How To HIFF

Helpful hints for watching, talking and loving HIFF movies!

HOW TO HIFF @ ‘Ōpio Fest

01

Buy a Pass

Passes go on sale for members first and are the best way to access the best of the fest

02

Pick A Film

Browse through the films and programs and buy individual tickets

03

Watch A Movie

Bring your tickets or pass on your phone and scan in at the theater. Eat Popcorn!


BOX OFFICE HOURS & LOCATIONS

Advance purchases can be made online or by calling the HIFF Box Office at the hours listed below.

 

For questions you can email us at

[email protected]

 

BOX OFFICE HOURS

Online

Via chat starting March 9

Phone Hours

☎︎ +1 808-792-1577 

March 9 – April 13 | 2PM – 6PM | Closed Sundays
April 13 – 19 | 2PM – 8 PM | Daily 

At Consolidated Theatres Kahala

The HIFF Box Office opens 1 hour prior to the first showtime everyday and will stay open until the start of the last screening of the day. 
PLEASE NOTE: There are no advanced sales in-person. All advanced ticket sales must be done online or on the phone.

Email the Box Office

 

TICKET PRICING:

 

General Admission

$17
Regular tickets purchased in advance for most screenings at Kahala

Student and Shorts Programs

$15
‘Ōpio Fest Student Showcases and Shorts Programs

Senior/Student/Military

$15
Discounted tickets with valid ID

HIFF Members

$14
HIFF Members receive $3 off all advance tickets!!
* You Must be SIGNED IN to see the HIFF MEMBER Ticket Type

RUSH / Day Of Show Tickets

$20
Stand by (RUSH) and tickets purchased within 12 hours of showtime are not eligible for membership or other discounts and no vouchers will be accepted

FESTIVAL ACCREDITATION

Festival accreditation is provided to the following eligible individuals. Learn more and apply below if you are any of the following: 

  • FILMMAKER
    Qualified applicants have a film in the current festival program
  • GUEST
    This badge is for those invited to attend the festival and not representing a film
  • PRESS
    Members of the press and approved content creators
Learn More

O‘AHU VENUES

MAIN ‘Ōpio Fest VENUE - CONSOLIDATED THEATRES KAHALA
April 17 - 19, 2026
WEST O‘AHU: CONSOLIDATED KAPOLEI THEATRES
October 28 - 30, 2025

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Kaua‘i: KCC Performing Arts Center
November 1 - 2
BIG Island: Kahilu Theater in Waimea
NOVEMBER 7 - 8
Maui Arts & Cultural Center
November 8 - 9
The Palace Theater, Hilo
November 13 - 16
Moloka‘i: The Mango Theater
NOVEMBER 14 - 16

Below are FAQs that we hope may help with any issues you might have

If you have additional questions or issues not covered here, please contact us using our website chat (when active),
email us or call the phone number
☎︎ +1 808-792-1577

Watching Films and Basic FAQ's

  1. Browse the Film Program or Passes page
  2. Add your tickets/pass to your cart
  3. Sign-in to your HIFF account and purchase the TICKETS or PASSES/PACKAGES in your cart
    1. Activate/Fulfill the PASS/PACKAGE in your account and add individual tickets (see below for more info)
  4. Receive a confirmation of your order and receipt via e-mail

At The Theater

  1. 🎟️ Present your mobile or e-ticket to the ticket scanners at the theater doors.
  2. 🍿Buy Popcorn and enjoy!
  1. Sign in to your HIFF account
  2. Click “Fulfill Package,”
  3. Navigate the film program, and choose the available films to add to your pass.
  4. See Festival Pass Fulfillment walkthrough for more detailed instructions.

