This year, it's number three.

Brett Wagner's film called "Chief" is one of 80 short films chosen from 5,000 that were submitted.

"When I first came here from Samoa, all I could see was the traffic. Where's everybody going? It's an island. But I found out where they're going. in circles."

In "Chief," the main character is a Samoan chief who comes to Hawaii after his daughter drowns in Samoa.

He's wracked with guilt at being unable to save her even though the reason is that he was in terrible pain from tattoos he got that very day.

"Every couple of days I give the ocean a chance to take me, so far the ocean is not interested," said the character.

Eventually, he becomes a taxi driver living in Waikiki. But try as he might he can't escape the past and the future it prepared him for.

And he cannot ignore the orphaned Hawaiian girl who keeps crossing his path.

"Chief" is a touching film that makes creative use of all the resources of the medium.

It was shot by Paul Atkins and edited by Jay Evans.

Director Brett Wagner found his inspiration for the film and his lead actor when he met Polynesian performer, Chief Sielu Avea.

"And I thought, he's just a charismatic guy. There's a lot happening in his eyes. He's used to being entertaining and making people laugh, but I could see a sadness there that meant depth to me, that meant he'd be a good dramatic actor," said Filmmaker Brett Wagner.

It took four months to find Kalaka'i Fero who plays the young girl.

"Maybe she's 8 years old, but she's got an old soul. And you look into her eyes and you just see something. There's just a life experience there that exceeds her years," Wagner said.

"Chief" will screen five times at Sundance.

It won't be shown publicly in Hawaii until the Hawaii International Film Festival next fall.