From the official announcement:
The 2006 Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival will be held October 19 to 29, 2006 at the Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Theatres in Honolulu on Oahu and at venues across the Hawaiian Archipelago; including Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii!
26TH ANNIVERSARY
We're planning special focuses on the cinema of the Vietnamese diaspora and on the contemporary cinema of the Philippines, from Fil-Am features to art house films to action films to sex comedies.
The Festival will host a special twenty reporter delegation from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organizers of the GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS. HIFF will also host a delegation of five of mainland China's most renowned directors, along with premieres of their most recent films.
Finally, we are planning a special seminar on music video production with noted directors, music labels and video programmers.
CALL FOR ENTRIES
We encourage filmmakers to submit works from all genres. We are especially interested in feature films, documentaries, short films, Hawaii-themed films, music videos and student films. In 2005, we programmed over 270 films.
There are NO ENTRY FEES for student filmmakers under 18 or for Hawai'i residents.
Early Submission Deadline: May 26
Late Submission Deadline: June 23
Final Deadline: June 30 (via Withoutabox only)
More Information: www.hiff.org/entries.php
SPECIAL NOTE FOR INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKERS
The Festival offers a reduced entry fee program!
Eligible films include feature, documentary and short films without distribution from Eastern Europe, Africa, South America, Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia and Polynesia.
Only projects filmed in the countries above and without distribution are eligible.
Reduced Entry Fee: $15
Deadline: June 23, 2006
HIFF understands that filmmakers face severe financial difficulties. We are happy to consider requests for FEE WAIVERS on a case-by-case basis. Please contact me directly at the e-mail address below and provide more information on your project and country of origin.
AWARDS
$2,500 cash for BEST SHORT FILM! Presented by HONOLULU MAGAZINE. All short films (except student films) selected for the festival will be eligible, all genres will be considered. The award will be given for excellence in form and content.
$10,000 DREAM DIGITAL AWARD! Awarded to an established or emerging director, the award offers $10,000 of pre- and post-production services from cause and f(x) pictures llc, an accredited digital effects boutique based in Honolulu, Hawaii. It includes access to animation suites with accredited digital effects artists, feature film-makers, 3D animators and more!
BACKGROUND
The Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. It draws an audience of 70,000 or more from around the state, the nation and throughout the world.
HIFF is unique in discovering features and documentaries from Asia made by Asians, films about the Pacific made by Pacific Islanders, and films made by Hawai'i filmmakers that present Hawaii in a culturally accurate way.
Our 25th ANNIVERSARY in 2005 was a remarkable event. The festival screened 270 films from 40 countries - from Afghanistan to Zambia - to an audience of 70,000 people. This includes nine international feature premieres, and 17 U.S. premieres.
HIFF honored Master Director ZHANG YIMOU with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and presented a special sneak preview of director Zhang's latest film, RIDING ALONE FOR THOUSAND OF MILES; Japanese actor SONNY CHIBA with HIFF's inaugural Maverick Award; and American actor SAMUEL L. JACKSON with an Achievement in Acting Award.
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, directed by Academy Award-winning Ang Lee, was HIFF's Centerpiece Presentation and the festival closed with Vincent Ward's RIVER QUEEN. Other notable and award-winning films presented at the festival were PARADISE NOW and the international premiere of WELCOME TO DONGMAKGOL. We hosted noted American film critic Roger Ebert and had the U.S. premiere of the Korean hit A BITTERSWEET LIFE, attended by the film's star, LEE Byung-hun. We were pleased to have six premiere screenings reviewed in VARIETY, and over 600 mentions in the international and national media. LVHIFF also hosted a concert showcasing Japanese stars THE YOSHIDA BROTHERS.
Here's a selection of quotes about HIFF
"Must attend."
-- Entertainment Weekly
"The premiere American showcase for Asian cinema."
-- Hollywood Reporter
"A launching pad for early films by younger directors."
-- American film critic Roger Ebert
PAST PREMIERES
2005 :: BITTERSWEET LIFE, SA-KWA, SAD MOVIE (Korea)
SEASON OF THE HORSE (China)
EXECUTIVE KOALA, VILLAGE ALBUM, FUNKY FOREST (Japan)
2004 :: WEST OF THE TRACKS, SOUTH OF THE CLOUDS and JASMINE WOMEN (China)
TWILIGHT SAMURAI, HANA AND ALICE, TASTE OF TEA (Japan)
UNTOLD SCANDAL, SILMIDO, UNTOLD SCANDAL, LOW LIFE (Korea)
2003 :: GOODBYE DRAGON INN (Taiwan)
TWILIGHT SAMURAI (Japan)
MAGNIFICO THE MAGNIFICENT (Philippines)
2002 :: SPELLBOUND (US)
NOWHERE IN AFRICA (Germany)
2001 :: JSA (South Korea)
ATANARJUAT: THE FAST RUNNER (Canada)
2000 :: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (US/Taiwan)
CHUNHYANG (South Korea)
QUESTIONS
Please visit www.hiff.org or contact Film Programmer Christian Razukas (program@hiff.org) or Director of Programming Anderson Le (ale@hiff.org).
