FWENDS premiered at the 45th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. In this short form video review, HOCCI mentee Curtis Wilmington III shares his thoughts on the Australian film, FWENDS. This feature film was one of three assigned screenings for the HOCCI cohort this year, which featured extended discussions with guest film critics and
HERO’S ISLAND premiered at the 45th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. HERO’S ISLAND, directed by Keishi Ohtomo, is an action-packed historical drama taking place during the U.S. occupation of Okinawa. A mystery unraveling over twenty years, three friends attempt to locate their leader as the film unveils the harsh realities of post-war Okinawa.
THE ARRANGEMENTS had its world premiere at the 45th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani as part of the Made in Hawai‘i Shorts. A conversation with director Sonny Ganaden about community, grief, childhood, and making magic with non-actors. THE ARRANGEMENTS (2025) It was during the Made in Hawai‘i Shorts at HIFF when I came
THE EYES OF GHANA premiered at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. THE EYES OF GHANA takes viewers on a visually striking journey through the rich and fascinating life of Reverend Chris Hesse, a Ghanaian filmmaker who served as the personal cameraman to Ghana’s first prime minister, Kwame Nkrumah. The film weaves several
In this video, HIFF ONLINE CREATIVES & CRITICS IMMERSIVE (HOCCI) mentee D’Elle Martin sits down and reviews standouts from the Endless Night Shorts (THE LITTLES, DIEU EST TIMIDE (GOD IS SHY), MAGAI-GAMI, FISHMONGER, WHITCH, WANNA DIE WANNA KILL, TAGA) a shorts program in the 45th Hawai’i International Film Festival. Check out D’Elle channel here: youtube.com/@dj3martin
SOUND OF FALLING premiered at the 45th Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani “Deadline as a word used to fascinate me,” writes Yiyun Li in her novel Where Reasons End, “a word that connects time and space and death with such absoluteness.” Deadlines have fatigued our lives, becoming a banality more disrespected than not
The 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 diversity in film criticism across the Pacific region and use influencer branding strategies to spark career opportunities in Hawai’i, not be hampered by oceans, state borders and distance, because geography is no longer a barrier.
The 2024/25 HOCCI supports Hawai‘i-based critics to be a HIFF45 press cohort to cover films, panels, or filmmakers at the 45th Annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani. Film criticism will consists of four different focuses: writing, podcasting, video essays, and vlogs.
