HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL presented by halekulani
OAHU
NOV 8-18, 2018
BIG ISLAND & MAUI
NOV 29 KAUAI NOV 15-18, 2018 DEC 2, 2018
TICKETS & INFO
HIFF.ORG
2018 HIFF PROGRAM GUIDE
UNDERSTATED AND SEAMLESS. THE ART OF HOSPITALITY.
#HalekulaniMoment
WWW.HALEKULANIMOMENT.COM | 855.738.4966
HALEKULANI PAST, PRESENT, FOREVER...
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
HIFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LETTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS Owen Ogawa, President Jeffrey A. Bell Kristen O. Chan Isoo (Dick) Oshima Christina Hom Jason Cutinella Mark S. Davis Ricardo (Ric) Galindez Jake Houseman Michael Kornickzy Peter Lewis Bryan Luke Wayne Miyao Brian Uy Indru Watumull Howard J. Wolff
We are proud to present the 38th Hawaii International Film Festival presented by Halekulani, and to continue the festival’s proud tradition of showcasing content and creatives from the Pacific, Asia and North America. Our festival this year features over 180 films, talks and events from 37 countries, with 47 US, International and World Premieres across 32 sections. 2018 continues the tradition of programming a selection of critically-acclaimed and highly-anticipated films from Asia and around the world, while also giving a platform from emerging creative talents from across the Hawaii-Pacific region. As always, outstanding films are accompanied by stars and filmmakers from around the world, connecting East and West through a dedication to discussion, diversity and creativity. For the first time ever, HIFF will present the HIFF VR Lounge, bringing together a selection of exciting contemporary Virtual Reality projects from around the world free to the public at SALT At Our Kakaako. HIFF has always been on the cutting edge of new media trends in the Pacific, and we are proud to extend our celebration of cinema and storytelling through new virtual reality projects that present an entirely new level of entertainment and engagement for viewers. We have also launched a competition for student filmmakers in collaboration with the Daniel K. Inouye Institute to foster creativity, civic engagement and media making in the state of Hawaii, hosted by actor Harry Shum, Jr (CRAZY RICH ASIANS). In addition, we maintain our commitment to new and challenging ideas across our Green Screen and Film for Thought sections, and to nurturing the imaginations of future generations we need to solve the world’s most pressing issues through our educational initiatives. HIFF38 features panels, masterclasses and Q&As with a focus on emerging international and Pacific filmmakers. On November 16, Halekulani hosts HIFF’s spectacular awards gala, where we honor the contributions of artists and changemakers internationally. Each year, we present the Maverick Award to an individual who pushes boundaries and redefines what is possible in their creative discipline. In 2018, we are excited to present the award jointly to Steven Yeun, star of BURNING and THE WALKING DEAD and Awkwafina, actor, rapper and star of CRAZY RICH ASIANS and OCEAN’S EIGHT. The PIC Trailblazer Award, honoring a breakthrough filmmaker from the Pacific Islands, is awarded to Heperi Mita for continuing the legacy started by his mother, the late Merata Mita, of portraying and preserving indigenous works on the the big screen. The prestigious Career Achievement Award goes to South Korean actress Moon So-ri for her amazing body of work as one of Asia’s best actresses working today, but also for her second career as an emerging filmmaker. We will screen her directorial debut THE RUNNING ACTRESS as part of this year’s film program. Other festival highlights include our Opening Night Film, SHADOW, the latest masterpiece from Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou set within the climactic warring ‘Three Kingdoms’ period. Our Centrepiece Gala, GREEN BOOK, unites Viggo Mortensen with Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali in a powerful road journey through segregation-era Deep South. The film won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, which is considered an early barometer of a lucrative awards season. Our Closing Night Film, MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE., is years-in-the-making, definitive film chronicling the recent voyage of the Hōkūleʻa and the next generation of navigators who traveled around the world and meeting peoples and cultures, fulfilling the vision of Nainoa Thompson and his contemporaries. Finally, we are extraordinarily honored to host acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers alive today, for a special retrospective of his key works including a post-film discussion with the auteur after a screening of the digitally restored CHUNGKING EXPRESS. We so gratefully acknowledge the sponsors, volunteers, audiences, board of directors, staff and HIFF members, without whom this festival would be impossible. HIFF is incredibly fortunate to have one of the most enthusiastic local communities in the cinematic world, as well as a dedicated board committed to excellence and the continuing growth of the festival. We are also incredibly grateful to our valuable sponsors and key presenting sponsor Halekulani for making this important cultural event possible. On behalf of the HIFF Board of Directors and the HIFF Team, we extend our warmest aloha and mahalo nui loa. We hope you enjoy HIFF38!
BECKIE STOCCHETTI Executive Director OWEN OGAWA President & Chairman Board of Directors 2 HIFF
AWARDS & JURIES
PRESENTED AWARDS
HALEKULANI LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD The Halekulani Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed to an artist who has reached the career pinnacles very few have achieved via industry awards and accolades and a body of work that is known globally. Aside from an amazing artistic career, the recipient is also honored for their contribution to the cinematic arts, but also through equally significant endeavors such as social justice and the betterment of humanity.
HALEKULANI MAVERICK AWARD The Hawaii International Film Festival's Halekulani Maverick Award is given to an international cinema artist who has a unique and eclectic career trajectory, contributing to international cinema and the filmed arts in an innovative way. This maverick does things on his or her terms, creating work that can have a rabid, cult following to a mass appreciation in today’s pop culture. Like a trendsetter and tastemaker, their work may not have been appreciated early on, but has become an artistic benchmark.
PIC TRAILBLAZER AWARD This award, presented by Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), is given to a cinema artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories onto the world stage, producing award winning work in independent and global cinema. This honoree is a true trailblazer, whose work aligns with PIC’s mission, which is to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges.
COMPETITION AWARDS
KAU KA HŌKŪ FILMMAKER AWARD HIFF was an annual stop for the Pulitzer winning film critic Roger Ebert, who hailed the festival as “a showcase for emerging filmmakers from the Asia and Pacific Rim.” The KAU KA HŌKŪ will be awarded to an emerging filmmaker (first or second feature film). Both fiction and non-fiction feature films will be nominated by the festival programmers and adjudicated by an international jury.
HIFF BEST SHORT FILM AWARD All short films in Shorts programs #1-5, plus PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS programs are eligible for the overall HIFF BEST SHORT FILM award. The jury for the BEST MADE IN HAWAII SHORT FILM will also preside over the HIFF BEST SHORT FILM award.
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD PRESENTED BY HAWAII NEWS NOW Vote for your favorite feature film, documentary or short film playing at HIFF. Ballots will be distributed for the first screening of every eligible film during the film festival. No pens, pencils or i.d. required. Tear along the edge of the ballot from 1 (terrible) to 5 (excellent) and drop it in the ballot boxes as you exit the theater. Winners will be announced post-festival.
NETPAC AWARD Founded in 1990 by Cinemaya and UNESCO, the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) is an international not-forprofit organization dedicated to promoting Asian film throughout the world. The prestigious NETPAC award is given at select international film festivals to promote Asian cinema by spotlighting exceptional works and discovering new talent. The NETPAC award is presented annually at international film festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii. HIFF is the only film festival in North America given permission to present the NETPAC award.
MADE IN HAWAII FILM AWARDS HIFF will present the MADE IN HAWAII FILM awards to focus on the dynamic and flourishing local independent film scene that strives onward here in the Hawaiian Islands. Fiction, Non-fiction and short films that are made by locally-based filmmakers or involve locally-based stories are eligible for the following awards — BEST MADE IN HAWAII FEATURE; and BEST MADE IN HAWAII SHORT FILM.
HIFF .ORG 3
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
EXTREME ASIA
20
CENTERPIECE FILM GREEN BOOK
20
CLOSING NIGHT FILM MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE.
