International Cultural Arts Network (ICAN) is a non-profit 501(c) (3), established on April 13, 2023 in the State of Hawaii. Film industry veterans - Angela Laprete, Brian Keaulana and Robert Suka – co-founded ICAN to serve a mission - elevating, educating and empowering diversity with focus on Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) in Hawaii’s TV and Film Industry and bridging cultural connections globally in various forms of storytelling and entertainment.
ICAN will help create opportunities and develop placement goals by amplifying the experience of ongoing training of master classes in performing arts, industry crafts, and screenwriting for Hawaii’s entertainment community while building infrastructure within the State. The programs may expand as it grows into other areas of performance and storytelling.
ICAN will work with unions to heighten opportunities for local crew and talent and foster the next generation of filmmakers by providing shadowing, internships, and one-on-one meetings with industry mentors.
ICAN will collaborate with top industry professionals internationally to help streamline a path for success and an understanding on how to meet the demands of each industry.
PROGRAM DIRECTORS
CULTURAL ADVISOR
MEET THE TEAM
ALEX AND LUCI TARRANT
Alex Tarrant hails from Auckland, New Zealand, Aotearoa and is of Māori, Samoan and Niuean descent. He is a 2012 graduate of New Zealand’s prestigious drama school Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa and has subsequently established himself as one of Australasia’s highest profile and prolific actors. Following his studies At Te Kura Toi Whakaari o Aotearoa, he was cast in many hit TV shows in New Zealand and Australia. Shortland Street, When We Go To War, Filthy Rich, Tatau, Sea Change and 800 Words to name a few.
Most recently he was cast in season one and two of the Tolkien prequel Amazons: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power as Valandil. Alex is currently filming in the beautiful islands of Hawai’i having been cast in the CBS hit Show NCIS: Hawaii as the show’s male lead Kai.
Joining Alex is his wife, Luci, who are both strong community supporters bringing the duo’s master training to the acting program.
IOANE GOODHUE
Ioane Goodhue is an actor based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. He has worked on a variety of productions including feature films, limited series, short films, network television, video games, theater, commercials and educational. Ioane is a Hawaiʻi language specialist featuring performances done in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) and Pidgin English (Hawaiian Creole English). As a native speaker of the Hawaiian language, Ioane truly believes that reshaping Hawaiʻi’s entertainment landscape to include more Hawaiian voices will be a great benefit to all people of Hawaiʻi.
OUR PARTNERS
Meet Our Program Director and Maori actress, Te’ao O’ Hinepehinga as she joins ICAN to support Kanaka Maoli, along with all Pacific Islander communities, in pursuit of an elevated level of training and creativity in Hawaii's entertainment industry. Classes will start October through December.
Phase 1: MANA I KA MANA
Video Footage by Alex Nguyen
THE LAUNCH OF ICAN
On May 13, 2023, ICAN launched its inaugural event bringing Hawaii to Los Angeles during American Asian Pacific Islander (AAPI) month. After the theatrical release of award winning film, “The Wind and The Reckoning” at the Laemmle, Santa Monica, a PAU HANA event took place at Blank Spaces.
It was an impactful evening as ICAN celebrated with the cast of “The Wind and the Reckoning”, Actors, Producers, Executives and Writers, representing Pacific Islanders. Special guest, American Idol winner, William “Iam” Tongi, stopped by and Miss Hawaii, Start Dahl-Thurston, greeted guests with lei as they arrived. Food was catered in bento boxes by Malama Pono and Kinaole Foundation joined in to support the evening with staff and island decor. Co-Founder, Angela Laprete welcomed everyone and shared ICAN’s mission and vision of elevating and empowering diversity in the entertainment industry with focus on creating more opportunities in casting and storytelling for NHPI. In Phase 1, ICAN will be bringing in industry professionals from New Zealand to coach ongoing master classes in acting starting with an intro class in September 2023. We will expand into screenwriting, stunt training, music and dance. The gathering is the first to bridge the connection between Hawaii and beyond.
Mahalo to our sponsors!
Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii Media Inc.
Aloha Bites, Big Island Candies, Blank Spaces, MCA Tropicals, HiLuxury, Mananalu Water, Castle Signs and Graphics, The Orchid Lei Company, Waimea Herb Company, Hawaiian Sun, Maunaloa, ‘ili Hawaiian Scrub, Olukai, Hawaiian Host, Malie Organics, Manoa Chocolate Hawaii, Prince Waikiki, XLR8HI PreX
Special Mahalo to CAPE USA, Gold House, Oahu Economic Development Board, Kinaole Foundation
