 The film's working title "Barbarian Princess" provoked controversy in Hawaii, with individuals stating that it brings up painful memories of past discrimination, whereas others thought that would be a title for a fantasy gothic film akin to "Conan the Barbarian" (1982).In response, the title was briefly changed to "The Last Princess", changed to "Princess Kaiulani" later in 2008, then shown as "Barbarian Princess" for the 2009 festival.The producers stated that the title was meant to be ironic and is meant to draw audiences who may not be familiar with the history of Hawaii.