Film & Cinema · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

The Navigator

About

The Navigator is the world premiere and opening night film of the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (HIFF46), a documentary directed and photographed by Jordan Manley. In 1980 Nainoa Thompson became the first Native Hawaiian in about six centuries to sail a voyaging canoe from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti without a compass or modern instruments. Nearly fifty years later he makes one last crossing of roughly 2,400 miles with a small crew of student navigators, guided by the stars, natural signs and the teachings of the late master navigator Mau Piailug. The film runs 95 minutes, in English and Hawaiian, and is made in the United States. No rating is printed. HIFF's lineup says Nainoa Thompson and Manley are among the guests at the opening night event. The screening is at Hawaiʻi Theatre Center, 1130 Bethel Street, in downtown Honolulu, on October 21. HIFF's film page prints 7:00 PM, while this calendar entry shows 8:00 PM, so confirm the time before you go. Tickets are sold through an outside site, with a limit of two per transaction, and guests should check in at least 15 minutes before showtime. No ticket price is printed. This is the first of seven Navigator screenings on the calendar. The next is at Consolidated Theatres Kapolei on November 3.

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