Filmmakers bring Maui hero to St. Helena for premiere
By Lisa Adams Walter
ST. HELENA, Calif. — Filmmakers Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday have trotted the globe to tell stories, making films in faraway destinations such as Rwanda. Each having lived in a wide array of places created a yearning for the married couple to reside near both the mountains and the sea. They settled in Hawaii, making Maui their home after landing a film-related job there in 2018.
The theatrical release of their latest film, “Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool,” is set for April 12 through 14 at the Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. The documentary feature tells the story of Robert “Bully” Kotter, a local hero on Maui who mentors underserved and homeless youth. Kotter will be attending all screenings with his wife, Ashley, to participate in post-film Q&A sessions after each show.
While attending the University of Hawaii on Oahu, where she studied Japanese, Warshawski began working in the film industry when shows such as “Lost” were being filmed.
“My first real production job was working on ‘Baywatch,’” she said. “You can't make this stuff up!”
“Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool,” Theatrical Film Premiere
Filmmaker and Film Subject Q&A after each screening
Friday, April 12, 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 13, 2 p.m.
Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m.
Cameo Cinema: 1340 Main St., St. Helena
Click to purchase tickets here.
As her career has evolved, a more serious side of filmmaking has become the focus, with many in the genre of documentaries.
“Documentaries teach us that we're all human with human triumphs and faults, we're all imperfectly trying to be perfect in a world with no guarantees,” Warshawski said. “We're all just doing the best we can to be a good person during our time at ‘Earth School.’ They show us what other parts of the world look like when we can't travel there and give us an escape from our own realities. Documentaries change people's lives ... we've seen it again and again.”
Warshawski and Soliday met in Seattle and later founded the production company Inflatable Film. Together they have made films short and long for companies, corporations and musicians, as well as full-length features. As residents of Maui, making “Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool” became a project that could not have become closer to their hearts.
The documentary tells the story of Kotter, known as “Uncle Bully,” a Maui surf instructor who, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, began providing free surf lessons for children of Lahaina living in homeless encampments. It turned out to be one of the final stories filmed in Lahaina before the devastating wildfires of Aug. 8, 2023, which decimated the seaside village.
Living not far from Lahaina, their own neighborhood was also threatened by fires, and the couple raced to Lahaina to film and continue the story of Uncle Bully.
“The fires destroyed Bully’s home and business, left several of the film's crew and cast homeless and threatened many of the encampments where the children lived,” they said.
“‘Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool’ will change you, inspire you and show you a side of Maui you've never seen before,” Warshawski said. “Just when you think you can't make a difference, you meet someone like Bully and you leave inspired to make change, both within yourself and out in the world. It's why we make films.”
A shorter version was released in February 2023 primarily to film festivals.
“But after the fires in August 2023 we went back and filmed another 10 minutes of the film, now 40 minutes total,” Warshawski said, noting that on Maui there is an ongoing story of resilience. The couple is on a mission to support the longer-term recovery of Lahaina, which will take five to seven years, and to make sure the community is returned to the locals who have lived there for generations.
Critical praise for the film is evident in the awards it has already garnered, such as the Audience Award, Best Documentary at the Hawaii International Film Festival; Best Short Film, Islands & Oceans at the Key Biscayne Film Festival; and Best Editing at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. While the shorter version was screened at the Ojai Film Festival, the final film has not yet been screened in California, making this run at the Cameo the theatrical California premiere.
Warshawski and Soliday have filmed in more than 30 countries, making films that have won numerous awards. Their work has been screened at 80 festivals, with past films including “Finding Hillywood” and “Big Sonia,” a touching story about Warshawski’s own family, which played at the White House and is currently streaming on several platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime and PBS.
Screening a film in Napa Valley is always a homecoming. Warshawski’s parents Morrie and Evy Warshawski, reside in Napa.
“Our last feature documentary ‘Big Sonia’ was screened at the Cameo Cinema in 2017 after winning Best Documentary and Audience Award at Napa Valley Film Festival in 2016,” Warshawski said, adding that the Cameo Cinema is special.
“The theater is our favorite movie theater on the West Coast, she said. “It’s technically perfect, and we worked so hard to make sure our film plays well in a theater. It’s very meaningful for us to see and hear the film the way we intended — in a theater, with an audience. We always had the Cameo in mind as the place we wanted to release this movie.”
“The Cameo is so excited to have back on our stage the creators of ‘Big Sonia’ with their new film ‘Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool,’” said Cathy Buck, owner of the theater. “They are masters at creating a beautiful story that will touch hearts, inspire and remind us that together we can overcome anything and find joy in each day. I am honored that they are bringing not only their film but also Uncle Bully himself to the Cameo.”
Warshawski believes bringing the Kotters to Napa to participate in the premiere will be special, as well.
“Expect to be inspired and feel hopeful about humanity after all of our shows,” she said.
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Lisa Adams Walter is a writer, storyteller, editor and publicist who has been published in media outlets locally and nationally. A California wine country native, she brings intimate insight to an array of wine, food, arts, entertainment, lifestyle and travel stories.