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Destin - thank you so much for making time for our young filmmakers!!! It was truly very special to have you share your story with us and to get all that good advice! Maui is so lucky to have you as one of our own.  Best wishes in all your future projects and if you're ever back home, please come visit us at Baldwin!!!!!

Mahalo
Trisha Roy

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Thank you for all of your hard work. Your words inspired me and makes me want to continue my dream. Your story was quite interesting, I enjoyed that about you. This was my first time meeting a director, especially from marvel so it was an honor to meet you. Thank you for coming to O'ahu to meet us, young filmmakers. Mahalo.

Aloha,

Jordana Urquiza
6th grade
Honouliuli Middle School

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Aloha Destin! Thank you so much for taking time out to come inspire us kids! It means a lot and we really appreciate it. It was really cool to hear the stories about everything leading up to Shang Chi. I hope we meet again someday! On Maui or Hollywood either way! Big Maui Mahalos!!!!!
Kai Plumley
8th grade Kalama Int.

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Much Mahalo for taking the time to talk story with the students, as well as my daughter, Maggie! Your insight and advice is invaluable to them, and the  inspiration you provide serves to show them what is possible if you work hard, have a creative vision and passion, and always strive  to hone your craft.  Thank you for taking the time, and my family and I look forward to seeing more films from you in the future!

Mahalo,

Ken Inouye

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It was truly inspiring to hear about your filmmaking journey, and we are both so thankful for the opportunity to talk story with you!

P.S. still waiting on those premiere tickets... they must have gotten lost in the mail :)

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Thank you so much for coming here to meet us. I love your work and can't wait to see what you do next. You really are a inspiration and I can't thank you enough.

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Thank you Destin for the representation in your work and the confidence that you radiate to others. Taking time out to inspire local filmmakers was really generous.
Best of luck,
Kau‘i Sato

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YOU ARE THE GUY DESTIN CRETTON! I am not lying when I say your literally such an inspiration for so many future filmmakers coming from our little islands of Hawaii.  Thank you for never giving up and staying true to your roots.  Continue to create them movies and make Hawaii proud 🤙
- Lucas Roberts

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Thank you so much for coming to this year's Film Festival. It truly means a lot to hear inspirational words from you. I will cherish and always remember this year's Film Festival for one to remember forever. Thank you for showing me that even being a different race and gender will not matter and hard work will pay off, to hopefully becoming a director one day. I have recently watched Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and loved it. I can't wait to see your work in the future! Thank you for everything again.

P.S, when you get a chance to see them again, please say Hi to Shang-Chi, Xialing, Katy, and Morris for me. :)

Much Love,
Alleli Bella Ponce
Ewa Makai Middle School

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I promise that I’m not trying to suck up when I say that I admire your commitment to being passionate, authentic, and hardworking. I’m not sure if I will end up pursuing filmmaking full time, but after hearing from you, that career path genuinely seems a little more attainable and a lot more enjoyable. You’ve probably heard this many times, but it was really exciting to meet someone from Hawai`i who shares a certain degree of similar experiences that has gone on to direct Marvel blockbusters and the like. Shang-Chi was the first Marvel movie that I ~actually~ enjoyed, and we look forward to more films from you! Thank you again!!

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mahalo Destin for sharing your experience with us!

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From Elizabeth, Lily, and I, our deepest gratitude to you and yours for your being with us at the HIFF Future Filmmakers Luncheon Event.

It meant the world to meet you and your words of encouragement to Elizabeth have been profound already!

It was also so moving to listen to you share your experience of staying grounded in who you are, the values of your family and community and where you come from while amidst the Hollywood industry. For us in Alaska, that is a powerful message and reminder that we do not have to always bend to those in the mainstream and western cultures. We can stay centered in the love of our Ancestors, Elders, and communities and ours/their ways of life since time immemorial.

We will welcome you to Tlingit Aani, Juneau, Alaska, whenever you'd like to visit!!!

