hiff x bmw hawaii
Driven Student Filmmaker Award and Scholarship
Presented by BMW Hawaii
Uplifting the Next Generation of Local Filmmakers in Hawai'i
HIFF and BMW HAWAII are thrilled to support next gen filmmaking through a public theatrical screening of HIFF’s University Showcase that spotlights the best original short films made my filmmakers attending a post-secondary academic institute in Hawai’i. Films in the showcase are in competition for the HIFFxBMW HAWAII DRIVEN STUDENT FILMMAKER AWARD and cash scholarship that’s presented at a reception and Awards Gala during the annual Hawai’i International Film Festival held during the fall of each year.
HIFF45 will be held October 16-30, 2025 on O‘ahu followed by neighbor island screenings on Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi and the Hawaiʻi Island. We encourage filmmakers to submit works from any genre. Students attending a post-secondary school in Hawai’i are eligible to apply. Films that are selected for the HIFF45 University Showcase will be invited to screen at a public theatrical showcase and will be eligible for the HIFF45 BMW Hawaii Driven Student Filmmaker Award and scholarship.
Early Bird Deadline – February 14, 2025
Regular Deadline – April 25, 2025
Late Deadline – June 20, 2025
SUBMIT YOUR FILM at FilmFreeway.com/HIFF
HIFF44 x BMW HAWAII DRIVEN STUDENT FILMMAKER AWARD WINNER
ALEXANDER CLEARY
At HIFF44, the Student Committee selected STITCHES, directed by Alexander Cleary, “for its complex themes, worldbuilding, and sheer innovation and technical execution in combining various media. A wonderful blend of humor, heartbreak, and family, STITCHES provides audiences with an intimate perspective into biracial identities and multicultural families. Deeply relevant in the world today, the story is both a wonderful form of entertainment while also being didactic.”
The Student Committee also granted WHERE DO BUTTERFLIES GO WHEN THEY DIE? directed by Steven Loya Montoya and ANXIOUS Josiah Castillo each an honorable mention.
HIFF43 x BMW HAWAII DRIVEN STUDENT FILMMAKER AWARD WINNER
JUSTIN GERALD OCAMPO
At HIFF43, the Student Committee selected KUNYARI, directed by Justin Gerald Ocampo for the inaugural HIFFxBMW Hawaii Driven Student Filmmaker Award and cash scholarship.
The committee felt that the film offered an intimate perspective into love and longing, as well as cultural themes of duty and the importance of family. The jury adds “Its strong aesthetic choices, well-written characters, and dreamy cinematography create a genuine and refreshing portrayal of Filipino culture. In a time of divisiveness, this story highlights love in all of its forms through an underrepresented lens.”
The Student Filmmakers Committee at HIFF also granted GOING UP? and PIDGIN KAUA’I STYLE each an Honorable Mention for their representation of local culture in Hawaii that connects to audiences across the islands. The heartwarming animated film GOING UP directed by Dillon Valenzuela and the short documentary PIDGIN KAUA’I STYLE directed by Erica Byers.