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"The Ride"
On November 1, 2003, Weldon Kekauoha appeared in his first on-screen performance as a principal actor in "The Ride," an independent film about surfing and the late Duke Kahanamoku. The movie also starred Scott Davis, Sean Ka`awa, Mary Pa`alani and Johann Bouit. Davis portrays a young cocky world champion surfer David Monroe who nearly drowns during a surfing contest. While unconscious, he is transported 100 years back in time and is pulled from the water by a young Duke Kahanamoku played by Sean Ka‘awa. Kekauoha plays the role of “Blackie,” one of Duke's best friends and the brother of “Lehua,” performed by Mary Pa‘alani. “It was a great experience and we all had a really good time!” says Kekauoha.

The made for TV movie was featured as a part of the 2003 Hawaii International Film Festival and was written by Hawai‘i-boy Nathan Kurasawa. "It's the first ever film casted, written, produced and filmed totally in Hawai‘i", says Kurasawa. The executive producer, Wes Nakamoto, is a Waipahu native and the entire film crew are all local residents who live and work in Hawai‘i. The Sunset On The Beach premiere on November 1st, had the second largest crowd of 15,000 people in attendance. "The Ride" also screened at the Honolulu Academy Of Arts' Doris Duke Theater and at the Signature Dole Cannery Theaters.

The film received two awards from the 2003 Hawai‘i International Film Festival; the Blockbuster Video Audience Award and the Cades Shutte & The Cades Foundation Hawai‘i Film and Videomaker Award.

Here's a write up about the film http://www.hiff.org/pdf/centerpiece.pdf
Here is a link to the HIFF web site at http://www.hiff.org