Sean Oketani

Sean Oketani is an artist, writer, and filmmaker from Honolulu. His work
is informed by his intersectional identities, and often explores the
contradictions and overlaps of identity, culture, and belonging.

Sean Oketani

Biography

Sean Oketani (he/him/his) is a Native Hawaiian writer, director, and storyteller born and raised on the island of Oʻahu. He graduated from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts with a BFA in Television Writing & Production.

He wrote and produced his undergraduate thesis, Gay Church, a short-form comedy pilot. He has worked across the Programming, Education, and Outreach departments at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival (HIFF). In 2025, he was selected as an ʻOhina Labs Writers Fellow and received the ʻOhina Judge’s Award for his short film script, currently in pre-production.

His work often draws from the intersection of his identities and perspectives, navigating both lived and inherited experiences. He is passionate about crafting compelling narratives that explore the contradictions and overlaps of identity, culture, and belonging.

He is inspired by Indigenous and Pasifika cinema, queer art and literature, and the influence of digital culture both on- and offline. In his free time, you can find him listening to his record collection, birdwatching, or stitching with old ladies at his Hawaiian quilting club.

He also enjoys collecting little trinkets, as pictured above. For those curious, you can view more of his collection if you’d like here.

Contact

Email
Instagram

DAD 4 RENT
Writer, Director | Short Film

ʻOhina Labs Judge’s Award Recipient, 2025.
Currently in pre-production.

GAY CHURCH (2022)
Writer, Showrunner | Comedy | Short Form Pilot

Gay Church is an undergraduate thesis short form comedy pilot. It follows a closeted queer man who gets dumped by his girlfriend, his pastor’s daughter, and joins an LGBTQIA+ support group to explore his sexuality and spirituality.