HIFF BLOG | HIFF | Hawai'i International Film Festival

Features

History, Conspiracy, and the Fight for Democracy: THE ASSASSIN(S) and THE SEOUL GUARDIANS at HIFF46

From a controversial Korean box-office hit to a gripping documentary about South Korea’s recent martial law crisis, two films at HIFF46 explore the power of journalism, the fragility of democracy, and a nation’s ongoing reckoning with its political history. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and a strong theatrical run during

HIFF Programming October 14, 2026

Features

SPOTLIGHT ON OKINAWA: Celebrating Island Stories at HIFF46

The 46th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani (HIFF46) celebrates the rich cultural heritage and enduring connections between Okinawa and Hawai‘i through its annual SPOTLIGHT ON OKINAWA program. The bond between Okinawa and Hawai‘i stretches back more than a century, beginning with the arrival of Okinawan immigrants to Hawai‘i’s sugar plantations in 1900. Over

HIFF Programming October 13, 2026

Awards

HIFF46: Official International Feature Oscar Submissions from Around the World

From Cannes, Sundance, Berlin, Busan and beyond, the 46th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani showcases an extraordinary collection of films representing countries in the race for the Academy Award® for Best International Feature Film. The road to Oscar runs through Hawai‘i this fall! HIFF46 is proud to present 12 films selected by their

HIFF Programming October 10, 2026

HIFF46

Introducing the 2026 HOCCI Cohort

The 2026 HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) program, powered by Critical Minded, supports sustainable film criticism in Hawai‘i through mentorship and paid career opportunities. The mission of HOCCI is to broaden and strengthen film criticism culture in Hawaiʻi across a new media multi-disciplinary approach–via online (blog, magazine) review writing, but also via more

HIFF Programming October 7, 2026

Features

Tenderness & Defiance: LGBTQIA+ Cinema at HIFF46

At the 46th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani, this year’s LGBTQIA+ films arrive in many forms: intimate coming-of-age stories, audacious comedies, sweeping dramas, documentaries, animation, and stories of chosen family and cultural identity. What connects them is not a single definition of queer experience, but their remarkable humanity. Among the festival’s major highlights

HIFF Programming October 6, 2026

Features

SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA: South Korean Cinema in all its forms at HIFF46

Presented by the Korean American Foundation of Hawaii (KAFH) The 46th Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF46) presents a dynamic cross-section of contemporary Korean cinema with its SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA, presented by the Korean American Foundation of Hawaii (KAFH). This year’s nine-film showcase brings together U.S. and International Premieres, acclaimed auteurs, emerging filmmakers, documentaries, genre cinema,

HIFF Programming October 5, 2026