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HIFF44 HONOREES & AWARDS

Presented by Halekulani

Honoree Awards

STANLEY NELSON

Stanley Nelson is the foremost chronicler of the African American experience working in nonfiction film today. His documentary films, many of which have aired on PBS (POV and American Masters) and ESPN (30 For 30) combine compelling narratives with rich and deeply researched historical detail, shining new light on both familiar and under-explored aspects of the American past. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Nelson was awarded a Peabody for his body of work in 2016. He has received numerous honors over the course of his career, including the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts Sciences. In 2013, President Barack Obama presented Nelson with the National Medal in the Humanities. Nelson founded Firelight Films, a production company and non-profit that produces documentary films, develops strategies, partnerships, and materials to reach and engage diverse audiences. Select filmography: WOUNDED KNEE (2009); THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION (2015); MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF COOL (2019); SAN JUAN HILL: MANHATTAN’S LOST NEIGHBORHOOD (2024).

Halekulani Vision in Film Award

The Halekulani Vision In Film Award is the apex of our honoree distinctions. It is given to a film professional who has consistently been at the top of their game, considered as one of the global cinema innovators of our time. Sometimes, the award is given to an organization for their incredible impact to cinema history. The Vision In Film has only been given seven times in HIFF’s forty-two year history. Past recipients include Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou, and the American Film Institute (AFI).

TEMUERA MORRISON

New Zealand born Temuera Morrison, a multi-faceted entertainer, has long been an international cultural icon; not only as one of the nation’s foremost actors but as a leading proponent of Māori culture and performance. Born in Rotorua, of Te Arawa and Ngati Maniapoto Ngati Rarua descent, Temuera’s membership in a famous entertainment family ensured an early interest in performance art. At home and internationally, his career breakthrough came in 1994, playing Jake “The Muss” Heke in the groundbreaking movie ONCE WERE WARRIORS, and its follow-up WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED?, for which he earned a Best Actor award from the New Zealand Film Awards. Some of Temuera’s most iconic roles include Jango Fett and Boba Fett of the Star Wars Universe,  Chief Tui in Disney’s MOANA and upcoming MOANA 2, and Tom Curry in the Aquaman movies. He co-starred in KA WHAWHAI TONU: STRUGGLE WITHOUT END, which broke box office records in New Zealand this past summer. His most upcoming projects are CHIEF OF WAR, THE WRECKING CREW, and THE BLUFF. 

HIFF44 LEANNE K FERRER TRAILBLAZER AWARD

Presented by Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), the HIFF Leanne K. Ferrer Trailblazer Award is given to a cinema artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories onto the world stage, producing award winning work in independent and global cinema. This honoree is a true trailblazer, whose work aligns with PIC’s mission, which is to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges. Past recipients include Taika Waititi, Heperi Mita on behalf of Merata Mita, Keala Settle and Kerry Warkia. 

JUSTIN MARKS & RACHEL KONDO

Justin Marks is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and television Creator and Executive Producer. In feature films, Justin was most recently a writer on the worldwide box-office hit film TOP GUN: MAVERICK for producers Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, and Paramount.  The film has earned nearly $1.5 billion worldwide. He also wrote the Walt Disney Company’s hit film THE JUNGLE BOOK directed by Jon Favreau and earned nearly $1 billion in worldwide box office. In television, Justin is the Co-Creator and Showrunner of the FX epic series SHŌGUN based on the novel by James Clavell. Previously, Justin created the Starz drama COUNTERPART that starred JK Simmons and ran for two seasons.

Rachel Kondo was born and raised on Maui. Her writing has appeared in Electric Literature, Ploughshares Solos and Indiana Review. In 2019, her story “Girl of Few Seasons” was included in The O. Henry Prize Stories and selected as a juror favorite by Elizabeth Strout. She co-created the FX television production of SHŌGUN, adapted from the novel by James Clavell. She is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers. Both Marks and Kondo currently reside on Maui. 

HALEKULANI GOLDEN MAILE FOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

According to Hawaiian tradition, the maile lei is often reserved for the most memorable occasions. It is known as the ‘lei of royalty’ given to signify respect and honor. The HIFF Golden Maile Award for Career Achievement is bestowed to an artist who has reached the career pinnacles very few have achieved via industry awards and accolades and a body of work that is known globally. They can represent an entire country’s film industry by producing work that is best representative of that country’s very best in cinema, developing an illustrious and varied filmography that truly captures cultural snapshots through powerful storytelling and exemplary movie-making. Past recipients include Masato Harada, Quentin Tarantino, Samuel L. Jackson, Maggie Cheung, and Wong Kar Wai.

