Rick Chatenever is an award-winning film critic and journalist whose career spans more than five decades. A former entertainment editor and reporter in Santa Cruz and Maui, he hosted film review programs and conducted tribute interviews at the Maui Film Festival. His documentary scripts aired nationally on PBS, including the Emmy-nominated When the Mountain Calls.
Terry Hunter is the longtime movie critic for Hawaii News Now. A retired television news photographer, reporter, and editor, he spent 30 years working at Honolulu’s NBC and CBS affiliates. He has reviewed films on air since 1992 and has lived in Hawaiʻi since moving to the islands in 1971.
Rudy Castorina is a French-Italian filmmaker and lifelong waterman who has called Hawaiʻi home for over 20 years, shaped by Peʻahi’s big-wave culture. Through Ocean Media Lab, he produces purpose-driven ocean films, including live drone operations for television and the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.
Jaren Agbannaoag began reviewing films during the early days of Facebook before writing for Baldwin High School’s Courier in 2009. After five years at Queen Kaʻahumanu Theatres, he transitioned to video reviews on Instagram and YouTube. He joined the Hawaii Film Critics Society in 2021.
Marti Wukelic is a former UH Maui College professor, freelance writer, and lifelong film aficionado. Since relocating to the mainland in 2020, she has completed all UHMC creative media courses offered remotely and continues to champion Maui’s film community, supporting local storytellers and promoting the island’s vibrant cinematic culture from afar.
Cherlyn Kong is pursuing Creative Media at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. Born and raised on Maui, she brings a background in business and consulting spanning more than forty years.
Cyris Laury-Schaefer is a filmmaker, actor, and amateur watersports athlete from Haʻiku, Maui. Now a junior at Wesleyan University, majoring in Film and Psychology, he continues to pursue storytelling across features, TV, shorts, and commercials. In the summer of 2025, he interned with Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF), supporting programming and serving as a Student Showcase Judge.
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