SPOTLIGHT ON THE PHILIPPINES celebrates Filipino American History Month (FAHM)with a dynamic showcase of new cinema from the Philippines and across the Filipino diaspora. In partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), this HIFF45 section premieres world renowned films produced in the Philippines while honoring the rich diversity of voices that span […]
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SPOTLIGHT ON OKINAWA honors the enduring ties between Okinawa and Hawai‘i as we mark the 125th anniversary of Okinawan immigration to the islands. This special Hawai‘i International Film Festival section presents three brand-new films—each making their International premiere—that showcase the rich culture, resilience, and contemporary voices of Okinawa. Celebrating shared history and deep community roots,
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Friday August 29, 2025 // Honolulu, Hawai‘i — The 45th Annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani (HIFF45) will light up screens across the islands with an exhilarating program of screenings, the inaugural HIFILM Industry Conference, special events. The festival runs October 15–26, 2025 in Honolulu; October 28-30 in Kapolei; November 1–2 on Kaua‘i;
First Look: HIFF45 Reveals Ten Films for 2025 Festival Read More »
Grace Lee is a Peabody-award-winning filmmaker whose credits include AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS, the doc series AND SHE COULD BE NEXT, ASIAN AMERICANS, and THE GRACE LEE PROJECT, which brought her to Hawaii to interview Hawaii News Now reporter Grace Lee. Her latest documentary feature, Based in Los Angeles, she is
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The Brothers Grimm were sadistic perverts in their moral fables for children that in reality were pure, sadistic subterfuge. Hyperbolic? Yeah, sure, but this new take on CINDERELLA, is at times, more brutal than THE BRUTALIST. HIFF is honored to present the Hawai‘i premiere of THE UGLY STEPSISTER, after its wild Sundance world premiere.
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If you’re even a little into the Beatles—or you’re someone who’s had” Imagine” on repeat more times than you can count—then you need to check out ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO. It’s not just another music doc. It’s an inside look at the love, the music, and the chaos that surrounded one of rock’s
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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
Programmer’s Picks: STATE OF STATELESSNESS is an anthology of Tibetans in exile Read More »
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 ‘ŌPIO FEST runs April 8-13, 2025, in Honolulu at Consolidated Theatres Kahala presenting 16 feature films, 6 shorts, and 56 student films HONOLULU, HI (MARCH 10, 2025) – The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) unites its annual Spring Showcase, which brings the brightest new voices in international cinema ahead of its Fall Festival,
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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