I’d Rather Be In Hawaii …

Posted by Todd Brown at 8:27pm.

Posted in Film News , Random Festival News.

And not just because it’s an awful lot warmer there than here in Toronto through October and November. No, the Hawaii International Film Festival runs October 19th - November 5th and the lineup this year is absolutely stunning. Yes, there is some high profile stuff that has already hit the festival circuit - The Host, Severance, Climates, El Aura, The Banquet, etc etc - but what really sets this festival apart is the way it focuses on otherwise overlooked areas of Asia while also giving young film makers and unusual films a major platform. Check these titles:

Shinya Tsukamoto’s Nightmare Detective, what I believe is the world premiere of Romeo Candido’s The Inheritance, Memories of Matsuko, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros, Romanzo Criminale, Dirty Carnival, Dog Bite Dog, Zhest, Paprika, Silk, and a stack of other notables ... you can check the full lineup here. And you really should.

If we’ve got any readers out there in Hawaii, please drop me a line ...

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Reader Comments

James Maruyama 10/04/2006 @ 10:58am

As one of the lucky guys living in Hawaii, I’m continually impressed each year with HIFF’s excellent film showings. I’ve volunteered in the past with the festival and always found it great fun (although the long lines are really a pain). In addition to the above mentioned films I was surprised to see movies like “Sukeban Deka - Codename=Asamiya Saki”, “Host”, “Yamato” and “Hula Girls” among some of the other films scheduled for show. Not sure if I’ll be going again this year but we’ll see.
Misao 10/04/2006 @ 4:42pm

I hope I’ll be able to go this year. There are notably a lot less Korean movies this year (perhaps due to the K-fest they had earlier . . . ?), and a lot more Philipino ones. Yeah, long lines are always a pain and the film fest always seems a bit unorganized (but yeah, props for doing the best they can).
Takeshi 10/04/2006 @ 9:32pm

I have to agree with Misao and James about the long lines: it’s a pain but it’s also great to see that we have a lot of people going to the festival (I’ve been a member for ten years). I think the problem is with non-members who are unaware that there are separate lines for the different levels of membership (e.g. the Flash Pass line, general membership line, etc.). Still, this is one of the few times that we have a chance to watch these films on the big screen so it’s worth it. Btw, great website!
Mark 10/08/2006 @ 8:52am

I love this fest because it’s on record as one of the 12 US theaters to play Battle Royale to a packed Cinerma House on Closing Night in Waikiki....who else can say that? I had a blast! Get all your tickets early....and dont procrastinate for a second. I even got to see Peter Jacksons Bad Taste one year...