Firelight Media is unveiling the lineup for the second season of its award-winning, regionally focused documentary short-form strand ‘Homegrown,’ designed to showcase the work of filmmakers from underrepresented regions in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Produced by Firelight Media in partnership with PBS and with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the ‘Homegrown’ strand is part of Firelight’s Regional Initiatives, along with the org’s Groundwork Regional Lab. The new season will begin streaming across PBS digital platforms beginning January 14.

The previous iteration of the series, subtitled “Future Visions,” was premiered in 2022 and focused on the American Midwest. The new edition, titled “A Part of/Apart From,” comprises eight short films made by emerging filmmakers from the Hawai’i, the U.S. territories (U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and Puerto Rico) and their diasporic communities.

The new season of ‘Homegrown’ — which is presented in partnership with Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), Black Public Media (BPM) and Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) — was previewed in October 2024 at the Hawai’i International Film Festival, where one of the films, Brian Muna’s Chamoru: A Lost Language, won the fest’s best short film prize and is now eligible for this year’s Academy Awards.

In addition to having their films distributed through PBS Digital Studios, the participating filmmakers in this edition of ‘Homegrown’ received mentorship from their local PBS station representative, and each station partner will host a unique screening or event in support of their respective affiliated films. Participating station partners for this season of the series are PBS Hawai’i, PBS Utah, South Florida PBS, WUCF (Orlando), Oregon Public Broadcasting, WTJX (U.S. Virgin Islands), PBS Guam and WABE (Atlanta).

The trailer for the second season of ‘Homegrown’ can be viewed below, followed by the titles and credits of the eight selected films listed in order of their planned release schedule. Film descriptions are adapted from synopses provided by Firelight Media.
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Dear Aloha (Hawai’i)
Director: Cris Romento

Dear Aloha follows two Native Hawaiians living in the Pacific Northwest as they reflect on how Aloha sustains them amidst distance, loss, and longing, while back in Hawai’i, local residents grapple with the legacy of colonization that has resulted in many Hawaiians being displaced from their homeland.

Not a U.S. Citizen (American Samoa)
Directors: Gabrielle A. Fa’ai’uaso, John “Niko” Patu

Explores the debate around the unique legal status of American Samoa  — a U.S. territory whose residents are not U.S. citizens, and as a result retain Indigenous ownership over their land — via opposing viewpoints from a traditional chief who wants to maintain the status quo, and a U.S. Marine veteran who believes in the right to citizenship for his people.

What the Storms Taught Us (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Director: John P. Wheatley

Examines the state of public schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands seven years after back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes made landfall. Through interviews with local officials, educators, and students, the documentary outlines the daily challenges faced by students and educators who have to deal with the deteriorating conditions of temporary classrooms, while billions of dollars in federal aid to rebuild remains out of reach.

Waters of Pu’uloa (Hawai’i)
Director: Tiare Ribeaux

Follow the transformation of the waterways of Puʻuloa, the area now known as Pearl Harbor on O’ahu, Hawai’i, from a vibrant hub to a polluted industrial zone. Through the voices of Hawaiian farmers, fishermen, and activists, the film explores the impacts of militarization and environmental degradation on this historic land and its waters while highlighting the revival of Native Hawaiian practices and the ongoing struggle for restoration.

CHamoru: A Lost Language (Guam)
Director: Brian Muna

Filmmaker Brian Muna sets out to reconnect with CHamoru, the language native to the elders in his family and the people of Guam. While meeting with CHamoru speakers, language advocates and youth who are revitalizing their Indigenous language, he also reflects on his culturally American upbringing and the importance of passing on the CHamoru language to his sons.

We Are Taino (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Director: Emmanuel Phillips

Maekiaphan Phillips, a Taino woman from the U.S. Virgin Islands, sets out to reclaim her Taino heritage and become the first woman Kasike (chief) of the Taino tribe.

Casa Laurel (Puerto Rico)
Director: Pati Cruz Martinez

A group of elder local residents in the Calle Loiza district of San Juan, Puerto Rico gather every Friday night for karaoke at Casa Laurel, one of the few locally owned businesses left in an area where foreign investment has led to a massive influx of tourists and Airbnbs.

Escambrón, Playa (Puerto Rico)
Director: Maria del Mar Rosario

A lyrical portrait of Escambrón Beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the activists fighting to protect its coastline from overdevelopment.

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View the story at Realscreen.