*If you have a complimentary Festival Accreditation Pass (Filmmaker, Guest, Press) — you must use the email address from your accreditation application to create your account

HIFF IN-THEATER SCREENINGS ONLY

All screenings take place in the theater, except some education screenings, which may be streamed online by invitation

  1. Purchase a pass or individual tickets to the screening of your choice on this website or in person at the HIFF Box Office
  2. Tickets and passes will be emailed to the email address associated with your HIFF account
  3. Arrive at the theater early to purchase concessions and general seating is on first-come basis
  4. There are no sold out shows. Once a screening has no more tickets remaining, a RUSH (see below) line will be formed for any empty seats at the start of the show
  •  
  • In order to maintain a fun and dynamic festival atmosphere, HIFF does not offer reserved seating for general admissions. 
  • However, HIFF Platinum Pass does allow the pass holder to RSVP in advance for reserved seats.
  • Some seats in each screening will be reserved for filmmakers, festival guests, donors. etc. 

Ticketing FAQ's

You can purchase tickets by visiting the film page from the Film Grid; on the bottom, select the date and  time you wish to go to, add the appropriate ticket type and click “Add to Cart” button in the ticketing section. You can then sign-in, check out, or continue browsing for more tickets.

Yes,  as long as tickets are remaining for the screenings. Tickets can be purchased for any screening as long as the box office is open. In-person box office hours are one hour prior to the first screening, till the start of the last screening. ALL DAY OF SHOW/RUSH TICKETS ARE $20 WITH NO DISCOUNTS OR VOUCHERS USAGE.

Rush tickets are offered when there are no remaining tickets available for sale for a screening or event. A standby line will form at the venue approximately one hour prior to scheduled start time. Admittance is based on availability and if there are unclaimed or returned tickets or ticket holders don’t show up. Admittance will begin roughly 10 minutes prior to program start time. Rush tickets are the same price as same-day tickets and are payable upon entry.

You can sign-in using the “SIGN IN” function in the website header. If you’ve forgotten your password, you will be prompted to reset it.

  1. Sign in to your HIFF account.
  2. Click “Fulfill Package,”
  3. navigate the film pages, and choose the available films to add to your pass.
  4. See Festival Pass Fulfillment walkthrough for more detailed instructions.

You must use the email address from your accreditation application to create your account

TECH & SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

You can watch content on PCs running Windows 7+, and Intel-based Macs running macOSX 10.12+. You can also watch films on Android tablets and phones using Chrome, and on iPhones and iPads using Safari. You may also download our Apple TV and Roku apps for your smart tv as well. 

Windows 7+ 
Supported Browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Opera. We recommend using the latest version of your browser. Internet Explorer is not supported.
macOS 10.12+
Supported Browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Opera. We recommend using the latest version of your browser.
Android tablets and phones (Version 6.0+)
 Supported Browser: Google Chrome
iPhones & iPads (iOS 11.2+)
Supported Browser: Safari*
*Please note that you must have “Screen Mirroring” turned off for content to play.
Hawaii International Film Festival app on Apple TV, Roku or Amazon Fire App

Yes, you can watch content using Safari on iOS 11.2 or later. Please note that you must have “Screen Mirroring” turned off for content to play.

One way to watch on your TV is by directly connecting your computer (or other devices) to your TV via HDMI cable. Here are guides on how to connect using a Mac or if using a PC.

We do offer an Apple TV, Roku and a Amazon Fire app for download if you would like, but it is not required. 

Apple TV App (Available only for Apple TV models Generation 4 and higher.)

  1. From your Apple TV device, launch the App Store.
  2. Search for the app Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) and install the app. Here’s how to download apps from the App Store to your Apple TV.
  3. Once the app is installed, it will ask you for a code to connect to your account.
  4. On your computer, navigate to watch.hiff.org and log in.
  5. When on the watch.hiff.org homepage, click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner, select Watch on My TV, enter the code from your Apple TV device and follow the instructions.
  6. You must first unlock programs on your computer, tablet or smartphone to be able to watch them on your Apple TV.

 

Roku

  1. From your computer, tablet or smartphone, add the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) channel
  2. Click Yes, add channel to add HIFF to your account.
  3. Check your TV to see if the HIFF app has been added. Select the app with your TV remote to bring up the program on the app.
  4. Once the app is installed, on your computer, tablet or smartphone, navigate to watch.hiff.org and log in.
  5. When on the watch.hiff.org homepage, click the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner, select Watch on My TV, enter the code from your Apple TV device and follow the instructions.
  6. You must first unlock programs on your computer, tablet or smartphone to be able to watch them on your Roku.