35
33
MA'OHI NUI
35
ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
38
MAUI'S HOOK
36
THE PREY
39
SOUND X VISION
THE ROPE CURSE
40
FICTION & OTHER REALITIES
28
I USED TO BE NORMAL
32
THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS
34
THE WITCH: PART 1. THE SUBVERSION
46
YOCHO (FOREBODING)
47
FILM FOR THOUGHT
OPENING NIGHT FILM SHADOW
LEITIS IN WAITING
INUYASHIKI
20
AWARDS BUZZ
SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOWCASE
EATING UP EASTER
26
MEMORIES OF MY BODY
36
GENERAL MAGIC
29
THE PREY
39
INVENTING TOMORROW
33
SONG LANG
42
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
38
THE THIRD WIFE
44
TEN YEARS: JAPAN
43
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
FILMMAKER IN FOCUS: WONG KAR WAI
HOUSE OF MY FATHERS
31
CHUNGKING EXPRESS WITH WONG KAR WAI
25
WAKE
46
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA
3 FACES
21
HAPPY TOGETHER
30
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
23
ASH IS THE PUREST WHITE
22
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
32
CAPERNAUM
25
GREEN SCREEN
LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
35
DESTROYER
26
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM
23
THE UNITY OF HEROES
45
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
32
GRIT
30
WISH YOU WERE HERE
46
ROMA
39
INTO THE OKAVANGO
32
WRATH OF SILENCE
47
VOX LUX
45
SHARKWATER EXTINCTION
41
SPOTLIGHT ON HONG KONG
DOCUMENTARIES
MADE IN HAWAII
THE EMPTY HANDS
27
BREAKING THE BEE
24
AUGUST AT AKIKO'S
22
STILL HUMAN
42
CALL HER GANDA
24 28
22
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE
HEAVY WATER
30
26
SHE SHEARS
41
DISNEY'S MOANA 'OLELO HAWAI'I
TRANSMILITARY
44
UNITED SKATES
44
JOEL S. GOLDSMITH, THE MAN AND HIS MESSAGE
KEVIN ROCHE: THE QUIET ARCHITECT
47
EAT. DRINK. FILM. CHEF FLYNN
25
EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY
27
FOR LOVE'S SAKE
29
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
50 FIRST KISSES
21
ASAKO I & II
22
BLANK 13
23
33
THE BLOOD OF WOLVES
23
MY HERO'S SHADOW
37
BORN BONE BORN
24
STOKE
42
HANALEI BAY
30
SURFING TO COPE
44
THE HUNGRY LION
31
T-SHIRT THEATRE PRESENTS: KIPUKA
43
INUYASHIKI
33
IT'S BORING HERE, PICK ME UP
33
THIS AND NOTHING ELSE: RED BULL WA'A
44
KILLING
34
KILLING FOR THE PROSECUTION
34
VOICES BEHIND BARBED WIRE
45 47
THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY SHOTTAN
36
MIRAI
37
BORDER
24
REEL WAHINE OF HAWAI‘I
COLD WAR
25
PACIFIC SHOWCASE
EVERYBODY KNOWS
27
ANOTE'S ARK
21
38
EATING UP EASTER
26
MODEST HEROES: PONOC SHORTS VOL 1
37
NON-FICTION SINK OR SWIM
41
EMU RUNNER
27
ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
38
WOMAN AT WAR
46
4 HIFF
FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
RECALL
39
MIND THE GAP SHORTS
RIVER'S EDGE
39
BLACK SHEEP
48
ANIMATION CLASS 2
54
SAMURAI’S PROMISE
40
THE CHOSEN ONE
48
AT THE SOURCE
54
SHOPLIFTERS
41
LITTLE PYONGYANG
48
DECODE DRESS CODE
54
WACHIGAI-YA ITOSATO
45
LUMPIA CAMPESINA
48
EARTH DOCTOR
54
YOCHO (FOREBODING)
47
ONE CAMBODIAN FAMILY PLEASE FOR MY PLEASURE
48
EMOTIONS IN TIME
54
THE LEAKY UMBRELLA
54
21
WE BECAME FRAGMENTS
48
54
FENGSHUI
28
MADE IN HAWAII SHORTS
LILI’UOKALANI ANIMATION SHORTS
THE GREAT BATTLE
29
HAE HAWAII
49
MALAMA KA'EHU
54
HERSTORY
31
KALEWA
49
THE MURAL
54
LAST CHILD
34
MAUKA TO MAKAI
49
THE VORTEX
54
ON YOUR WEDDING DAY
38
THE MOON AND THE NIGHT
49
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
54
THE RUNNING ACTRESS
40
SIX HUNDRED LUX
49
TURN BACK TIME
54
WE ARE U.S.
54
WILD CREATURES WITH DANE OTTMAN
54
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA ADULTHOOD
SUNSET IN MY HOMETOWN
43
THE WITCH: PART 1. THE SUBVERSION
46
SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN GATAO: RISE OF THE KING
29
STUDENT SHOWCASE
PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS ANOINTED
49
THE BAY
49
TREE
49
VR LOUNGE
SHORELINE
49
AGE OF SAIL
51
CHASING CORAL: THE VR EXPERIENCE
51
FINDING HAKA
51
SONGBIRD
51
LONG TIME NO SEA
35
WAITING
49
THE ROPE CURSE
40
CROSSING SPACES: CHUUK, POHNPEI & MARSHALL ISLANDS
49
THE CLEANER
48
ACM UHM NIGHT
HAUS
48
AUNTY EMMA
49
HIDDEN LIFE
48
DOWN THE RED DIRT ROAD
49
LIFEBOAT
48
EXHIBIT A
49
48
FOUND SOUNDS
49
CAREFUL WHAT YOU PACK SHORTS
GAL PALS
49
END OF THE LINE
48
GLASS ARTIST
49
THE GATEKEEPERS
48
HOW TO MAKE A HEART BEAT
49
MILK AND COOKIES
48
IN MEMORY OF
49
MONDAYS
48
KAI AND HONUA
49
MAMA’S WISH
49
BE THE CHANGE SHORTS
OBON
THE OTHER SIDE OF VALERIE HOPE
48
SINCERELY, KAYE
49
TEA LAND
48
STAIRWAY
49
TUNGRUS
48
SHANGHAI FILM ACADEMY SHORTS
OHANA MEANS... SHORTS
BUTTON UP
49
AREOLA BOREALIS
48
GRAIN BUDS
49
FLOATING WEEDS
48
HOME
49
THE LOVE MOTEL
48
AN EYE FOR AN EYE
49
MAY 14TH
48
RETURN TO HOMETOWN
49
MY LITTLE BROTHER, SEUNG-HYUK
48
SHANGHAI TREASURES
49
TOKYO 21ST OCTOBER
48
HIFF .ORG 5
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
HOW TO HIFF LGBT-THEMED FILMS MUSIC FOOD DOCUMENTARY FAMILY FREE HAWAII PACIFIC
FESTIVAL DATES OAHU
NOVEMBER 8-18, 2018
KAUAI NOVEMBER 15-18, 2018
BIG ISLAND
BOX OFFICE HOURS:
TICKET PICK-UP
Oct 19 - Nov 3 Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 2:00PM - 6:00PM Nov 5 - 7 Daily 2:00PM - 6:00 PM Nov. 8 – 18 60 minutes before the first screening until 15 minutes after the last screening begins.
Will Call - All customers will have the option of picking up their tickets at the HIFF Box Office.
HIFF FLASH PASS $375 HIFF members $425 General Public The HIFF Flash Pass allows the movie lover to watch unlimited films with no tickets required and priority seating ahead of the HIFF Member line. Visit or call the HIFF Box Office for more information. Seating is based on availability and is on a first come first serve basis. Go to www.hiff.org or call the HIFF Box Office 1-808-447-0577 to learn more about the benefits of becoming a HIFF member.
TICKET PRICES (Including Opening/Centerpiece/Closing Films) $10.00 HIFF Member Tickets $12.00 Senior, Military, Student $14.00 General Admission
NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 2, 2018
MAUI
WEEKDAY MATINEE PRICES
NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 2, 2018
(films starting before 5:00 PM) $10.00 Flat Rate
OAHU BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION Purchase tickets and flash passes in person or online.
HIFF BOX OFFICE: Oct. 19 – Nov. 7 680 Iwilei Road, Suite 100 Honolulu, HI 96817 PH: 808-447-0577
HIFF BOX OFFICE: Nov. 8 – 18 Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 & IMAX Foyer 735 Iwilei Road Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
6 HIFF
VETERANS DAY SPECIAL $10.00 For Military with I.D
SERVICE FEE PER TICKET Free for online purchases for HIFF Members $1.50 for online purchases $1.00 for box office purchases
PAYMENT METHODS All major credit cards, checks and cash are accepted.
Print from home - For the ultimate in convenience, purchase your tickets online and print them from home. In person - HIFF will have a box office facility on site from Oct. 13 through the duration of the festival.
TICKET POLICY • THERE ARE NO REFUNDS ON TICKETS. Ticket exchanges must be made a day before the screening. A $2.00 service fee is charged per ticket. • Expired and day of tickets will not be exchanged. • If a screening is rescheduled or cancelled, patrons can exchange tickets for either a film playing that day or a ticket for the rescheduled date.
FREE SCREENINGS Seating is based on a first come first served basis.
EVENT LAYOUT (WHAT DOES THE FESTIVAL LOOK LIKE?) There are lines created for three films at a time. Each film has three lines. There are signs to indicate what films are ready for line up. This layout is for Dole Theaters only.
LINES PER FILM • Concierge Pass Line - This line is for persons with Lifetime Membership, Platinum Passes, and Board of Directors. Pass holders line up inside by the theater door. • Flash Pass & Priority Ticket Line - This line is for persons with Flash Passes and Priority Tickets. Pass & Priority holders line up inside by the theater door. • Member Line - An “M” on the ticket indicates that you stand in the Member Line. • Rush Line – A standby line for people wishing to see a film that no longer has tickets available. Any available seat in a screening marked as full will be sold 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the film at $10.00 cash only.
HOW TO HIFF
THEATER ADMITTANCE ORDER 1. Concierge, Lifetime, Board of Directors Passes. Pass Holders will be seated 30 minutes prior to start time of film. 2. Flash Pass & Priority Ticket holders. Each screening has a limited number of seats reserved for Flash Pass Holders and will be based on a first come first serve basis. Flash Pass holders who are not admitted may wait to be seated after the General Public. 3. ADA Guests and their plus one (20 minutes prior to start time of film). If you cannot stand for long periods, please notify a line monitor immediately. You and a guest will be escorted to a seating area where you can wait until theater seating begins.
BIG ISLAND BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION Tickets to Big Island screenings at the Palace Theater in Hilo, Hawaii are available in person or by phone only.
PALACE THEATER BOX OFFICE 38 Haili Street Hilo, HI 96720 PH: (808) 934-7010
BOX OFFICE HOURS 10:00AM - 3:00PM Weekdays | Closed State Holidays Tickets available at the door for all screenings
VENUES
WHERE DOES ALL OF THIS HAPPEN? The Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 & IMAX serves as the main hub of the Hawaii International Film Festival. Most screenings will take place there with some other screenings, workshops and events taking place at satellite venues. Here is a list of all the HIFF venues this year:
OAHU DOL Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 & IMAX 735 Iwilei Road Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
TICKET PRICES $7.50 Senior 55 or older, Student $8.50 General Admission More information is available at: www.hilopalace.com/pricing-info/
HTC
PALACE ALL-ACCESS HIFF PASS
IBM
6. Pass Holder overflows.
Ask about the HIFF All-Access pass at the Palace Theater, or visit hilopalace.com for more information.
Ward Village IBM Courtyard 1240 Ala Moana Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96814
7. Rush Line ticket holders. Will be seated 5 minutes prior to the beginning of the film.
MAUI BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION
SALT
4. Member Ticket holders. Seating begins 5 minutes after Pass Holders. 5. General Public Ticket holders. Seating begins immediately after Member Ticket holders are let in.
KAUAI BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION Tickets to Kauai screenings at the Waimea Theater in Waimea, Hawaii are available in person or by phone only.
