Aloha Films has a winner

Suzie Harrison

Laguna Beach resident Jimbeau Andrews knows waves well, as a young

lifeguard in town and surfer and now as a producer with his company,

Aloha Films. Lately he has been riding the wave of success with his

award-winning documentary “Nihi.” The film will be shown Saturday at

the Newport Beach Film Festival.

“Nihi” is a documentary about surfing legend and waterman, Titus

Nihi Kinimaka, “A tale of a modern Hawaiian Warrior.” It depicts his

life on the water and his respect for the ocean.

“Nihi” received the Audience Award for Best Native American

Documentary at the 2003 Big Bear International Film Festival; Best

Documentary Award” at the 2003 Malibu Film Festival; and Best

Documentary Award at the 2003 California Independent Film Festival.

“Aloha Films was started as a vehicle to re-identify myself,”

Andrews said. “Listen to the [aloha] spirit -- if you really go after

your dreams, do it.”

The company was established in 2003, after Andrews had reached

many milestones in action sports event management. He made it a goal

to reinvigorate his passions.

He wrote the “Nihi” screenplay with Titus’ warrior-like mantra

always in his head.

During the birth of action sports, Andrews said he was one of

those guys who could help the athletes build on those dreams through

sports events.

Some of his landmark achievements include creating the first ever

motocross, sling surf, portable snow mountain, free ride watercraft

and triple air snowboard events.

He also founded the International Freeride Motocross Assn.,

Freeride Watercraft Assn., Fitness Golf Assn. and Assn. of

Professional Towsurfers.

“I feel so lucky to be able to do what I do,” Andrews said.

“Titus lives the life he was born to live, sacrifices what it

takes to pursue what is important to him,” Andrews said. “There is no

greater angst in life than being unrealized or being caught and

knowing it.”

Kinimaka’s appeal is clear in the documentary. In the film he

talks of his love for surfing, that he breathes surfing and has been

surfing since he was 3 years old.

Kinimaka was the first to conquer monster surf at King’s Reef.

“I made the first wave, first wave ridden in King’s Reef,”

Kinimaka said. “I conquered my most wanted challenge in my life --

that’s riding King’s Reef.”

“‘Nihi’ is really the first vehicle to do that for me as a

producer,” Andrews said.

To enable his dream to come to fruition Andrews said he brought in

the right mix of sound engineers, cinematographers and others. But

still, the documentary making was not always smooth.

“It was either high or low tide the whole film,” Andrews said.

Even with the inspiration provided by the star, “Nihi” took a year

to make. The company was able to complete the film, but ran out of

funds until a source stepped in at the last minute and when it came

time for the film’s premiere.

“It was literally so tight ... I was in NBA Lakers traffic on the

I-10 at 5 p.m. and I had to pick it up for the screening,” Andrews

said.

“Life is filled with quintessential moments -- I was sneaking out

right before the film ended, watching in the wings, seeing the

people’s reaction, I heard the applause just as I walked out the

door,” Andrews said. “[Right after] I saw an eclipse of the full moon

over the L.A. skyline -- I guess that’s what it’s all about. You do

it for those moments. It was the coolest thing ever.”

“Nihi” has been accepted to 12 film festivals. He said that his

film partner Brooks Guyer’s creative and cinematic talents melded

with Kinimaka.

“We were able to capture some cool glimpses of his life,” Andrews

said. “For us [the project] was undertaken to seek out the ‘aloha

spirit’ and [Kinimaka] embodies the paradox of the ‘aloha spirit.’

Titus’ life is a portrait of Hawaiian beauty, angst, a dose of

bitterness and a double dose of pride and a resolution to accept.”

“Nihi” will be screened at 12:30 p.m., Saturday at the Newport

Beach Film Festival at the Edwards Island 7 cinema in fashion Island.

For more information, go to https://www.alohafilms.com.