There are certain people who become so much a part of HIFF that it is difficult to imagine the Festival without them. Isoo “Dick” Oshima was one of those people.
For decades, Dick was a member of the HIFF ʻohana: a longtime board member, generous supporter, mentor, patron of the arts, and one of the most passionate moviegoers we have ever known.
“Dick Oshima was a steadfast supporter of HIFF—as a board member, sponsor, and avid moviegoer. His curiosity and openness to different cultures reflected his lifelong love of learning. I’ll always cherish the many films we watched together, both at HIFF and at festivals around the world.” – Jeff Chung, President, KBFD-TV, former HIFF Board President
But for so many of us, the image we will remember most is simply Dick at the movies.
Every festival season, Dick and his wife, Chris, were fixtures in our theaters. And they didn’t just attend a handful of screenings. They watched dozens of films, moving from one screening to the next with an enthusiasm that never seemed to diminish. Dick especially loved Asian cinema and the opportunity HIFF provided to discover new filmmakers, cultures, and stories from around the world.
Over the years, he became part of the fabric of the Festival itself. You would see him in the lobby before a screening, catch him between films, or hear him talking enthusiastically about something he had just watched. He made friends with fellow HIFF members and other film fanatics who, like Dick, planned their festival days around seeing as many movies as humanly possible.
Those relationships mattered to him. Because as much as Dick loved movies, he loved the community that formed around them.
“Dick’s love for the movies started when HIFF was at the old Varsity Twin theaters. We used to wait in line for the many movies, and would talk story with people. We used to compare how many movies we watched with our HIFF fans who later became our close friends. Throughout the years, we’ve met many famous directors and actors. It was a truly remarkable experience. But most of all, we made so many friends through HIFF.” – Chris Oshima
That generosity of spirit extended far beyond the theater. A highly respected CPA in Hawai‘i, Dick believed strongly in mentoring the next generation and sharing his experience with others. He understood the importance of supporting culture and the arts not simply as a donor, but as someone who showed up, participated, encouraged others, and helped sustain the institutions he believed in.
“Dick Oshima was a strong believer in the importance of arts, culture, and giving people a voice through storytelling. His passion for Hawai’i, commitment to giving back, and dedication to creating opportunities for others touched many lives. I am grateful to have known Dick and will always remember his generosity and aloha for the community. He will be deeply missed.” – Lai leng Yee, CPA, HIFF Board Member
He was, in the truest sense, a patron of the arts.
That is why it was such a profound honor for HIFF to present Dick with the Jeannette Paulson Hereniko HIFF Legacy Award in 2023, recognizing his decades of arts patronage and service to our community. The award honors people whose generosity of time, resources, and spirit creates opportunities for future generations. Few people embodied those ideals more naturally than Dick.
We are especially grateful that we had the opportunity to celebrate him while he was with us and to let him know just how much he meant to HIFF.
As we remember Dick, we will remember his service and generosity. But we will also remember the smaller moments: seeing Dick and Chris arrive for another screening, the conversations in the lobby, the friendships forged over movies, and his seemingly endless curiosity about what he should see next.
Film festivals ultimately exist because people love movies enough to gather together and experience them. Dick understood that better than most.
To Chris and the entire Oshima family, we extend our deepest aloha and gratitude for sharing Dick with the HIFF ʻohana for so many years.
Mahalo, Dick. And thank you for always showing up for the movies.