WAIMEA THEATER BOX OFFICE Historic Waimea Theater 9691 Kaumualii Highway Waimea, HI 96796 PH: (808) 651-5744 (day) PH: (808) 338-2027 (evening)
TICKET PRICES $100.00 HIFF Kauai Pass + Opening Night $75.00 HIFF 3-Day Pass (Fri, Sat, Sun) $40.00 Opening Night Film + Event $10.00 General Admission More box office and ticketing information is available at www.waimeatheater.com
Tickets to Maui screenings at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center are available in person or by phone only.
MACC BOX OFFICE One Cameron Way Kahului, Maui 96732 PH: (808)242-SHOW (7469)
Hawaii Theatre 1130 Bethel Street Honolulu, HI 96813
SALT at Our Kaka’ako 691 Auahi Street Honolulu, HI 96813
KAUAI WAI Historic Waimea Theater 9691 Kaumualii Highway Waimea, HI 96796
BOX OFFICE HOURS 10:00AM - 6:00PM Tuesday through Saturday | For Sunday ticketed events, the Box Office will open one hour before show time.
TICKET PRICES $12.00 General Public $10.00 HIFF Members with special code More information is available at: www.mauiarts.org
BIG ISLAND PAL The Palace Theater 38 Haili Street Hilo, HI 96720
MAUI MACC Maui Arts & Cultural Center One Cameron Way Kahului, Maui 96732
HIFF .ORG 7
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
MATTHEW HONDA
SHELLY AMINE
RYAN YAMAMOTO
“ ENDLESSLY INVENTIVE ” -RAUL PAND
“VISCERAL
“JAWDROPPING”
THRILLS ON
AN EPIC SCALE”
-SCHAULA PER
-BAUL SASS
“GROUNDBREAKING” -CAVID DARSON
“EXTRAORDINARY” -BREVILLE NODY
A BR ANDING CO.
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT MIDDLE MANAGEMENT WAS FOUNDED IN 2015 AND IN 2016 WORKED WITH HIFF IN REBRANDING THE ORGANIZATION. SINCE THEN, MIDDLE MANAGEMENT HAS LED THE CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN OF KEY VISUALS AND COLLATERAL FOR THE SPRING & FALL FESTIVALS. MIDDLE MANAGEMENT IS PROUD TO HAVE DESIGNED THIS YEAR’S FALL FESTIVAL IDENTITY. 8 HIFF
MIDDLEMGMT.COM
HIFF MEMBERSHIP
HIFF MEMBERSHIP & BENEFITS BECOME A HIFF MEMBER TODAY! HIFF Memberships are year-round good for 365 days. All HIFF Ohana memberships are valid for one year from date of purchase and receive membership benefits outlined to the right. Students must show id, seniors 60+. These memberships also receive discounts on passes for our festivals.
MEMBERSHIP TYPES
Da Kine $50 General Admission $35 Students/Seniors/Military • 1 HIFF Membership • Member may purchase up to two (2) discounted member tickets per screening, additional tickets $14
Kama'aina $90 General Admission $75 Students/Seniors/Military • 1 HIFF Membership • Member may purchase up to four (4) discounted member tickets per screening, additional tickets $14
Ohana $130 General Admission $100 Students/Seniors/Military • 1 HIFF Membership • Member may purchase up to six (6) discounted member tickets per screening, additional tickets $14
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
• Complimentary Membership Screenings throughout the year (Admit 2 per member) • Subscription to HIFF's Email Newsletter • Early Bird Sales on Festival Passes and TIckets • Member Line Tickets for Priority Entrance before the General Admission • Members Only Days at the Festival Box Office • Discounted tickets to all films and events
HIFF .ORG 9
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
FILM SCHEDULE & VENUES DOL Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 & IMAX 735 Iwilei Road Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
HTC Hawaii Theatre 1130 Bethel Street Honolulu, HI 96813
SALT SALT at Our Kaka’ako 691 Auahi Street Honolulu, HI 96813
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8 6:00PM-8:03 PM
RIVER'S EDGE
JP
DOL
6:30PM-8:21 PM
MEMORIES OF MY BODY
ID
DOL
8:00PM-9:45 PM
WOMAN AT WAR
FR, IS, UA
DOL
CN
DOL
8:00PM-10:01 PM SHADOW
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9 5:30PM-6:50 PM
EATING UP EASTER
CL, US
DOL
5:45PM-7:41 PM
STILL HUMAN
HK
DOL
6:00PM-8:07 PM
KILLING FOR THE PROSECUTION
JP
DOL
6:15PM-7:42 PM
CHEF FLYNN
US
DOL
6:30PM-7:57 PM
KEVIN ROCHE: THE QUIET ARCHITECT
IR, FR, SP
DOL
6:30PM-8:08 PM
CALL HER GANDA
PH, US
DOL
8:00PM-9:50 PM
MIND THE GAP SHORTS
VARIOUS
DOL
8:15PM-10:14 PM 50 FIRST KISSES
JP
DOL
8:30PM-10:25 PM ON YOUR WEDDING DAY
KR
DOL
8:30PM-10:56 PM ASH IS PUREST WHITE
CN
DOL
8:45PM-10:36 PM NON-FICTION
FR
DOL
9:00PM-10:51 PM THE ROPE CURSE
TW
DOL
10:30 AM-11:54 AM STUDENT SHOWCASE
US
DOL
11:00 AM-12:45 PM WOMAN AT WAR
FR, IS, UA
DOL
11:00 AM-12:20 PM EATING UP EASTER
CL, US
DOL
11:00 AM-9:00 PM
VR LOUNGE
VARIOUS
SALT
11:15 AM-1:41 PM
ASH IS PUREST WHITE
CN
DOL
12:45PM-2:41 PM
BORN BONE BORN
JP
DOL
1:15PM-2:24 PM
T-SHIRT THEATRE PRESENTS: KIPUKA
US
DOL
1:15PM-3:07 PM
REEL WAHINE OF HAWAI‘I
US
DOL
1:00PM-3:06 PM
CAPERNAUM
LB
DOL
2:15PM-4:57 PM
HUSBAND MATERIAL
IN
DOL
2:30PM-4:03 PM
INTO THE OKAVANGO
US
DOL
3:15PM-5:17 PM
WACHIGAI-YA ITOSATO
JP
DOL
3:15PM-4:59 PM
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE
FJ, PF, ID, US
DOL
3:30PM-5:00 PM
808 FILMMAKER TOWN HALL
US
DOL
3:45PM-5:29 PM
TEN YEARS: JAPAN
HK, JP
DOL
4:30PM-6:11 PM
BREAKING THE BEE
US
DOL
5:30PM-7:28 PM
WISH YOU WERE HERE
CN, JP
DOL
5:45PM-8:05 PM
ROMA
MX
DOL
6:00PM-8:12 PM
GATAO: RISE OF THE KING
TW
DOL
6:00PM-7:17 PM
LEITIS IN WAITING
TO
DOL
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10 IBM IBM Building 1240 Ala Moana Boulevard Honolulu, HI 96814
PAL The Palace Theater 38 Haili Street Hilo, HI 96720 Big Island of Hawai’i
WAI Historic Waimea Theater 9691 Kaumualii Highway Waimea, HI 96796 Island of Kauai
MACC Maui Arts & Cultural Center One Cameron Way Kahului, Maui 96732
10 HIFF
FILM SCHEDULE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12
6:45PM-8:26 PM
SIR
IN
DOL
6:45PM-8:22 PM
ADULTHOOD
KR
DOL
11:00 AM-9:00 PM
VR LOUNGE
8:00PM-9:48 PM
THE UNITY OF HEROES
CN
DOL
12:30PM-2:03 PM
SHARKWATER EXTINCTION CA
8:15PM-9:49 PM
STOKE
US
DOL
1:00PM-2:44 PM
TEN YEARS: JAPAN
HK, JP
DOL
JP
8:30PM-10:36 PM SHOPLIFTERS
VARIOUS
SALT DOL
DOL
1:15PM-2:48 PM
INTO THE OKAVANGO
US
DOL
8:45PM-10:24 PM CAREFUL WHAT YOU PACK VARIOUS SHORTS
DOL
2:45PM-3:54 PM
T-SHIRT THEATRE PRESENTS: KIPUKA
US
DOL
8:45PM-10:20 PM COLD WAR
PL
DOL
3:00PM-4:41 PM
JP
DOL
I USED TO BE NORMAL: A AU BOYBAND FANGIRL STORY
DOL
9:00PM-10:41 PM ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
3:00PM-4:55 PM
VOICES BEHIND BARBED WIRE
US
DOL
3:15PM-4:32 PM
LEITIS IN WAITING
TO
DOL
3:30PM-5:11 PM
BREAKING THE BEE
US
DOL
3:45PM-5:26 PM
SIR
IN
DOL
4:45PM-6:55 PM
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
CO
DOL
5:30PM-7:26 PM
BORN BONE BORN
JP
DOL
5:45PM-7:09 PM
SHE SHEARS
NZ
DOL
5:45PM-7:43 PM
MA'OHI NUI, IN THE HEART OF THE OCEAN MY COUNTRY LIES
BE
DOL
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11 11:00 AM-9:00 PM
VARIOUS
SALT
11:30 AM-12:57 PM CHEF FLYNN
US
DOL
11:30 AM-1:07 PM
ADULTHOOD
KR
DOL
12:00PM-1:34 PM
STOKE
US
DOL
12:30PM-1:45 PM
SECRET SCREENING
US
DOL
1:00PM-2:44 PM
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE
FJ, PF, ID, US
DOL 6:00PM-8:04 PM
WRATH OF SILENCE
CN
DOL
1:15PM-2:48 PM
SHARKWATER EXTINCTION CA
DOL
6:15PM-7:40 PM
KILLING
JP
DOL
1:30PM-3:35 PM
ASAKO I & II
JP
DOL
7:30PM-9:48 PM
EVERYBODY KNOWS
ES
DOL
1:30PM-3:11 PM
I USED TO BE NORMAL: A AU BOYBAND FANGIRL STORY
DOL
7:45PM-9:21 PM
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM US
DOL
8:00PM-9:06 PM
THIS AND NOTHING ELSE: US RED BULL WA'A + SURFING TO COPE