 

Amazon Fire Stick

  1. Launch your Fire Stick and select the magnifying glass icon from the top menu.
  2. Using the directional pad, type in the name of an app.
  3. Then select the app from the list.
  4. Press the center button on your remote to select an app.
  5. Then select Get or Download.
  6. Wait for the download to finish and select Open to launch it.

You can Chromecast from a Chrome web browser on PC and Mac computers as well as Android devices by selecting the cast button in the bottom right-hand side of the player. Note: At this time, Chromecast is not available to cast from Apple iOS devices, like the iPhone and iPad.

You can also stream directly from a tab in the Chrome internet browser to a TV connected to a Chromecast device from your Mac or PC computer. Once your Chromecast is set up you can stream directly from your computer.

  1. On the video page, open the Chrome menu in the upper right corner of the window (or the View menu) and select Cast. Make sure the tab you want to be displayed is the one you are selecting to cast.
  2. Select your Chromecast source (consider selecting Chrome tab) and your Chromecast destination. Chromecast will then be connected and video will be playing on your TV.
  3. To disconnect from Chromecast, click the blue Stop icon next to your casting destination.
  4. If there are any issues with the Chromecast stream, try setting the video to a lower quality.
  5. Still having trouble? Here’s a guide on how to use Chromecast from your computer.

You can AirPlay from most browsers if you have Apple TV by selecting the cast button on the bottom right-hand side of the player.

  1. Make sure your devices (iPhone, iPad, laptop, Apple TV or Smart TV) are connected to the same wifi network.
  2. Using the Safari browser on your Apple computer, iPhone or iPad, go to the AirPlay icon.
  3. Connect to your Apple TV by entering the code. Your device screen should appear as a mirror on your TV.
  4. If you are having audio sync issues when AirPlaying from your computer, try connecting from an iPhone or iPad.
  5. If you are trying to AirPlay to a Smart TV, you must first select the program you want to watch from your Apple device and then select the AirPlay button from within the player.
  6. Still having trouble? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use AirPlay.

 

We use adaptive bitrate streaming, which means the streaming quality will automatically adjust based on your internet speed. If your internet connection is weak or inconsistent, you may experience problems during playback. If you’re on wifi, try moving closer to your router.

Most films don’t have closed captioning, if the film is not in English the film will have English subtitles, we have requested closed captioning for all english films from the distributors, unfortunately not all films can support closed captions.

You use the volume on your computer to control the volume of the current title you are watching.

TROUBLESHOOTING

We use adaptive bitrate streaming, which means the streaming quality will automatically adjust based on your internet speed. If your internet connection is weak or inconsistent, you may experience problems during playback.

Here’s a list of solutions for various devices that should help fix playback issues.

  1. Make sure you have a fast and stable internet connection. You can check your internet speed here: https://www.speedtest.net/.
  2. If you are using AirPlay, try connecting from an iPhone or iPad rather than a laptop.
  3. If you are using Chromecast, make sure your device and Chromecast are on the same wifi network.
  4. Restart your computer or device, and TV. 
  5. Reboot your internet modem and/or wireless router.
  6. Log out of your account and then log back in.

 

  1. Are you logged into the correct account? Please check your login status. If you are logged in, you will see a circle with the initials of the account holder.
  2. Try clearing your browser’s cache and restarting it. Please also make sure you are using the latest, up to date version of a supported browser (listed above). 
  3. Disable any ad-blocking software, browser extensions and/or plugins + add ons as some of these are known to interfere with website functionality. Once done, close and reopen your browser and try visiting our website again. 
  4. If you are plugged into your TV via HDMI connection, try unplugging and replugging in the HDMI cable. 
  5. Restart your wireless router or modem. Power it off, then wait 20 seconds and turn back on.

 

You might receive an error message which prompts you to reset your device. Please click “reset device” for access to the system