The Hawai’i International Film Festival’s mission to promote cultural understanding through cinema resonates fully during these turbulent times. Film is much more than entertainment: it is a portal to enlighten, inspire, and incite by shining a light on marginalized communities and stories. Cinema, at its core, is a mirror that reflects society. With our main focus on the Pacific Rim, HIFF has spotlighted black and brown-centric stories over its 40 year history, and will continue to do so long into the future.
HIFF will always be an international lighthouse to present cinema for social change, work with individuals and partner with organizations and institutions to build a better future. As the late and great film critic Roger Ebert said “once a film starts in a theater, it becomes a democracy in the dark.” As the nation and the world mourns for the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others, HIFF firmly stands with black and brown communities in America, the Pacific and around the world.”
#BlackLivesMatter: A Message from Hawai‘i International Film Festival