DOL
VR LOUNGE
2:15PM-3:37 PM
ANOTE'S ARK
CA
DOL
2:45PM-4:23 PM
CALL HER GANDA
PH, US
DOL
3:30PM-4:53 PM
MY HERO'S SHADOW
US
DOL
8:15PM-10:27 PM INUYASHIKI
JP
DOL
8:15PM-9:53 PM
UK, US
DOL
KH
DOL
GENERAL MAGIC
3:30PM-5:32 PM
FOR LOVE'S SAKE
JP
DOL
3:45PM-5:38 PM
OHANA MEANS... SHORTS
VARIOUS
DOL
4:00PM-6:05 PM
DISNEY'S MOANA 'OLELO HAWAI'I
US
DOL
4:00PM-6:10 PM
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
CO
DOL
2:30PM-5:12 PM
HUSBAND MATERIAL
IN
DOL
3:00PM-4:45 PM
3 FACES
IR
DOL
8:30PM-10:08 PM THE PREY
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
5:00PM-6:40 PM
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
CN, US
DOL
3:00PM-5:18 PM
EVERYBODY KNOWS
ES
DOL
5:45PM-7:15 PM
HEAVY WATER
US
DOL
3:30PM-4:52 PM
ANOTE'S ARK
CA
DOL
6:00PM-7:55 PM
ON YOUR WEDDING DAY
KR
DOL
5:30PM-7:15 PM
SONG LANG
VN
DOL
6:15PM-8:00 PM
3 FACES
IR
DOL
5:45PM-7:26 PM
LONG TIME NO SEA
TW
DOL
6:30PM-8:02 PM
THE EMPTY HANDS
HK
DOL
5:45PM-7:30 PM
EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY
JP
DOL
6:30PM-8:37 PM
SINK OR SWIM
FR
DOL
6:00PM-7:34 PM
ACM UHM NIGHT
US
DOL
KR
DOL
6:15PM-7:55 PM
EMU RUNNER
AU
DOL
8:00PM-10:25 PM LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO CN NIGHT
DOL
6:30PM-8:00 PM
HEAVY WATER
US
DOL
7:45PM-9:50 PM
ASAKO I & II
JP
DOL
8:30PM-10:15 PM THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS
JP
DOL
8:00PM-10:11 PM FENGSHUI
KR
DOL
8:30PM-10:41 PM THE BLOOD OF WOLVES
JP
8:15PM-9:51 PM
THE SWEET REQUIEM
DOL
IN
DOL
8:45PM-10:38 PM BORDER
DK
DOL
8:30PM-9:45 PM
SHANGHAI FILM ACADEMY CN SHOWCASE
9:00PM-11:12 PM GATAO: RISE OF THE KING
TW
DOL
8:00PM-10:10 PM THE WITCH: PART 1. THE SUBVERSION
DOL
8:30PM-10:37 PM KILLING FOR THE PROSECUTION
JP
DOL
8:45PM-10:26 PM ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
JP
DOL
HIFF .ORG  11
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
3:15PM-4:50 PM
UNITED SKATES
US
DOL
3:45PM-5:25 PM
HOUSE OF MY FATHERS
LK
DOL
1:15PM-2:56 PM
LONG TIME NO SEA
TW
DOL
4:00PM-5:20 PM
AUGUST AT AKIKO'S
US
DOL
3:00PM-4:58 PM
MA'OHI NUI, IN THE HEART OF THE OCEAN MY COUNTRY LIES
BE
DOL
5:30PM-7:35 PM
RECALL
JP
DOL
5:45PM-7:14 PM
FICTION & OTHER REALITIES
KR
DOL
3:15PM-4:53 PM
GENERAL MAGIC
UK, US
DOL
6:00PM-8:06 PM
HERSTORY
KR
DOL
3:30PM-4:53 PM
MY HERO'S SHADOW
US
DOL
6:00PM-7:51 PM
THE ROPE CURSE
TW
DOL
3:45PM-5:36 PM
MEMORIES OF MY BODY
ID
DOL
6:15PM-8:17 PM
FOR LOVE'S SAKE
JP
DOL
5:30PM-7:02 PM
THE EMPTY HANDS
HK
DOL
6:45PM-8:26 PM
HAPPY TOGETHER
HK
DOL
5:30PM-7:29 PM
50 FIRST KISSES
JP
DOL
8:00PM-9:32 PM
INVENTING TOMORROW
US
DOL
5:45PM-7:30 PM
MIRAI
JP
DOL
8:00PM-9:48 PM
VARIOUS
DOL
6:00PM-8:09 PM
LAST CHILD
KR
DOL
PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS
6:00PM-7:39 PM
MADE IN HAWAII SHORTS
US
DOL
8:15PM-9:56 PM
HANALEI BAY
JP, US
DOL
6:15PM-7:55 PM
HOUSE OF MY FATHERS
LK
DOL
8:30PM-10:50 PM THE GREAT BATTLE
KR
DOL
7:45PM-10:10 PM LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO CN NIGHT
DOL
8:45PM-11:10 PM YOCHO (FOREBODING)
JP
DOL
9:00PM-10:53 PM BORDER
DK
DOL
8:00PM-10:15 PM GREEN BOOK
US
DOL
8:00PM-9:20 PM
US
DOL
8:30PM-10:41 PM FENGSHUI
KR
DOL
8:30PM-10:12 PM IT'S BORING HERE, PICK ME UP
JP
DOL
8:45PM-11:00 PM INUYASHIKI
JP
DOL
AUGUST AT AKIKO'S
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17 11:00 AM-12:39 PM MADE IN HAWAII SHORTS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15
US
DOL
12:00PM-12:51 PM JOEL S. GOLDSMITH, THE US MAN AND HIS MESSAGE; PART 1 - CONSCIOUSNESS AND MEDITATION
DOL
12:30PM-2:13 PM
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
HK
DOL
12:45PM-2:30 PM
MIRAI
JP
DOL
12:45PM-2:45 PM
THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES
US
DOL
1:15PM-2:56 PM
THE THIRD WIFE
VN
DOL
1:30PM-3:38 PM
SUNSET IN MY HOMETOWN KR
DOL
2:00PM-4:15 PM
GREEN BOOK
US
DOL
DOL
2:45PM-4:42 PM
MANTO
IN
DOL
JP
DOL
3:00PM-5:12 PM
DOL
CHUNGKING EXPRESS WITH WONG KAR WAI
HK
DOL
THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY JP SHOTTAN
3:30PM-5:17 PM
BE THE CHANGE SHORTS
VARIOUS
DOL
7:00PM-8:23 PM
THE HUNGRY LION
JP
DOL
4:15PM-5:12 PM
JP
DOL
8:00PM-9:37 PM
MAUI'S HOOK
NZ
DOL
8:15PM-9:50 PM
UNITED SKATES
US
MODEST HEROES: PONOC SHORT FILMS THEATRE, VOL. 1
DOL
US
5:00PM-6:25 PM
GRIT
8:15PM-10:23 PM DESTROYER
ID
DOL
DOL
THE GREAT BATTLE
8:30PM-10:27 PM SAMURAI'S PROMISE
JP
5:15PM-7:35 PM
KR
DOL
DOL
SAMURAI'S PROMISE
9:00PM-10:38 PM THE PREY
KH
5:45PM-7:42 PM
JP
DOL
DOL
5:45PM-7:23 PM
TRANSMILITARY
US
DOL
6:00PM-8:07 PM
SINK OR SWIM
FR
DOL
2:45PM-4:09 PM
SHE SHEARS
NZ
DOL
3:00PM-4:45 PM
SONG LANG
VN
DOL
3:15PM-4:55 PM
EMU RUNNER
AU
DOL
3:30PM-5:28 PM
WISH YOU WERE HERE
CN, JP
DOL
3:45PM-5:21 PM
THE SWEET REQUIEM
IN
DOL
5:30PM-7:11 PM
THE THIRD WIFE
VN
DOL
6:00PM-8:08 PM
SUNSET IN MY HOMETOWN KR
6:00PM-7:15 PM
BLANK 13
6:30PM-8:17 PM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 1:00PM-3:03 PM
RIVER'S EDGE
JP
6:30PM-7:53 PM
THE HUNGRY LION
JP
DOL
DOL
7:00PM-8:25 PM
KILLING
JP
DOL
THE UNITY OF HEROES
CN
DOL
US
DOL
1:30PM-3:10 PM
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
CN, US
DOL
8:00PM-9:48 PM
2:45PM-4:22 PM
MAUI'S HOOK
NZ
DOL
8:00PM-10:02 PM IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
12  HIFF
FILM SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17
8:15PM-10:26 PM THE BLOOD OF WOLVES
JP
DOL
8:30PM-9:46 PM
KR
DOL
1:45PM-3:50 PM
FIRST LOVE
PH
WAI
8:45PM-10:30 PM THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS
JP
DOL
4:00PM-5:35 PM
UNITED SKATES
US
WAI
9:00PM-11:10 PM THE WITCH: PART 1. THE SUBVERSION
KR
6:00PM-8:02 PM
WACHIGAI-YA ITOSATO
JP
WAI
KR
WAI
THE RUNNING ACTRESS
DOL
8:15PM-10:26 PM FENGSHUI
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18 10:30 AM-12:30 PM THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES
US
DOL
10:45 AM-12:33 PM PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS
VARIOUS
DOL
10:45 AM-12:10 PM GRIT
ID
DOL
11:30 AM-1:30 PM
TBA
DOL
11:45 AM-1:45PM
TBA
DOL
12:00PM-2:12 PM
THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY JP SHOTTAN
DOL
1:00PM-2:55 PM
VOICES BEHIND BARBED WIRE
US
WAI
3:15PM-5:00 PM
MIRAI
JP
WAI
5:15PM-6:21 PM
THIS AND NOTHING ELSE: US RED BULL WA'A + SURFING TO COPE
WAI
7:00PM-8:40 PM
HANALEI BAY
JP
WAI
US
PAL
US
PAL
PH
PAL
US
PAL
BIG ISLAND SCHEDULE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29
1:00PM-2:56 PM
STILL HUMAN
HK
DOL
1:00PM-2:38 PM
TRANSMILITARY
US
DOL
1:15PM-2:44 PM
FICTION & OTHER REALITIES
KR
DOL
2:00PM-4:06 PM
HERSTORY
KR
DOL
2:15PM-4:00 PM
EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY
JP
DOL
2:45PM-4:26 PM
HANALEI BAY
JP, US
DOL
3:15PM-4:57 PM
IT'S BORING HERE, PICK ME UP
JP
DOL
3:30PM-5:39 PM
LAST CHILD
KR
DOL
1:00PM-2:39 PM
MADE IN HAWAII SHORTS
US
PAL
EATING UP EASTER
CL, US
PAL
6:30PM-9:03 PM
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 6:00PM-7:32 PM
INVENTING TOMORROW
8:15PM-10:20 PM FIRST LOVE
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 10:45AM-12:26PM WAKE
3:30PM-5:06 PM
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM US
DOL
3:30PM-4:50 PM
4:30PM-6:11 PM
WAKE
US
DOL
5:30PM-6:50 PM
AUGUST AT AKIKO'S
US
PAL
7:30PM-9:26 PM
BORN BONE BORN
JP
PAL
5:00PM-7:05 PM
RECALL
JP
DOL
5:30PM-7:34 PM
WRATH OF SILENCE
CN
DOL
5:30PM-7:30 PM
TBA
6:00PM-8:05 PM
FIRST LOVE
PH
DOL
6:30PM-9:03 PM
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE.