Again Mahalo á nui~ It was truly an honor and pleasure to share words, a few tears, pictures, and time in your presence~
Leslie Ishii, Elizabeth and Lily Hope

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I wasn’t able to be there, but I appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to see my friends and all the other film makers who attended and answer there questions.

Sincerely,
Cecil Anderson IV

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Thanks so much for being an inspiration 🥰

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Destin, you are such an inspiration to us young filmmakers! Hearing your journey through directing has been eye-opening, especially being from our small rocks in Hawaii. My favorite thing that I learned from you at the ceremony was to not give up. Even when your film doesn't make the cut for a grant, or when every possible thing goes wrong in a shoot. Passion is everything and passion is what will get you through all hardships in this field.

It was a true honor to meet you and I appreciate all of your advice and shared stories. Thank you so much for taking time with us, we all learned so much. Our film journeys are just getting started and I'm so inspired and excited for the next steps.

Mahalo from Hawaii Technology Academy on O'ahu,
Tamar Wachi

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You are an incredible inspiration! It was amazing to talk to and learn from someone who started from the same place as us. Being Maui kids, it's hard to keep up the motivation for our work, but listening to you skyrocketed our hopes. Even being an accomplished Hollywood director, you still stayed true to your values, and that's the coolest accomplishment of all. Carlos, Ivan, and I are all so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet you. You are literally my biggest role model now, and I thank you for giving me hope in my abilities, regardless of where I'm from. I also thank you for signing my piece of cardboard for my aunty! She loved it, so we love you! She and I are huge nerds for marvel, so meeting the director of SHANG CHI WAS SO FRICKEN COOL. Thank you for inspiring the kids of Hawai'i; we all hope to be just like you one day.
- Jaqueline Cano
HP Baldwin High School

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Thank you so much for being an amazing inspiration for young filmmakers, especially for underrepresented communities like Hawai'i. One of my favorite things I have learned from you is how important and impactful it can be to be in the conversation where you feel like your story is being represented. Even if it's not promised that you'll be in the room the whole journey, it's still worth sharing your story and unique perspectives. And that was something I really appreciated and needed to hear. I'll definitely take that advice for future personal or collaborative projects! I wish I could have met you in person and I hope to one day! Mahalo for authentically staying rooted to your culture and upbringing, and sharing your journey doing so, with us. LOVE YA DESTIN!

PS: Pukalani Superette still has their ono bentos and Mr. Gima from my school says to let him know when you visit home again back on the island!

Mahalo from Maui (Maui High School),
Faith Christy Soliven

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Destin, one of the things I learned from you that day is that if I want to make something unique, I should draw personal connections in my film with my different background/upbringing. Thank you for sharing your approach of allowing actors take a risk during castings as well as shootings; it was helpful for me to learn as an aspiring director. Also, it was inspiring when you talked about keeping pitching something I really want to make, using the example of your script being rejected many times. Even though I haven’t had my script submitted anywhere yet, it sets my mind in the right direction about me sticking to something if I really love it.

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Destin, one of the things I learned from you that day is that if I want to make something unique, I should draw personal connections in my film with my different background/upbringing. Thank you for sharing your approach of allowing actors take a risk during castings as well as shootings; it was helpful for me to learn as an aspiring director. Also, it was inspiring when you talked about keeping pitching something I really want to make, using the example of your script being rejected many times. Even though I haven’t had my script submitted anywhere yet, it sets my mind in the right direction about me sticking to something if I really love it.

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Mahalo from Ukraine,
Yana Lahoda

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Destin, thank you for being an inspiration to young filmmakers! We are so grateful for the time you spent sharing your stories with us and are encouraged by the movies you're creating and the community you're building up to rise with you! Our student, especially, look up to you!

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Destin, thank you for being an inspiration to young filmmakers! We are so grateful for the time you spent sharing your stories with us and are encouraged by the movies you're creating and the community you're building up to rise with you! Our student, especially, look up to you!

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Aloha,
Jen May Pastores, HIFF