'Ukulele legend Eddie Kamae's movies are making more waves than his music — last weekend he received a lifetime achievement award from the Manhattan-based Hawaiian Cultural Foundation at Pacifika 2006-New York Hawaiian Film Festival, a three-day event that closed Sunday in New York City.

His film, "Keepers of the Flame: The Cultural Legacy of Three Hawaiian Women" opened the festival, which was co-founded by Michelle Akina and Janu Cassidy in 2003.

"My stories are about how people lived with each other, their land and what was important to them," said Kamae in a written statement. "I continue to talk to the kupuna and listen to their stories and songs, for they have something to tell us. They have all trusted me with their knowledge, and their memories and I have to make sure that the stories I tell will be true to their memory."

"Keepers of the Flame" is part of the Hawaiian Legacy Foundation series of films directed by Kamae and produced by his wife, Myrna.