US
HTC
7:00PM-9:00 PM
TBA
7:30PM-9:25 PM
VOX LUX
DOL
DOL US
8:00PM-10:00 PM TBA 8:15PM-9:31 PM
THE RUNNING ACTRESS
8:30PM-10:55 PM YOCHO (FOREBODING)
KR
DOL
JP
DOL
6:15PM-7:35PM
EATING UP EASTER
PAL
5:15PM-6:21 PM
THIS AND NOTHING ELSE: US RED BULL WA'A + SURFING TO COPE
PAL
7:00PM-8:34 PM
STOKE
US
PAL
US
MACC
1:00PM-2:33 PM
SHARKWATER EXTINCTION CA
MACC
3:00PM-4:59 PM
50 FIRST KISSES
JP
MACC
CA
MACC
MAUI SCHEDULE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30 6:30PM-9:03 PM
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1
US
WAI
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 1:30PM-2:52 PM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 8:00PM-10:02 PM FOR LOVE'S SAKE
US
DOL
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15 MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE.
VOICES BEHIND BARBED WIRE
DOL
KAUAI SCHEDULE 6:30PM-9:03 PM
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 1:00PM-2:55 PM
US
WAI
JP
WAI
ANOTE'S ARK
HIFF .ORG 13
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
PRESENTING SPONSOR
MAJOR SPONSORS
PREMIERE SPONSORS
14  HIFF
SPONSORS
FESTIVAL SPONSORS DAVIS •
EVIN IVINGSTON ATTORNEYS
MEDIA SPONSORS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MAHALO THE PROGRAM IS PRESENTED IN PART BY AN AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS Josie & Don Over Memorial Fund at Hawaii Community Foundation McInerny Foundation NEXTDOOR HAWAII Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) ‘Ulu’ulu: The Henry Ku’ualoha Guigni Moving Image Archive of Hawaii G.N. Wilcox Trust
HIFF .ORG 15
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
MADE IN HAWAII FILM AWARDS HIFF will present the second annual MADE IN HAWAII FILM AWARD this year to continue our focus on the dynamic and flourishing local independent film scene that strives onward here in the Hawaiian Islands. Fiction, Non-fiction and short films that are made by locally-based filmmakers or involve locally-based stories are spread out throughout the 2018 film program to stand alongside works from around the world. HIFF's decision to include this competition was an easy one, as the Festival has an illustrious history of providing a forum for Hawaii-made films for its 38 year history. As the media landscape changes, along with the democratization of ‘filmmaking’
itself via digital technology, the rise of local cinema artists has drastically increased. At the same time, creative content produced by indigenous people around the world, including Native Hawaiians, is on the rise. With this in mind, the intent of the MADE IN HAWAII FILM AWARD is to provide accolades to films that our esteemed jury feel offer significant representation of stories that authentically reflect the unique, yet universal experiences of ourselves. The Made In Hawaii section is presented by the Hawai’i Film Office. The cash awards for the Made In Hawaii Award Winners will be presented by the Nichols Family Film Fund.
2018 BEST MADE IN HAWAII FEATURE NOMINEES
AUGUST AT AKIKO’S
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE.
DIRECTOR: CHRISTOPHER YOGI
DIRECTOR: AARON LIEBER
WORLD PREMIERE
See page 22 for details.
See page 22 for details.
DIRECTOR: NA’ALEHU ANTHONY See page 20 for details.
MY HERO’S SHADOW
STOKE
T-SHIRT THEATRE PRESENTS: KIPUKA
WORLD PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
DIRECTOR: JUSTIN YOUNG
DIRECTOR: ZOE EISENBERG, PHILLIPS PAYSON
DIRECTOR: JEREMIAH TAYAO
See page 37 for details.
See page 42 for details.
See page 43 for details.
2018 BEST MADE IN HAWAII SHORT NOMINEES HAE HAWAII
KAUMAKAIWA
THE MOON AND THE NIGHT SIX HUNDRED LUX
FESTIVAL PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
FESTIVAL PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
THIS AND NOTHING ELSE: REDBULL WA’A
DIRECTOR: TY SANGA
DIRECTOR: BRADLEY TANGONAN
DIRECTOR: ERIN LAU
DIRECTOR: KOA SAN LUIS
HAWAII PREMIERE
KALEWA
MAUKA TO MAKAI
SHORELINE
SURFING TO COPE
FESTIVAL PREMIERE
FESTIVAL PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
See page 44 for details.
DIRECTOR: MITCHEL VIERNES
DIRECTOR: ALIKA MAIKAU
DIRECTORS: BRANDI MARTIN
DIRECTOR: KATIE WALSH
See page 49 for details.
See page 49 for details.
See page 49 for details.
See page 49 for details.
See page 49 for details.
16 HIFF
See page 49 for details.
See page 49 for details.
See page 44 for details.
DIRECTOR: MARC LEVY, JUSTIN MITCHELL, MARC SALOMON
AWARDS
KAU KA HŌKŪ AWARD HIFF was an annual stop for the Pulitzer winning film critic Roger Ebert, who hailed the festival as “a showcase for emerging filmmakers from the Asia and Pacific Rim.” The KAU KA HŌKŪ will be awarded to an emerging filmmaker (first or second feature film). Both fiction and non-fiction feature films will be nominated by the festival programmers and adjudicated by an international jury.
2018 KAU KA HŌKŪ NOMINEES
AUGUST AT AKIKO’S
GRIT
HOUSE OF MY FATHERS
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
DIRECTOR: CHRISTOPHER YOGI
DIRECTOR(S): SASHA FRIEDLANDER, CYNTHIA WADE
DIRECTOR: SUBA SIVAKUMARAN
THE HUNGRY LION
LAST CHILD
LEITIS IN WAITING
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
DIRECTOR: TAKAOMI OGATA
DIRECTOR: SHIN DONG-SEOK
DIRECTOR(S): DEAN HAMER, JOE WILSON
MAUI’S HOOK
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
THE RUNNING ACTRESS
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
DIRECTOR: TE OTI TAKARANGI JOSEPH PAORA
DIRECTOR: HAO WU
DIRECTOR: MOON SO-RI
THE THIRD WIFE
TRANSMILITARY
See page 22 for details.
See page 31 for details.
See page 30 for details.
See page 31 for details.
See page 36 for details.
HAWAII PREMIERE
DIRECTOR: ASH MAYFAIR See page 44 for details.
See page 34 for details.
See page 38 for details.
See page 35 for details.
See page 40 for details.
HAWAII PREMIERE
DIRECTOR(S): FIONA DAWSON, GABE SILVERMAN See page 45 for details.
HIFF .ORG 17
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
HONOREES
HIFF HONOREES MAVERICK AWARD PRESENTED BY HALEKULANI: AWKWAFINA Awkwafina is an American actress, writer, rapper and musician from Queens, New York. Awkwafina, whose given name is Nora Lum, brings an impressive range of talent peppered with her signature flair, and has become a major breakout talent of summer 2018 with her co-starring roles in OCEAN’S 8 and CRAZY RICH ASIANS. Noted for the satire of her hilarious original music, Awkwafina became an internet sensation in 2012 with her viral video “My Vag.” Her first book, Awkwafina’s NYC, a travel guide to New York, was published by Penguin Random House in 2015. Lum is currently developing a scripted series with Comedy Central. She is the second Asian American woman to ever host Saturday Night Live. A true multi-hyphenate, Lum is dominating all media, breaking the glass ceiling not only for women, but also Asian Americans. She is a true maverick and changing the game on her own terms.
MAVERICK AWARD PRESENTED BY HALEKULANI: STEVEN YEUN For seven seasons, Steven Yeun was the breakout star in post-apocalyptic television series THE WALKING DEAD, which became a global phenomenon. Portraying former pizza deliverer Glenn, Yun became a fan favorite and game changer for Asian American males on television, romancing farm girl Maggie, becoming the heart of the series. His character’s shocking death in the Season 7 premiere shook the audience to its core and the fandom was never the same. Yeun would go onto feature film work, working with international auteurs and eclectic up-and-comers in a wide range of genres — He was the lead in the slasher satire MAYHEM for Joe Lynch as his first post-THE WALKING DEAD role. He would also co-star in the Sundance favorite SORRY TO BOTHER YOU directed by Boots Riley, which was released this summer. As a Korean American, however, Yeun went back to his roots to work with South Korea’s greatest directors—As Korean American activist K in Bong Joon-ho’s OKJA and as Seoul playboy Ben in Lee Chang-dong’s BURNING. Both films had their world premieres at the Cannes Film Festival. Crafting an eclectic career that vacillates between arthouse and fandom culture, HIFF is honored to present Steven Yeun with this year’s Maverick Award.
