The votes have been tabulated and the audience has spoken. Here are the 44th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani (HIFF44) Audience Award winners presented by Hawaii News Now. HIFF44 Audience Award for Narrative Feature: ABOUT FAMILY (South Korea) Director: YANG Woo-suk HIFF44 Audience Award for Documentary Feature: SHAKA, A STORY OF ALOHA (Hawai‘i, […]
HIFF44 Audience Award Winners Announcement Read More »
The 44th edition of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF44) presented by Halekulani announced its jury winners and celebrated its Awards Gala Honorees at a private event held at the Halekulani Hotel. In its 2024 iteration, the organization awarded $25,000 in cash prizes to filmmakers across respective categories. KAU KA HŌKŪ AWARD The Kau Ka
HIFF44 Jury Award Winners & Honorees Read More »
HIFF44 is proud to announce this year’s nominated films competing in the following Jury Award categories below. To read up on this year’s international jury members, head over to the HIFF Awards Page. All jury award winners will be announced at the HIFF44 Awards Gala on October 12th at Halekulani. And the nominees are… Made
HIFF44 Films in Competition Read More »
For Alika Tengan, it’s an honor to bring home a film about the people and culture of these islands to an eager audience that will attend his screenings at this year’s Hawai‘i International Film Festival. The Centerpiece film MOLOKA‘I BOUND will make its local debut on O‘ahu at the Consolidated Theatres at Ward, then travel
HIFF44 Centerpiece Film MOLOKA‘I BOUND with Filmmaker Alika Tengan Read More »
HOMETOWN LEGENDS and ISLAND COWGIRLS are two films that are preserving ʻike Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Knowledge) from nā kupuna (elders) themselves. It is tradition for nā kupuna to pass down knowledge to the younger generations by ma ka hana ka ʻike, learning by doing. In these films, the audience watches as nā kupuna reminisce on their
Preserving ʻIke Kūpuna in HOMETOWN LEGENDS & ISLAND COWGIRLS Read More »
In the intricate tapestry of cinematic storytelling, the role of women filmmakers is an essential thread that weaves narratives of diversity, creativity, and perspective. Historically underrepresented in various aspects of the film industry, women have, nonetheless, made indelible contributions that have shaped the cinematic landscape. Their voices, both in front of and behind the camera,
Women on the rise: REEL WĀHINE OF HAWAI‘I Season 4 Read More »
HŌKŪLEʻA: FINDING THE LANGUAGE OF THE NAVIGATOR is the latest film directed by Kanaka Maoli filmmaker Ty Sanga. Having its North American premiere at HIFF43, the film would win the Made in Hawai‘i Best Jury Award for Best Feature, and deservedly so. The documentary centers around a conversation, first started in 2006, between wayfinder and
HŌKŪLEʻA: FINDING THE LANGUAGE OF THE NAVIGATOR – A Symbol of the Hawaiian Renaissance Read More »
Directed by Liz Barney and Alison Week, documentary feature ISLAND COWGIRLS brings viewers a unique look at the lives of two different paniolos, or Hawaiian cowgirls, on Hawai‘i Island. They are each part of ranches on the island with longstanding family ties. In the film, high school senior Laʻi Bertelmann wrestles with the decision of
ISLAND COWGIRLS spotlights paniolos, precarity of land leases Read More »
UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL was one of the most anticipated films of HIFF 43. Directed by Todd Soliday and Leah Washawski, the uplifting documentary features Bull Kotter, a surf instructor, affectionately known as “Uncle Bully”. Raised in Maui, Bully’s passion for surf education and community development in Maui is a guiding light for youth during
Riding the waves of resilience in UNCLE BULLY’S SURF SKOOL Read More »
This year’s HIFF not only featured a number of films “Made in Hawai‘i” in its programming, but also spotlighted a new filmmaking initiative and shared perspectives on the current status of Native Hawaiians in the industry. One of the films discussed in HIFF’s panels this year is MAKAWALU, a project in development. MAKAWALU is a
MAKAWALU, the current status of Native Hawaiians in the industry & future outlook 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.