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Out of State

Shipped thousands of miles away from the tropical islands of Hawaii to a private prison in the Arizona desert, two native Hawaiians discover their indigenous traditions from a fellow inmate serving a life sentence. It's from this unlikely setting that David and Hale finish their terms and return to Hawaii, hoping for a fresh start. Eager to prove to themselves and to their families that this experience has changed them forever, David and Hale struggle with the hurdles of life as formerly incarcerated men, asking the question: can you really go home again?

  • Ciara Lacy
    Director
  • Beau Bassett
    Producer
  • Jason Zeldes
    Editor
    20 Feet from Stardom; Romeo Is Bleeding; Racing Extinction; Chelsea Does; the Music of Strangers
  • Jeff Consiglio
    Editor
    Twinsters; Inocente; Best and Most Beautiful Things; War Dance
  • Sara Booth
    Editor
    Chicken People; Aerial America; Of Kites and Borders
  • David
    Key Cast
  • Hale
    Key Cast
  • Kalani
    Key Cast
  • Chapin Hall
    Cinematographer/ DP
    Annie; Children of God; He Named Me Malala; Rosenwald
  • Tyler Strickland
    Original Music/ Composer
    The Return; Best and Most Beautiful Things; Audrie and Daisy; Hot Girls Wanted; Fresh Dressed
  • Terry Leonard
    Executive Producer
    Stephanie Daley; Before I Disappear; Hounddog; Cold Comes the Night
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Native American, Native Aboriginal Peoples
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 22, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    400,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85 USA
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • LA Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    June 18, 2017
    World Premiere
  • CayFilm
    Grand Cayman
    Cayman Islands
    July 2, 2017
    International Premiere
Director Biography - Ciara Lacy

Ciara Lacy is a native Hawaiian filmmaker whose interest lies in crafting films that use both strong characters and investigative journalism to challenge the creative and political status quo. Ciara is honored to be the inaugural Sundance Institute Merata Mita Fellow (2016) as well as a Firelight Media Producers’ Lab Fellow (2014-2016). She has also benefited from fellowships with the Sundance Institute and Time Warner Foundation (2015), the Sundance Institute’s NativeLab (2012), the Princess Grace Foundation (2013), and the Independent Filmmaker Project (2012). Her latest documentary, OUT OF STATE, is the proud recipient of support from the MacArthur Foundation, ITVS/PBS, the Sundance Institute, Firelight Media’s Next Step Media Fund, Tribeca Film Festival’s All Access, Pacific Islanders in Communication, and the Hawaii People’s Fund. OUT OF STATE premiered June 2017 at the LA Film Festival, and recently won "Best Feature Documentary" at the Grand Cayman International Film Festival (CayFilm). Ciara is a graduate of Yale University, and the Kamehameha Schools in Hawaii.

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Director Statement

The first time I walked into the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona I cried.

There, in the middle of a dusty prison recreation yard, were 100 men chanting my entrance into the facility. Prior to arriving, I had reasonable concerns about filming in prison and had been advised by mentors to love my subjects but to also be cautious given their histories. Every expectation I had was immediately thrown out the door when I saw these men chanting in varying shades of traditional Hawaiian dress and prison uniforms. Caught off guard, I did the only thing I knew how to do; I chanted back.

As a native Hawaiian, the metaphor of our cultural practices behind bars was immediately overwhelming, evoking profound resentment for the ramifications of the colonization of our people. To date, we struggle at the bottom rung of so many socio-economic factors in our own lands, including a striking overabundance of our people populating local and distant prisons. Sadly, this is not new information about our community. However, what captured me in this prison space was the humanity and connection between men. If, in this most unlikely location, thousands upon thousands of miles away from home, they could discover their native culture from each other and create a bond, so much more was possible. And it still is.

OUT OF STATE is meant to be more than a documentary; it is meant to give face to the hundreds of natives shipped to faraway prisons but who remain hopeful to return home to a fresh start. My deepest gratitude to those brave enough to share their stories. This film has truly been my kuleana, the native Hawaiian word for responsibility, and I hope it can be part of a movement toward healing.