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: MOON SO-RI Dubbed the “Meryl Streep” of South Korea, Moon So-ri is one of the most acclaimed Asian actresses of her generation, starring in seminal award winning films that are benchmarks in ‘hallyu’ or the Korean Wave of cinema in the 2000s. Working with auteur Lee Chang-dong in her powerful debut PEPPERMINT CANDY (1999) and OASIS (2002), she received great acclaim for her raw performance as a woman with cerebral palsy, winning the Marcello Mastroianni Award at the Venice Film Festival. For the next decade, Moon would work with arthouse auteurs like Hong Sang-soo (HA HA HA, IN ANOTHER COUNTRY) Im Sang-soo (THE GOOD LAWYER’S WIFE) and the sports sleeper hit FOREVER THE MOMENT. Wanting to spread her artistic wings, Moon would enroll as a film student at Chung-Ang University, which is an unusual move for a South Korean actress, especially someone as lauded and famous as her. Her graduate degree made her into a full-fledged filmmaker and a great one at that, with her graduate films becoming the feature-length omnibus THE RUNNING ACTRESS, which is part Hong Sang-soo and part Larry David, as the films star Moon as herself, a forty-something actress navigating through the Korean film industry. It’s a daring and inventive mid-career move for an artist who is truly at the top of her game, constantly reinventing herself.
PIC TRAILBLAZER AWARD: HEPERI MITA Born into a movie making family, a career in the film industry was inescapable for director Heperi “Hepi” Mita - not that he didn't try. His media career began in 2007, working in online journalism for the pulitzer prize winning Las Vegas Sun newspaper. He returned to his home country of Aotearoa / New Zealand in 2011, following the death of his mother - indigenous filmmaking pioneer Merata Mita (UTU), who was also an educator and mentor on the inaugural staff of the UH Manoa Academy for Creative Media (ACM). Back in New Zealand, it was here that Hepi began his career as an archivist with Ngˉa Taonga sound and vision, the nation's film archive. The combination of these experiences culminated in his directorial debut with documentary MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONISED THE SCREEN, which world premiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival this past summer. HIFF will present the Hawaii premiere of this film at Spring Showcase 2019. As the mantle bearer of his mother’s legacy, Hepi continues to be a beacon for Maori and indigenous filmmakers and media, perpetuating this legacy for generations to come.
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FILM PROGRAM
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HIFF .ORG 19
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
OPENING NIGHT FILM
SHADOW HAWAII PREMIERE
OPENING NIGHT FILM CHINA 2018 | CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 116M DIRECTOR: ZHANG YIMOU 8-NOV 8:00 PM DOL Chinese auteur and HIFF favorite Zhang Yimou returns to the screen with an explosive tale of intrigue and action set within the warring 'Three Kingdoms.' A wild and ambitious ruler, his loyal but cunning commander, and a double he's set up as insurance play games of deceit as war rages through their kingdom. Swapping his color palette for an aesthetic largely inspired by the ancient Chinese painting tradition of ink brush, Zhang brings this aesthetic to the big screen in a ravishing film reminiscent of his classics HERO and THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER. The result is a hybrid film that begins abstractly and segues into breathtaking action scenes of epic scale that must be experienced on the big screen!
CENTERPIECE FILM
GREEN BOOK HAWAII PREMIERE
CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 130M DIRECTOR: PETER FARRELLY 14-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 17-NOV 2:00 PM DOL When Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism, danger—as well as unexpected humanity and humor—they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime. GREEN BOOK won the coveted Audience Award at the recent Toronto Film Festival. Produced by Jim Burke (THE DESCENDANTS, HIFF 2012) and directed by Peter Farrelly.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE. WORLD PREMIERE
CLOSING NIGHT FILM UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 148M DIRECTOR: NA'ALEHU ANTHONY 18-NOV 6:30 PM HTC 15-NOV 6:30 PM WAI (KAUAI) • 29-NOV 6:30 PM PAL (HILO) • 30-NOV 6:30 PM MAC (MAUI) In 1976, a voyaging canoe sparked a cultural revival that quickly spread throughout Polynesia, breathing life into ancient myths and legends. More than four decades later, Hˉokˉule’a continues to inspire a new generation of navigators and voyagers to ˉ gather their courage and sail beyond the horizon of the Pacific. MOANANUIAKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE. celebrates the historic Worldwide Voyage that connected countless communities from around the globe. A voyage that also represented the fulfillment of the vision of Nainoa Thompson and his contemporaries, the passing of the mantle to the next generation of kˉanaka maoli who will retain the skills of their ancestors and perpetuate this tradition for generations to come. HIFF is honored to present this engaging film as the Closing Night Presentation.
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FILM PROGRAM
3 FACES
50 FIRST KISSES
HAWAII PREMIERE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
AWARDS BUZZ
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
IRAN 2018 | FARSI, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 100M DIRECTOR: JAFAR PANAHI
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 114M DIRECTOR: YUICHI FUKUDA
11-NOV 6:15 PM DOL • 13-NOV 3:00 PM DOL
9-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 14-NOV 5:30 PM DOL
Acclaimed rebel filmmaker Jafar Panahi evades his filmmaking ban and casts his eye to the fate of young women in rural Iran. After an alarming video is sent to an actress Behnaz Jafari by a distressed rural teenager, she and Panahi travel to her country town to check on her wellbeing, but as their road trip develops the quest for the girl undulates into a portrait of the everyday realities of Iranian country life.
01-DEC 3:00 PM MAC (MAUI)
ADULTHOOD
ANOTE'S ARK
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
PACIFIC SHOWCASE
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 92M DIRECTOR: KIM IN-SEON
CANADA 2018 | ENGLISH | 77M DIRECTOR: MATTHIEU RYTZ
10-NOV 6:45 PM DOL • 11-NOV 11:30 AM DOL
11-NOV 2:15 PM DOL • 13-NOV 3:30 PM DOL
Following the death of her father, 14-year-old Kyung-Un meets her uncle for the first time and is suspicious of his motives, but after he loses her inheritance to a loan shark, joins him on a con to earn it back. An offbeat comedy-drama from first-time director Kim In-Seon, ADULTHOOD banks on its talented cast to form a satisfying reflection on trust and the importance of family.
2-DEC 1:30 PM MACC (MAUI)
Meeting the woman of your dreams in Hawaii is a blessing until you discover she has short-term memory loss and forgets everything the next day. Does this plot sound familiar? Because it is! The Japanese remake of the rom-com 50 FIRST DATES. Takayuki Yamada is Daisuke, a womanizing travel agent. The object of his affections, Rui (Masami Nagasawa), is an art teacher living with her father and brother, who try to preserve the illusion that nothing has changed since the day of the accident that caused her amnesia.
Threatened with total destruction by rising sea levels, the low-lying pacific nation of Kiribati is poised to be one of the first catastrophic victims of climate change. Set against the backdrop of international climate negotiations, ANOTE'S ARK follows the country's president as he fights to have climate displacement recognised as an urgent human rights issue, and to find a lasting home for his people and 4,000 years of their culture.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
ASAKO I & II
ASH IS PUREST WHITE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 120M DIRECTOR: RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI
CHINA 2018 | MANDARIN CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 141M DIRECTOR: JIA ZHANGKE
11-NOV 1:30 PM DOL • 13-NOV 7:45 PM DOL
9-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 10-NOV 11:15 AM DOL
Asako falls madly in love with Baku (Masahiro Higashide), but one day he suddenly disappears. Two years later, she meets his perfect double, Ryohei. They fall in love and move in together, but memories of Baku continue to haunt their seemingly perfect relationship. An official selection of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, ASAKO I & II is the newest film from Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, the acclaimed director of HAPPY HOUR.
Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke's most serious foray into the gangster genre since A TOUCH OF SIN, is a winding tale of love, disillusionment and survival. Spanning twenty years in the life of Qiao, a young gangster's moll to Bin, who in a means to protect him from a rival gang's attack, shoots a gun in the air. She is soon sent to prison. Five years later, Qiao is released and goes looking for him only to realize the world has radically changed and left her behind.
AUGUST AT AKIKO'S
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
MADE IN HAWAII
MADE IN HAWAII
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 75M DIRECTOR: CHRISTOPHER MAKOTO YOGI
FIJI, FRENCH POLYNESIA, INDONESIA, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 99M DIRECTOR: AARON LIEBER
14-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 16-NOV 4:00 PM DOL
10-NOV 3:15 PM DOL • 11-NOV 1:00 PM DOL
01-DEC 5:30 PM PAL (HILO)
Bethany Hamilton is rewriting the rules on being a fearless athlete. This is the untold story of the heart of a champion and her resilience against all odds to become one of the leading professional surfers of our time. Follow her journey as a new mother chasing a toddler to chasing the biggest waves on her quest to be the best, bringing new power to the phrase #SurfsLikeAGirl. When you don't know how to stop you become unstoppable.
Armed with just his suitcase and a sax, cosmopolitan musician Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches, Last Lizard) returns home to the Big Island having been away for nearly a decade. Amidst possessed sax solos and brooding strolls, Alex stumbles upon a Buddhist bed & breakfast run by a woman named Akiko (Akiko Masuda). Hungtai's wild sax and Akiko's Buddhist bells form the base for a rich soundtrack that wraps around the audience like a sonic web surrounding the unexpected new friendship.
