Worlds Collide in Tender ‘Boys’ Love’ Feature Film, Starring Newcomers Jayron Muñoz & Kaipo Dudoit,

The film stars native Hawaiian Kaipo Dudoit and Filipino Jayron Muñoz in their debut feature film roles, with Dudoit now set to star in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of the hit 2002 animated movie, Lilo & Stitch.

My Partner is KSG Films’ first “Boys’ Love” feature film. Boys’ Love began as a Japanese literary genre that crossed over and was popularized in manga during the 1980-90s, then spread in popularity across Asia. Today, Boys’ Love has a world-wide following with The Economist recently comparing its popularity to K-pop.

My Partner—produced and filmed entirely in Hawai’i—features a traditional Hawaiian and island music soundtrack, including one song in Tagalog, written by Charieze Cacayorin who portrays Maymay in the film. Grappling with many of the cultural and social issues facing the people of Hawai’i today, My Partner is a time capsule picture of historic Lahaina, Hawaiʻi, sadly lost to fire. The film production recognized the practices of Hawai’i’s Kanaka host culture to ensure all aspects of the production would have a positive impact on Hawai’i and communities represented in the film.

In My Partner, two high school seniors in rural West Maui live in different worlds … but soon learn they aren’t so different after all. Pili (Dudoit), an extroverted Hawaiian jock, and Edmar (Muñoz), a high-achieving, introverted Filipino gamer, are caught up in a rivalry between opposing senior class friend groups at Lahainaluna High School.

The conflict comes to a head when Edmar’s group catches Pili’s group in the act of overfishing a native species in a restored fresh-water stream. Things heat up further when Pili and Edmar’s social studies teacher assigns the boys to work on their semester project together.

Despite protests and forced to work together, Pili and Edmar slowly learn that, despite appearances, they and their cultures have much in common, becoming closer as they spend time together—Pili learning about Filipino immigrants to Hawai’i and Edmar learning about Hawaiian culture and history. But things swirl out of control when their friends get into a battle.

Distributed by Random Media, My Partner was produced by KSG Films and is the feature film debut of director Keli’I Grace, a native Hawaiian visual storyteller. The film was written by Fil-Am attorney, Lance D. Collins, who grew up in Maui, is a leading advocate for local history and culture, is an award-winning Filipino and Hawaiian music producer and is the series editor of 15 books about West Maui. Screenplay by Alexander Deedy and Sean Dunnington. Cinematography by Brock Ladd. Produced by Keli’I Grace and Jess T. Johnston.

LOGLINE: In this tender Boys’ Love, coming-of-age story, cultures collide in rural Hawaiʻi when two teenage boys are forced to partner on a school project.

English, Tagalog & Hawaiian With Subtitles // MTRCB rating of PG // 99 Minutes

My Partners won the Audience Award (Narrative) at the 2023 L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival; the Outstanding Excellence Award (Romance) at the 2023 LGBTQ+ Unbordered International Film Festival; the Grand Jury Award at the 2023 Honolulu Rainbow International Film Festival; the Lily Tomlin Memorial Award at the 2023 San Antonio QFest LGBT International Film Festival; Best Foreign Film at the 2023 Mpumalanga International Film Festival (South Africa); and Honorable Mention, Made in Hawai’i (Feature) at the 2024 Hawai’i International Film Festival.

The film also screened at the 2024 Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, 2024 DisOrient Asian and Pacific Islander American Film Festival (Oregon), 2023 KASHISH Mumbai Queer International Film Festival, 2023 BJX Bajio International Film Festival (Mexico), 2023 Golden Isles Film Festival, 2023 Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival, 2023 San Diego Filipino Film Festival, 2023 Indifest – Festival De Cinema Indígena De Barcelona, 2023 Twin Cities International Film Festival and the 2023 Beijing Queer International Film Festival.