy? I didn’t always know I could make art, but I have always loved the idea of making things. I absolutely love project based work, and I do love a little adventure in life…so filmmaking has given me both! Itʻs taken me a long time to feel comfortable calling myself an artist because Iʻm untrained and kind of learn by doing, but I think Iʻm getting there!
What do you enjoy most about filmmaking? What are some of your greatest challenges?
I love the process, even if it can keep me up at night or make me want to tear my hair out at times! And I love to create collaborative spaces, working with others who are like minded and dedicated to crafting the strongest possible of work.
I tend to be more of an emotional, less linear thinker, so I worry that my work is making sense. I often poke hard at it for this reason, which sounds very minor but is a really big deal for me. How can people emotionally connect with or learn from your work, if they donʻt understand the basics of whatʻs going on?
And you never know what people take away from a film. Sometimes you think an idea will mean one thing, and people take away another. So Iʻm constantly digging into feedback to refine the messaging and clarity of what I am making.
What are your hopes and dreams for the year and beyond in terms of your artistic career and what you would like to see published in the future?
My hopes for the next year are very transitional and, hopefully, very transformative! Iʻm hoping to expand what I do beyond documentary work to include screenwriting and directing narrative content. So Iʻm working a screenplay, my first animated short for kids, and two narrative shorts. Iʻm hoping to do even more, not to sound too greedy, but we shall see what I can accomplish!
That sounds exciting! Do you have any experiences as a woman of color filmmaker that you might share with our readers? What would you like to see change in the industry regarding the acceptance of BIPOC creators?
I am constantly surprised by misconceptions and preconceived notions people have about Kanaka Maoli, our stories, and our worldview. This impacts how the work is received, whether people are in a space to embrace the storytelling or not.
What advice would you give an aspiring filmmaker?
Play! Give yourself time to learn, grow, and really find what you like. Developing a sense of personal taste is really important. You donʻt have to create work for everyone. Just know what you like and focus on that. Your audience will come!
I love that advice. Where do you get your inspirations?
Everywhere! Friends and family, the news, art, radio, going for walks. Inspiration can find you any place you’re ready to see it.
Can you share a bit about what you’re working on next?
I’m working on a few things, but perhaps most fun is my first narrative piece, a short animated story for kids. It’s been a really big challenge – I’m learning a ton – and am excited to see what shakes out from it all!
And now a few niele (noisy) questions, if you’d like to answer. Who is your hero?
My hero is Twinkle Borge of Wai‘anae. She is a kanaka driven to support community needs, especially for keiki and has been able to make tangible change for her people. This is a woman that can move mountains, and she inspires me.
Oh, yes, she’s amazing. What is your proudest accomplishment?
Meeting my husband.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Never be afraid to try. You can be creative!
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would that be?
Float in space! How cool would that be?
Very cool. This was so fun, Ciara! Mahalo nui loa for sharing your mana’o with us. We can’t wait to see more from you!
To learn more about Ciara Lacy and her films, visit her at CiaraLacy.com, on Instagram @ciaraleilacy, and on Twitter @ciaraleilacy. Stills and photo courtesy of Ciara Lacy.