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FILM PROGRAM
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
GREEN SCREEN
AWARDS BUZZ
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 91M DIRECTOR: JOHN CHESTER
COLOMBIA 2018 | SPANISH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 125M DIRECTOR: CRISTINA CALLEGO, CIRO GUERRA
12-NOV 7:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 3:30 PM DOL
11-NOV 4:00 PM DOL • 12-NOV 4:45 PM DOL
John and Molly are living the dream of leaving city life behind and getting back to nature on their own organic farm, but as the harsh realities of farm life collide with their ideals they must find new ways of adapt to their environment. A fascinating, playful and inspirational glimpse into the trials of going back to nature, BIGGEST LITTLE FARM imagines a hopeful alternative to industrial agriculture.
BIRDS OF PASSAGE chronicles the origins of the Colombian drug trade, as seen through eyes of an indigenous Wayuu family that becomes involved in the booming business of selling marijuana to American youth in the 1970s. When greed, passion and honor collide, a fratricidal war breaks out and puts their lives, culture and ancestral traditions at stake. The follow-up to Ciro Guerra's EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT, with co-directing credit by Cristina Gallego, this drug war epic is a sprawling tale of drugs, dowries and indigenous traditions.
BLANK 13
THE BLOOD OF WOLVES
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 70M DIRECTOR: TAKUMI SAITOH
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 126M DIRECTOR: KAZUYA SHIRAISHI
15-NOV 6:00PM DOL
11-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 17-NOV 8:15 PM DOL
Thirteen years after abandoning his wife and two sons by stepping out for a pack of cigarettes and never returning, deadbeat gambler Masato dies of stomach cancer. At his funeral, a motley crew of fellow mahjong players, pachinko parlor employees and former drinking buddies gather to pay their respects and tell stories, revealing aspects of Masato's life that complicate his sons' resentment towards him. The feature directorial debut of actor Takumi Saitoh, BLANK 13 is one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2017.
Koji Yakusho returns with one of the best performances of the year in Kazuya Shiraishi's gangster crime drama THE BLOOD OF WOLVES. Its 1988 Hiroshima, and tough guy cop Ogami (Yakusho) has a unique way of managing the local yakuza. Skirting the line of legality and morality, he maintains the peace by maintaining an 'in' with the local syndicates. But when a local man goes missing, it threatens to trigger off open gang warfare beyond Ogami's control.
HIFF .ORG 23
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
BORDER HAWAII PREMIERE
BORN BONE BORN NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
DENMARK 2018 | SWEDISH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 108M DIRECTOR: ALI ABBASI
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 111M DIRECTOR: TOSHIYUKI TERUYA
11-NOV 8:45 PM DOL • 16-NOV 9:00 PM DOL
10-NOV 12:45 PM DOL • 12-NOV 5:30 PM DOL
A timely reboot of Nordic supernatural folklore from the writer of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, this genre-blending neo-classic's main character is Tina, a lonely misfit, who is marginally accepted in society because of her olfactory skills as a customs officer. Apparently, she is one of a kind, genetically, until one day, she develops a strange attraction to the suspect she's investigating. The case's revelations soon call into question her entire existence.
01-DEC 7:30 PM PAL (HILO)
BREAKING THE BEE
CALL HER GANDA
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
DOCUMENTARIES
DOCUMENTARIES
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 96M DIRECTOR: SAM REGA
PHILIPPINES, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH, OTHER, TAGALOG, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 93M DIRECTOR: PJ RAVAL
10-NOV 4:30 PM DOL • 12-NOV 3:30 PM DOL BREAKING THE BEE chronicles the ups and downs of four Indian-American students as they compete to realize their dream of winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee and cement their place in the two-decade dynasty of Indian-Americans dominating the iconic competition. With expert commentary from CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Fareed Zakaria, ESPN's Kevin Negandhi, comedian Hari Kondabolu, 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner, Nupur Lala, and others, the film also offers an analysis into the perfect storm of events that contribute to the trend.
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Four years after their mother's death, the estranged children of the Shinjo family return to their home on Aguni Shima island in Okinawa to perform the traditional ritual of 'senkotsu' or 'bone-washing'. To everyone's surprise daughter Yuko arrives pregnant, and son Tsuyoshi mysteriously without his wife and children, while father Nobutsuna has been drowning his sorrows in alcohol. But just perhaps an ancient burial ritual is what the Shinjo family needs to heal their wounds and unite once again...
9-NOV 6:30 PM DOL • 11-NOV 2:45 PM DOL When Filipino trans-woman Jennifer Laude is found dead, all evidence points to a US marine private as her killer. However, as the marine is protected from Filipino law, the case forms a flashpoint in relations between the two countries and in international LGBT rights. Told with compassion and authority from the perspective of Jennifer's mother and attorney, CALL HER GANDA exposes the injustices of sexism, transphobia and national independence at the forefront of international debate.
FILM PROGRAM
CAPERNAUM
CHEF FLYNN
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
AWARDS BUZZ
EAT. DRINK. FILM.
LEBANON 2018 | LEBANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 121M DIRECTOR: NADINE LABAKI
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 82M DIRECTOR: CAMERON YATES
10-NOV 1:00PM DOL
9-NOV 6:15 PM DOL • 11-NOV 11:30 AM DOL
CAPERNAUM, which won the Cannes Jury Prize, is about Zain, a 12-year-old boy in Beirut who, embittered by his grim circumstances, reaches a breaking point. After his parents effectively sell his beloved 11-year old sister as a child bride, Zain runs away. But soon he is captured and sent to prison, from where he launches a lawsuit against his parents, suing them for being born - a legal stunt encouraged by a TV show as a way of publicizing the issue of child poverty.
While many of young Flynn McGarry's peers were playing video games, he was creating remarkable gastronomic delights far beyond his years. He loved to prepare elaborate dinners for friends and family and soon became known as the "Teen Chef," establishing his own supper club at age 12 and being featured in a New York Times Magazine cover story at age 15. With a trove of personal archival footage and new, intimate verité footage, director Cameron Yates creates a collage of Flynn's singular focus and distinctive path through childhood.
CHUNGKING EXPRESS WITH WONG KAR WAI COLD WAR SPECIAL PRESENTATION
HAWAII PREMIERE
FILMMAKER IN FOCUS: WONG KAR WAI
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
HONG KONG SAR CHINA 1994 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 102M DIRECTOR: WONG KAR WAI
POLAND 2018 | FRENCH, POLISH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 90M DIRECTOR: PAWEL PAWLIKOWSKI
15-NOV 6:30 PM DOL
10-NOV 8:45 PM DOL
Director Wong Kar Wai will be in attendance for this screening for a special extended Q&A. Dreamy Takeshi Kaneshiro feeling lonely and eating canned pineapple; "California Dreaming" and "Dreams" sung by Faye Wong; a mysterious Brigitte Lin with sunglasses at night on the run; Tony Leung pining over the flight attendant who vacated his heart - lost souls in the streets of Hong Kong. CHUNGKING EXPRESS, for many, was the entry point for Hong Kong arthouse cinema, with maestro Wong Kar Wai masterfully at the helm.
Following the ravages of World War II, a Polish folk troupe is formed to recapture the national spirit lost by years of trauma. A passionate love story set against the backdrop of 1950s Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia and Paris from Academy Award-winning director Pawel Pawlikowski (IDA), COLD WAR unites its stirring plot with breathtaking music to form one of the most poetically beautiful films of the year.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW SCREENING
DESTROYER
DISNEY'S MOANA 'OLELO HAWAI'I
HAWAII PREMIERE
MADE IN HAWAII
AWARDS BUZZ UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 123M DIRECTOR: KARYN KUSAMA 15-NOV 8:15 PM DOL As a young cop, Erin Bell went undercover to infiltrate a gang in the California desert -- with tragic results. When the leader of that gang re-emerges, Bell must work her way back through the remaining members while confronting her own demons. Nicole Kidman is unrecognizable as Bell today-grizzled, a heavy drinker, with sunken eyes. Her life is in ruins as the film slowly unravels the tragic events that destroyed her and the partner she left behind.
UNITED STATES 2017 | HAWAIIAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 120M DIRECTOR: RON CLEMENTS, JOHN MUSKER 11-NOV 4:00PM DOL A shortened, edited version of the translated Hawaiian language Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Moana" will be screened at HIFF 2018. A panel discussion will follow describing the process of translating the film. The movie features Annie Award-winning Auli'i Cravalho, UH Mˉanoa student Christopher Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker as Maui, multi-platinum recording artist Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Kelikokauaikekai Hoe as Ali'i Tui, Kalehuapuake'ula Kawa'a as Puna Tala, Kamakakehau Fernandez as Tamatoa, and 24 locally cast 'ˉolelo Hawai'i speaking actors and singers.
DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW SCREENING
EATING UP EASTER WORLD PREMIERE
PACIFIC SHOWCASE | FILM FOR THOUGHT CHILE, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH, TAHITIAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 75M DIRECTOR: SERGIO M. RAPU For tickets and information visit:
HIFF.ORG/AWARDSGALA
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9-NOV 5:30 PM DOL • 10-NOV 11:00 AM DOL 16-NOV 6:15 PM WAI (KAUAI) • 01-DEC 3:30 PM PAL (HILO) Rapa Nui (Easter Island) straddles the fault line between local identity and the opportunities presented by globalism. As the local economy is subjugated by the demands of tourism, locals must contend with the contrasting expectations of indigenous culture and Western industrial capitalism amidst the fear that old practices are not valued or protected unless performed for visitors. TE PITO O TE HENUA is a timely reminder of the challenges facing indigenous peoples maintaining their culture while surviving in the modern world.
FILM PROGRAM
THE EMPTY HANDS
EMU RUNNER
HAWAII PREMIERE
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON HONG KONG
PACIFIC SHOWCASE
HONG KONG SAR CHINA 2017 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 87M DIRECTOR: CHAPMAN TO
AUSTRALIA 2018 | ENGLISH | 95M DIRECTOR: IMOGEN THOMAS
11-NOV 6:30 PM DOL • 14-NOV 5:30 PM DOL
13-NOV 6:15 PM DOL • 15-NOV 3:15 PM DOL
Mari Hirakawa is the daughter of a Karate coach. Since her childhood, she has resented Karate--her only wish to one day sell the dojo. But following his death, she discovers that half of the dojo has been left to one of his pupils, Chan Keung (Chapman To). The two clash, but Chan has a unique proposition: if Mari is able to win a match in a martial arts competition, he will give her his share of the property...
