PURCHASE TICKETSBuy tickets for LVHIFF 28 online! Alternately, you can call 550-8457, or come to the box office in person 11am-6pm, Sept 19th - Oct 19th.
Kel and Don Muña are the driving force behind SHIRO'S HEAD: THE LEGEND, a powerful film shot entirely in Guam and on a shoestring budget. The Muña brothers wrote, directed and produced the film by themselves. It was a monumental task for the young filmmakers as this was their first feature length film. In fact, from pre-production to post production, they performed all tasks of above and below the line positions to make SHIRO'S HEAD a reality. What's more, they call their film a "grass roots project" that truly represents Guam — the real Guam that has never been captured on celluloid. Last night, LVHIFF News correspondent Jason Soeda sat down with Kel and Don to ask them about the origins behind their movie. They talked about do-it-yourself filmmaking, why they enjoy supporting other young filmmakers, and how the power of family has provided the fuel for their success.
To say Jennifer Akana Sturla has been keeping busy since her short film KAMEA won the audience award for best short film at the 2004 LVHIFF would be a massive understatement. In this exclusive interview, the talented filmmaker tells us what she's been up to, why she decided to make another water-based film and she also gives us the behind-the-scenes scoop on RIDE THE WAKE. In the survey after this interview, Jennifer names her favorite films and reveals her biggest pet peeves about going to the movies!
Kai-Duc Luong recently opened up to LVHIFF News about creating SOMEPLACE ELSE. The Asian-American filmmaker talked about the challenges of completing the project, the cathartic power of film making and why Hawaii, a state teeming with people of multicultural backgrounds, is the perfect place to screen this film. Luong even shared his itinerary with us. Note to fans: If he's not at the festival promoting SOMEPLACE ELSE, you'll probably find him surfing the big waves of the North Shore!
We're very happy to report that Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, the director of VOICES (its title in the Philippines is BOSES), is in Honolulu for the 28th LVHIFF! She'll be at the Hawaii premiere of Voices on Oct.11 and she is scheduled for a Q&A after the screening. We had a rare opportunity to speak with the filmmaker before the festival. Here’s what she had to say...
LVHIFF News recently sat down with Stephane Gauger, director VIETNAM OVERTURES, and we asked the Asian-American filmmaker about his experiences shooting the film in Vietnam, what it's like working on a shoestring budget and his passion for sharing Viet-themed stories with the world.
METAL SAMURAI is almost here! LVHIFF News recently spoke to the folks behind this outrageous film. We asked about its origins, why it's so important for Toei-Kyoto Studios and why a samurai would ever play heavy metal in the Edo period of Japan! What they had to say was fascinating (and a little strange) and will give you everything you need to know before you see the film!
WINGS OF DEFEAT is a highly personal film for Risa Morimoto. In 2005, the documentary filmmaker discovered that her uncle was a member of the Japanese Empire's suicide attack force during WWII. She wanted to learn more about her uncle's experiences, however, he had long since passed away. What exactly was a kamikaze? Who were these men who gave their lives for the Emperor? WINGS OF DEFEAT follows Morimoto's quest for answers.
I was lucky enough to catch up with Risa before the festival. She told me how she excited she is to show her film in Hawaii, a state with a huge population of Japanese-Americans. She also told me how the film has inspired people in Japan to follow her lead and unearth their own family histories. Risa says her incredible journey for the truth has brought her family together. It’s a journey she urges LVHIFF moviegoers to take as well.
Vote for Hawaiian made short films on NGN On-Demand Channel 680
The "HIFF" category on NGN On-Demand Channel 680 for subscribers of Oceanic Time Warner Digital Cable is now active! You can view trailers for upcoming films here, also you can see a selection of ten Hawaiian made short films and vote for your favorite to receive the VOD Viewer's Choice Award. Voting for this award ends at midnight on October 13th, and the results will be announced at the Awards Ceremony the next day.
Rick Bacigalupi tells LVHIFF about the joys of making LIVING PONO WITH JASON SCOTT LEE. He tells us how he got Jason Scott Lee involved in the project and why shooting at Pu Mu (Lee's off-the-grid farm) has forever changed the way he views sustainability and the environment.
In the survey that follows, he even reveals his penchant for classic Star Trek and the title of the only bad movie he has ever walked out on ...
LOUIS VUITTON HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CLOSING NIGHT RECEPTION
presented by Hawaii Pacific Entertainment
Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival Closing Night Reception presented by Hawaii Pacific Entertainment on Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 9:30pm to 11:30pmat the O Lounge
1349 Kapiolani Blvd - Honolulu, HI 96814 Mix, mingle and meet some of the film celebrities!
$20 admission, party only (does not include closing night film), non-hosted bar and pupus for 300 people.
Filmmaker Jimmy Tsai recently sat down with us to talk about his experiences making PING PONG PLAYA and THE KILLING OF A CHINESE COOKIE. This exclusive interview reveals what we already knew about Jimmy — he's fascinating and funny, and one of the brightest stars on the film festival circuit. Jimmy told us how his character C-dub came to be, what it was like to co-write the film with the Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Jessica Yu and why it's so damn hard for an Asian man to become a baller!
We're very proud to welcome Gerard Elmore to the 28th Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival. He's come a long way since LVHIFF 2005, when his short film VALTOR THE GREAT VS. THE UNIVERSE won the Honolulu Magazine Short Film Award. The up-and-coming young filmmaker recently opened up about his long-term relationship with LVHIFF, his experience making this year's trailer, and what it was like working with two of Hawaii's brightest stars, Jason Scott Lee and Kelly Hu. As if that isn't awesome enough, Elmore even revealed his deepest, most personal movie going habits. Want to know more about our boy genius? Read on!
In KIDS + MONEY, director Lauren Greenfield shows us how kids are growing up way too fast in media-saturated environments and how they're affected by the "culture of materialism, the cult of celebrity, and the importance of image."
In this exclusive interview, filmmaker Li Lin Wee gives us the skinny on her new film GONE SHOPPING. She tells us about her sexy stars, the challenges of marketing and selling this film in Singapore, and what it's like to actually grow up in a shopping mall!
