Vicious zombies, grisly action set-pieces, and shocking gore are not a regular occurrence in Hawai‘i indie films. If that doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, then DECADE OF THE DEAD is not for you. But for those who are able to stomach such intense visuals, and even enjoy them in a perverse […]
DECADE OF THE DEAD is the zombie bite that Hawai‘i indie filmmaking needs Read More »
In the documentary RAZING LIBERTY SQUARE, redevelopment is pushing out a poor Black community of approximately 700 families in Liberty Square, a neighborhood that sits in the middle of Miami, Florida. And in Myanmar, thousands have been relocated due to the development of the Myitsone Dam, a project funded by Chinese investment for energy production
Directed by husband and wife filmmaking duo, Todd Soliday and Leah Warshawski, UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL spotlights a surf instructor in Lahaina, Bull Kotter (Uncle Bully), and his dedication to serving his community amidst the pandemic and following the wake of the August 8th Lahaina wildfire. The documentary begins by showcasing Uncle Bully and the
Cultivating community in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL Read More »
Enemies to lovers is a romance trope that has run itself to the ground ten times over. Some movies do this well, but it always somehow feels a little familiar. So what better way to add some freshness to this genre than to make a Boys Love film set in Maui with two high schoolers
MY PARTNER is a necessary addition to the ‘Boys Love’ genre Read More »
KĀHULI, SEEING WITH HAWAIIAN EYES, and KEEPER OF THE BAY, all official selections of the 43rd Hawai‘i International Film Festival, are three documentaries bringing awareness to topics such as climate change, rapid extinction and decline of native plants and animals, sustainable Hawaiian practices, and some of the people who are working to preserve this ʻāina.
(L to R) The Rise of Hawa‘i Cinema HIFILM Panelists: Brian Kealana; Ty Sanga; Moses Goods; Ciara Lacy; Kristian “Krit” Fanene Schmidt; Kalikolehua Hurley I had the privilege of attending THE RISE OF HAWAI‘I CINEMA, a HIFILM Panel presented by Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK), which took place on October 9th during the 43rd Hawai‘i
Reflecting on the RISE OF HAWAI‘I CINEMA Panel Read More »
Bully Kotter, also known as ‘Uncle Bully,’ teaches children how to surf at a camp in Lahaina, Maui. He is the subject of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival’s co-opening film, UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL, a documentary by Maui-based filmmakers Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday which began shooting during the pandemic. One of the kids Bully
Lahaina doc UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL delivers message of hope Read More »
(L to R) Geoff McFetridge; Sing J. Lee; HIFF Director of Programming Anna Page; Till Schauder; Nicky Nodjoumi; Sara Nodjoumi; Chiaki Yanagimoto; Debra Zmekhol New American Perspectives (NAP) presented by the Vilcek Foundation shines a spotlight on immigrant and foreign-born artists, celebrating the powerful impact that diversity has on contemporary cinema and media in the
Geoff McFetridge & immigrant artists talk about the creative process Read More »
“United we stand,” is the theme for the 2023 HIFF43 Film for Thought (FFT) series presented by the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities (HIHumanities). It is a phrase so often heard in the United States that the second half of the saying, divided we fall, is frequently left unsaid. It is assumed that’s already known.
HIFF43 x HIHumanities Film For Thought Filmmaker Discussions Read More »
We love horror at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF) and have shown our fair share over the years in sections aptly titled Extreme Asia, Dark Wave, and now, HIFF Extreme. We’ve presented the U.S. premieres of JU-ON: THE GRUDGE and SHUTTER and delved into French extremity like HAUTE TENSION (High Tension) just to name
Here’s your HIFF Halloween viewing playlist 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.