"Na Kamalei: Men of Hula," which was broadcast nationally on the PBS series Independent Lens, received a national award, it was announced today in a Hawai'i Pacific Entertainment news release.

The film by Lisette Flanary received the National Independent Lens Audience Award. The award is given to the film that receives the most audience votes at the end of each Independent Lens season.

"Na Kamalei: Men of Hula" describes the journey of legendary master hula teacher Robert Cazimero and the only all-male hula school in Hawai'i as they prepared to compete in the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival.

The film premiered at the Hawai'i International Film Festival's Sunset of the Beach screening in October 2006 and was awarded the Hawai'i Filmmaker Award and an Audience Award for Best Documentary. In 2007, "Na Kamalei: Men of Hula" screened in numerous film festivals and received the Audience Award at the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival, the VCFILMFEST Special Jury Award for Best Non-Fiction Feature, the Emerging Director Award at the New York Asian American International Film Festival, and Best Documentary at the San Diego Asian American Film Festival, the release said.

"Na Kamalei: Men of Hula" is a co-production of Lehua Films and the Independent Television Service.