Features

Featured articles, opinion pieces and reviews by select HIFF staff, interns and content providers.

HIFF ‘ŌPIO FEST – ACM ACCELERATOR SHOWCASE

ACM Accelerator Showcase: Stories In The Making The Hawai’i International Film Festival and Academy for Creative Media System are proud to present an engaging opportunity to experience the next generation of storytellers at the upcoming ACM Accelerator Showcase on April 12 at 2:00 PM, held at Consolidated Theatres Kahala. This public presentation will feature a […]

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Don’t Miss These Films at ʻŌpio Fest!

With the plethora of film releases happening every year, some films are unfortunately bound to  not receive the recognition they deserve. Though contrasting in culture, influence, and medium, these films meet at the epicenter of a thoughtful story. The following films have traveled far and wide, some from the coveted Sundance Film Festival, others from

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HIFF ‘ŌPIO FEST – EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION PANEL

Empowering The Next Generation: Navigating The Future of Film in Hawai’i’s Film Community Mahalo to our panelists who shared about their organization and the resources available for the next generation of storytellers Hawai’i. From mentorship programs and hands-on media workshops to production resources and funding opportunities, these community programs play a virtal role in shaping

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Programmer’s Picks: STATE OF STATELESSNESS is an anthology of Tibetans in exile

The first-ever Tibetan-language anthology feature film produced is screening in the HIFF ‘Ōpio Fest after its world premiere at the Busan Film Festival. STATE OF STATELESSNESS: TALES FROM THE TIBETAN DIASPORA is comprised of four short segments directed by Tibetan filmmakers living in exile in India, America and Vietnam. Each film delves into the profound

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Programmer’s Picks: THE SHROUDS is David Cronenberg’s most personal film

David Cronenberg’s THE SHROUDS is a conundrum of a film. First off, it is a poignant departure from his traditional body horror oeuvre, delving deep into the realms of grief, mortality, and the intertwining of technology with human emotion. This film offers a contemplative exploration of how we confront death in an age dominated by

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HIFF’S SPRING ‘ŌPIO FEST COMING APRIL 8 – 13

Aloha HIFF ʻOhana, As we enter our 45th year and reflect on the legacy and bright future ahead for HIFF, it is my honor to announce the next exciting evolution of the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival: HIFF ‘Ōpio Fest presented by Halekulani. This rebrand of our signature spring event will maintain all the acclaim of

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IN-YOUR-FACE: Exploring the Chaotic Inspirations & The Spiritual Realm of MANIFESTO [FOR CONCRETE POETRY]

If you want to watch a short film that is blunt, in-your-face, and smacks you out of nowhere, look no further than the short MANIFESTO [FOR CONCRETE POETRY], directed by Richard Hamasaki, Jody Stillwater & Sebastian Galasso. The imagery, editing combined with the avant-garde archival use of texture and imagery, bring to life the poem

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HIFF44 Vlog

In this vlog, join HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) mentee Elise Hatsuko at the 44th annual Hawai’i International Film Festival. This vlog covers the Opening Night Gala at the Halekulani, the Meet the Filmmakers event at SHADE, the centerpiece film screening and cast panel for MOLOKA’I BOUND, and the Closing Ceremony at Romer

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HIFF44 Post-Mortem: Programming Teams’ Picks

As the dust settles from the just concluded 44th Hawai‘I International Film Festival presented by Halekulani (HIFF44), the festival staff is currently going through wrap-up reports, crunching numbers, and analyzing data. On the programming side, it’s several post-mortems as we reflect on some of our personal film favorites, in the hopes that we can amplify

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