HIFF NAMED OSCAR®-QUALIFYING FESTIVAL FOR SHORT FILMS

The Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF) presented by Halekulani is thrilled to announce that it has been approved by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards category.

Recipients of HIFF’s Best Short Film Award and HIFF’s Best Made in Hawai’i Short Film Award are now eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy AwardsⓇ in the concurrent season, without the standard theatrical run and provided the films comply with Academy rules.

HIFF Executive Director Beckie Stocchetti shared the Festival’s excitement with the announcement: “HIFF is beyond honored to have the Academy’s approval to be a qualifying festival for two awards. We are extremely proud to be the only Festival in the world that specifically showcases Hawaii’s films and filmmakers to qualify for the Academy AwardsⓇ, and look forward to the continued recognition our talented creative industry will receive through this eligibility. There are so many people in the HIFF ‘ohana who work to strengthen and support Pacific-Rim stories and filmmakers, and HIFF is incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to celebrate and elevate our community.”

HIFF’s Artistic Director, Anderson Le and Director of Programming, Anna Page, annually select the world’s best short films and exceptional jurors for the HIFF short film competition programs. HIFF41 winning films RIVER OF SMALL GODS directed by Bradley Tangonan (HIFF41 Best Made in Hawaii Short Film) and CASUALLY, FOR THE WORSE directed by Kim Ye-won (HIFF41 Best Short Film) are eligible to apply for the 95th Academy AwardsⓇ. For information on Academy rules and submission go to www.oscars.org/rules.