 

INTERIOR CHINATOWN

Charles Yu
Jimmy O. Yang
Chloe Bennet
Ronny Chieng

Charles Yu is creator and showrunner of INTERIOR CHINATOWN (Hulu/20th) based on his novel of the same title, which was a New York Times bestseller and won the National Book Award for Fiction. The book was named a best book of the year by numerous publications and organizations, including The New Yorker, NPR, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair and Vulture. He has been nominated for three WGA awards and has written for Hulu, FX, AMC and HBO, as well feature film projects for Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Time and Wired, among other places. He lives in southern California with his family.

Jimmy O. Yang is an actor, comedian, writer and producer who is best known for his roles in LOVE HARD, SILICON VALLEY, CRAZY RICH ASIANS and SPACE FORCE, where he also served as a writer. He stars as Willis Wu in the upcoming Hulu drama INTERIOR CHINATOWN, based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Charles Yu.

As a standup comedian, Jimmy’s newest standup comedy special GUESS HOW MUCH? premiered on Amazon Prime to millions of views on the platform and socials. Jimmy’s debut standup comedy special GOOD DEAL, also on Amazon Prime, likewise quickly became some of the most viewed standup comedy clips on social media. Jimmy is also the author of HOW TO AMERICAN, a memoir where he shares his early experience of coming to America as an immigrant from Hong Kong, only to later disappoint his parents by becoming a standup comedian.

Along with partners Jessica Gao and Ken Cheng, Jimmy is a founding member of Crab Club Inc., a production company dedicated to fostering original, authentic, and diverse voices in both TV and Film projects.

Chloe Bennet stars in the highly anticipated Hulu drama “Interior Chinatown,” based on Charles Yu’s award-winning novel of the same name. Bennet stars opposite Jimmy O. Yang and Ronny Chieng in the series, executive produced by Yu, along with Taika Waititi, who also directed the pilot.  

Earlier this year, Bennet wrapped production on the dramedy film HELLO OUT THERE alongside Phil Dunster, which centers on a young journalist (Bennet) who embarks on a road trip across New Mexico to investigate Area 51. Bennet can also recently be seen in a recurring role in the latest season of FXX’s acclaimed hit series “Dave,” opposite Lil Dicky.  

Best known for her leading role as ‘Daisy Johnson (Quake)’ on Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” series, which ran for seven seasons on ABC, some of Bennet’s acting credits include DreamWorks’ animated feature ABOMINABLE; her live-action theatrical debut in MGM’s musical remake of the 80s classic VALLEY GIRL; and a recurring role in the first season of ABC’s “Nashville. ”

Ronny Chieng is a comedian, writer, and actor who was born in Malaysia and currently lives in New York City.  He has been a correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” since 2015, when Trevor Noah saw him perform stand-up at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival. Ronny got his comedy start in Australia where he had multiple stand-up specials after gaining popularity from touring with Bill Burr. While in Australia, Ronny created the sitcom “Ronny Chieng: International Student” which aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corp and later on Comedy Central in the US.  Ronny gained worldwide attention in 2018 when he starred in the Warner Bros. blockbuster CRAZY RICH ASIANS based on the international best-selling book by Kevin Kwan. He would appear in other Hollywood tentpoles such as GODZILLA VS. KONG (2021); SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS (2021); M3GAN (2023); VACATION FRIENDS (2023) and SHORTCOMINGS (2023) directed by Randall Park. 

Ronny Chieng has been ever-present on television the past few years, credits including Mel Brooks’ “History of the World, Part II” for Hulu, Disney+’s “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.,” and the hit NBC sitcom “Young Rock.”  He will next star in Disney+’s “American Born Chinese” based on Gene Luen Yang’s book and Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown.” But Ronny is perhaps best known for his biting stand-up comedy, which he tours internationally and can be seen on his two Netflix specials:  “Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America!” and “Ronny Chieng: Speakeasy.”
 
 

HIFF HALEKULANI MAVERICK AWARD

The Halekulani Maverick Award is given to an international cinema artist who has a unique and eclectic career trajectory, contributing to international cinema arts in an innovative way. This maverick does things on their own terms, creating work that can have a rabid following to a mass appreciation in today’s pop culture. Like a trendsetter and tastemaker, their work may not have been appreciated early on, but has become an artistic benchmark. Past recipients include Awkwafina, Tadanobu Asano, Randall Park and Kevin Smith. 

