Ever wondered what it felt like to be on the frontlines of Polynesian wartime? The latest of Māori magic to be showcased on the big screen is none other than KA WHAWHAI TONU: STRUGGLE WITHOUT END. This two-hour feature film reveals the true accounts of indigenous resistance in Aotearoa during the 1864 battle of Ōrākau. […]
Indigenous Resistance in KA WHAWHAI TONU: STRUGGLE WITHOUT END Read More »
The votes have been tabulated and the audience has spoken. Here are the 44th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani (HIFF44) Audience Award winners presented by Hawaii News Now. HIFF44 Audience Award for Narrative Feature: ABOUT FAMILY (South Korea) Director: YANG Woo-suk HIFF44 Audience Award for Documentary Feature: SHAKA, A STORY OF ALOHA (Hawai‘i,
HIFF44 Audience Award Winners Announcement Read More »
I’m notorious for talking myself out of rooms before I’ve even gotten out of bed. And there in bed I sat, slouched over my HOCCI application in the middle of my inner saboteur’s best speech: I am a film noob. What position was I in to critique it? As it turns out, the perfect position.
Get in the car, we’re going critiquing Read More »
Based on Takashi Imashiro’s manga of the same name, GHOST CAT ANZU directed by Yôko Kuno & Nobuhiro Yamashita is a beautiful animated film that is a remarkable example of what is possible when excellent writing, directing, production, and performance all come together. GHOST CAT ANZU is Beautiful, but Boring The film’s production was tremendously
GHOST CAT ANZU: The Mundanity of Overcoming Grief Read More »
“I wish I could be as brave as you, Ms.” It’s remarkable how, even at our lowest, we can still be seen as strong, brave, and inspiring to others. In Miki Magasiva’s directorial debut, TINĀ, we are taken on a heartfelt journey that brings joy, laughter, and tears. The film follows the story of Mareta,
Finding strength in grief through TINĀ Read More »
Have you ever had to prove you were a human? In Victoria Warmerdam’s short film I’M NOT A ROBOT (2023), humanness is verified by the successful clearance of a CAPTCHA. With the goal to correctly identify an object like a car within a picture, these tests are meant to deter bots. As AI continues to
I’M NOT A ROBOT – What does it mean to be human? Read More »
DISCLAIMER: This piece discusses sensitive topics, including sexual assault and trauma. Reader discretion is advised. Survivors of sexual violence can have a positive impact by channeling their pain into purpose, as witnessed through the documentary BLACK BOX DIARIES. This self-directed documentary by Shiori Itō follows her pursuit for justice as a survivor. Others can be inspired
BLACK BOX DIARIES: A Japanese journalist empowers survivors Read More »
HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) mentee Sho Araiba reviews BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017), the sequel to the science fiction classic, BLADE RUNNER (1982), discussing the sequel’s relevance seven years later. In this video review, he analyzes how cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins conveys the themes of identity and existential crisis through visual storytelling. He also
Did BLADE RUNNER 2049 change sci-fi 7 years later? Read More »
The 44th edition of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF44) presented by Halekulani announced its jury winners and celebrated its Awards Gala Honorees at a private event held at the Halekulani Hotel. In its 2024 iteration, the organization awarded $25,000 in cash prizes to filmmakers across respective categories. KAU KA HŌKŪ AWARD The Kau Ka
HIFF44 Jury Award Winners & Honorees Read More »
Instagram Facebook Youtube Filmmakers of the HIFF44 Environmental Shorts Program The Hawai’i International Film Festival is proud to unveil the winners of the 2024 Deep Blue Shorts Competition Presented by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office. This new competition with a $5,000 cash prize pool aims to raise awareness about and promote the
2024 Deep Blue Shorts Competition Winners Read More »
With aloha, HIFF acknowledges its occupation of ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Indigenous Hawaiian people, the Kānaka Maoli.
With gratitude, we honor the ʻāina itself and the generations who steward it.