SANDRA NG

Award-winning actor Sandra Ng is a mainstay of Hong Kong cinema, from her iconic comedic performances reaching back to the 1980s through to more serious roles and recent work as a director and producer. A household name as Hong Kong’s ‘Queen of Comedy’, her films have been consistent box-office smashes throughout the decades, in both Hong Kong and China, and her versatility has also been recognized at the Golden Horse and Hong Kong film awards for her powerhouse dramatic performances. She both produced and starred in ZERO TO HERO (2021), Hong Kong’s submission to the 2021 Academy Awards, and was honored to be the Filmmaker In Focus at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2022 in recognition of her outstanding artistic and commercial contribution to her native film industry. In the same year, Ng made history as the first Hong Kong actress to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

HIFF44 SPOTLIGHT ON HONG KONG FILMMAKER IN PROFILE

In this year’s Spotlight, it showcase the glimmer of Hong Kong’s glory days of the late 20th century as it goes through growing pains in the marketplace—audience’s evolving viewing consumption, cultural and economic shifts as Hong Kong reintegrates with Mainland China’s policies, and the continuing post-pandemic after effects. What is encouraging is the new crop of filmmakers and established stars continuing the retain the unique, local flavors of what makes Hong Kong, “Hong Kong.”

Competition Awards

Made In Hawaii Film Awards

Presented by FilmHawaii with cash prizes made possible by the Nichols Family Film Fund

Select fiction, non-fiction features and short films that are made by locally-based filmmakers or involve locally-based stories are eligible for one of two Best Made in Hawai‘i film awards with cash prizes totaling $10,000.

HIFF Best Short Film Award

PRESENTED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

Short films help establish tone, style and a filmmaker’s creative vision to form the foundation of a budding career. These works can also be proof of concepts or progenitors to a feature film, but they must stand alone as their own succinct and unique work. It is always a welcome challenge by the HIFF team to sift through thousands of entries each year to curate these popular Shorts programs.

HIFF is one of a select few Academy Awards®-qualifying Festivals. The winning films in the HIFF Best Short Film and HIFF Best Made in Hawai‘i Short Film categories are eligible to qualify for the Oscars, provided that the films meet all the requirements set forth at www.oscars.org/rules.

HIFF Pasifika Award

PRESENTED BY PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN COMMUNICATIONS

HIFF in partnership with Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) presents a Pasifika Award for Best Feature Film celebrating the authentic and high quality narrative and documentary features across the Pacific region. This competition jury, comprised of film professionals of Pacific Islander descent, selects the best of films by and about Pacific Islanders. The winning film receives a cash prize of $5,000.

HIFF Kau Ka Hōkū Award

PRESENTED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

The prestigious HIFF KAU KA HŌKŪ (Shooting Star) Award presented by Hawaiian Airlines is the Festivals international award presented to the best emerging filmmaker (first or second feature film) at the Festival. Both fiction and non-fiction feature films are nominated and adjudicated by an esteemed international jury.

HIFF NETPAC Award

Presented by The Network For the Promotion Of Asia Pacific Cinema

NETPAC

The Network for the Promotion of Asian-Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) is an international  organization dedicated to promoting Asian and Pacific film throughout the world. The NETPAC award is given at select international Festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, Venice, Rotterdam, Busan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii – to promote Asian and Pacific cinema by spotlighting exceptional talent. HIFF is the only Film Festival in the USA given permission to present the NETPAC award.

HIFF Deep Blue Environmental Short Award

Presented by the US Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office

HIFF has a longstanding commitment to showcase film and conversation that shine a light on the climate crisis, and the innovative ways populations are making our world more sustainable.  HIFF is honored to partner with the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office to present a Deep Blue Environmental Short award. A $5,000 cash prize is awarded to the best short film that covers ocean-or water-based environmental topics and/or a Powering the Blue Economy™ theme, which involves the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.eme, which involves the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.

HIFF BMW HAWAII DRIVEN STUDENT FILMMAKER AWARD​

Presented by BMW of Honolulu

HIFF and BMW HAWAII are thrilled to announce a new award dedicated to celebrating and supporting a local university student filmmaker. This year, HIFF’s student screening committee will select the ‘best short film’ from the University Showcase shorts program to be presented with the HIFFx BMW of HAWAI’I DRIVEN Student Filmmaker Award and cash prize meant to fund film scholarship, courtesy of BMW of Honolulu. The winning film will be announced at the “Meet the Filmmakers” Reception on October 9th.

HIFF Audience Choice Award

Presented by Hawaii News Now

Your Vote Counts! Vote for your favorite Feature, Documentary, Short and Student films playing at HIFF44!

Voting is accessible to all audiences via QR codes at screenings. Winning films are announced in a special Hawaii News Now broadcast following the completion of the full HIFF44 Festival.

NOMINATED FILMS: ALL HIFF44 Films, features and shorts, are eligible for HIFFxHawaii News Now Audience Choice Award! 

HIFF44 JURIES

KAU KA HOKU JURY

PASIFIKA JURY

MADE IN HAWAI‘I JURY

SHORTS JURY

NETPAC JURY