A lyrical story about the impact a mother's death has on an Aboriginal family living in an isolated community perched on an ancient river. The story is seen through the eyes of Gem, a spirited 8-year-old girl, who deals with the grief of her mother's death by forging a bond with a wild emu, a mythical bird of her ancestors. This spiritual dreaming is a bond she will do anything to keep, but one that puts her at odds with the new social worker.
EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY
EVERYBODY KNOWS
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
EAT. DRINK. FILM.
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 100M DIRECTOR: TATSUSHI OMORI
SPAIN 2018 | SPANISH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 133M DIRECTOR: ASGHAR FARHADI
13-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 2:15 PM DOL
12-NOV 7:30 PM DOL • 13-NOV 3:00 PM DOL
University student Noriko (Haru Kuroki) feels aimless, unlike her best friend Michiko who seems to have it all together, and when her mother suggests the two spend their Summer learning tea ceremony from a local teacher, she balks. But when the girls meet Teacher Takeda (Kiki Kirin) they quickly realize there is much more to 'tea' than meets the eye, setting off transformative journey into the heart of tradition, connection, and family.
Laura (Penélope Cruz) and her children travel from Buenos Aires to the village where she was born in Spain to attend her sister's wedding. There, she is reunited with friends and family she grew up with, including Paco (Javier Bardem). However, unexpected events lead the gathering toward a crisis that exposes the family's hidden past. Oscar winning Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi (A SEPARATION), lenses this film in sun-dappled leisure, but soon uncovers a dark morass of secrets and lies beneath.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES
FENGSHUI
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
DOCUMENTARIES
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 115M DIRECTOR: MARK COUSINS
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 126M DIRECTOR: PARK HEE-KON
17-NOV 12:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 10:30 AM DOL
13-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 14-NOV 8:30 PM DOL
Director Mark Cousins dives deep into the visual world of legendary director/ actor Orson Welles to reveal a portrait of the artist as he's never been seen before. Pouring through a cineaste's treasure trove that is Orson Welles's personal archives, Cousins discovers thousands of drawings, paintings and scribbles throughout Welles's life and crafts a mirror timeline of his artwork and how it reflected and informed his cinematic creative process. This fascinating perspective caps HIFF's special sidebar on the life of a true cinematic giant.
17-NOV 8:15 PM WAI (KAUAI)
FICTION & OTHER REALITIES
FIRST LOVE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SOUND X VISION
SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOWCASE
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 84M DIRECTOR: BOBBY CHOY, STEVE LEE
PHILIPPINES 2018 | TAGALOG, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 120M DIRECTOR: PAUL SORIANO
16-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 1:15 PM DOL
18-NOV 6:00 PM DOL
Budding musician Bobby Choy, a Korean-American in NYC, feels like a stranger in his own country. After his father's death, he starts writing sad songs, though he doesn't perform very often. Mostly he just practices in his bathtub. Bobby's friend Billy, offers him a job as a roadie for his band's tour, which includes a stop in Seoul. Bobby is hesitant, but decides to take the opportunity. There he meets Ina, a busker, who enchants him from first sight. Has Bobby found his true home?
17-NOV 1:45 PM WAI (KAUAI) - 30-NOV 8:15 PM PAL (HILO)
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A follow-up to the HIFF 2013 hit, THE FACE READER, FENG SHUI is Korean period drama at its best. Set in the Joseon period, the film follows a star Feng Shui master (Cho Seung-woo) who's fateful recommendation for a burial plot lands him on the wrong side of a murderous royal plot, leading to his banishment from the court. Years later he once again finds himself embroiled in a battle over a propitious site for a grave, bound to produce two kings...
Pinoy superstars Aga Muhlach and Bea Alonzo are paired on the big screen for the first time in director Paul Soriano’s latest romance drama FIRST LOVE. Ali (Alonzo) is a free spirit working in an indie bookstore in Vancouver, where she bumps into bumbling architect Nick (Muhlach) and there’s an immediate connection. Fate brings them back together and a coffee date soon blossoms into a budding romance. But Ali soon reveals that she has HCM or Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy—meaning, she needs a new heart.
FILM PROGRAM
FOR LOVE'S SAKE
GATAO: RISE OF THE KING
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
EAT. DRINK. FILM.
SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 117M DIRECTOR: NAOKI SEGI
TAIWAN ROC 2018 | CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 127M DIRECTOR: YEN CHENG-KUO
11-NOV 3:30 PM DOL • 16-NOV 6:15 PM DOL
10-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 11-NOV 9:00 PM DOL
16-NOV 8:00 PM WAI (KAUAI)
A throwback to the classic gangster genre, GATAO: RISE OF THE KING packs a punch from start to finish! When a former brother of gang boss Ren's returns to the Taipei streets, he has a new money-making scheme that doesn't sit well with Ren or the old guard. But as he takes over territory at lightning speed, it seems that no one—not even Ren—will stand in his way; setting the stage for an all out war.
Shiori is a star student with an incredible palate for wine who dreams of studying winemaking in France. However, to her dismay she is assigned to a rural sake brewery for her internship. To make matters worse, upon arrival she discovers that the brewery owners don't exactly want her around. But when the brewery owner falls ill, and his upstart son is forced to take the lead, Shiori may provide the spark that can save the brewery and change her own life in the process..
DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW SCREENING
GENERAL MAGIC
THE GREAT BATTLE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
FILM FOR THOUGHT
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 93M DIRECTOR: SARAH KERRUISH, MATT MAUDE
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 135M DIRECTOR: KIM KWANG-SIK
12-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 14-NOV 3:15 PM DOL
16-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 17-NOV 5:15 PM DOL
Fifteen years before the release of the iPhone, a startup in Silicone Valley designed a portable device to send messages, receive calls and organise one's life. The company responsible - General Magic - thought that they were changing the world, but turned out to be one of the greatest corporate failures of modern tech history. GENERAL MAGIC takes an inside look at the optimism and hubris fuelling the tech boom of the 1990s, and at the great minds behind today's technology.
With epic scale and breathtaking action, THE GREAT BATTLE tells the story of the Siege of Ansi, where Goguryeo forces held their fortress against 500,000 invading Tang soldiers in a battle that raged for eighty-eight days. Starring Zo In-sung in the lead as Yang Man-chun, this film tells the story of one of the greatest fights against all odds in Korean history.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
GRIT
HANALEI BAY
HAWAII PREMIERE
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
GREEN SCREEN
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
INDONESIA 2018 | BAHASA, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 80M DIRECTOR: SASHA FRIEDLANDER, CYNTHIA WADE
JAPAN, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH, JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: DAISHI MATSUNAGA
17-NOV 5:00 PM DOL • 18-NOV 10:45 AM DOL In 2006, sixteen villages in East Java were drowned in 60 feet of hot mud erupting violently from a failed drilling site. Ten years on, survivors are still fighting to take back their homes and receive compensation from the company responsible. Anchored by stunning cinematography, GRIT weaves a compelling story of loss and responsibility.
16-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 18-NOV 2:45 PM DOL 18-NOV 7:00 PM WAI (KAUAI) Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, comes a tale of loss and connection on the north shore of Kauai. Sachi's son dreamed of surfing in Hawaii, but when he's killed in an accident at Hanalei Bay, she can't fathom how to reconcile the sudden loss. Traveling to Kauai's north shore each year on the anniversary of his death, she seeks healing. When she befriends two Japanese boys her sons age at the Bay, this new connection may hold the key to grieving her loss.
HAPPY TOGETHER
HEAVY WATER
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
HAWAII PREMIERE
FILMMAKER IN FOCUS: WONG KAR WAI
DOCUMENTARIES
HONG KONG SAR CHINA 1997 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: WONG KAR WAI
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 85M DIRECTOR: MICHAEL OBLOWITZ
16-NOV 6:45 PM DOL
11-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 13-NOV 6:30 PM DOL
Lai (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his boyfriend, Ho (Leslie Cheung), arrive in Argentina from Hong Kong, seeking a better life. Their highly contentious relationship turns abusive and results in numerous break-ups and reconciliations. When Lai befriends another man, Chang (Chang Chen), he sees the futility of continuing with the promiscuous Ho. Chang, however, is on his own personal journey and, ultimately, both Lai and Ho find themselves far from home and desperately lonely.
HEAVY WATER takes a close look at surf legend Nathan Fletcher's relationship with big wave surfing, tracing his lineage back to his grandfather, one of the pioneers of Oahu's North Shore, and examining the consequences that Fletcher and his friends have faced in the pursuit of their passion for big waves. A journey through the eyes of the surfing community that delves deep into the mind-set of the big wave culture and its roots.
30 HIFF
FILM PROGRAM
HERSTORY
HOUSE OF MY FATHERS
FESTIVAL PREMIERE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 121M DIRECTOR: MIN KYU-DONG
SRI LANKA 2018 | SRI LANKAN, TAMIL, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 95M DIRECTOR: SUBA SIVAKUMARAN
16-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 18-NOV 2:00 PM DOL
14-NOV 6:15 PM DOL • 16-NOV 3:45 PM DOL
Moon Jung-sook runs a small travel agency that's recently hit some hard times, when she comes across an article about an elderly 'comfort' woman in the newspaper. Having a now empty office, and wanting to help, she sets up a call center for victims to come forward. Little does she know that this simple act will set the stage for an international legal fight. Based on a true story, HERSTORY is one of the most heart-wrenching, uplifting and inspiring films of the year.
Two Sri Lankan villages - one Tamil, one Sinhala - have been at war with each other for decades. When, on both sides, villagers become infertile, they receive a message from the gods. A Sinhala man and a Tamil woman are to be sent to an isolated place where they will find the secret to renew life. But only one of them will return. In the Forest of the Dead, Asoka and Ahalya will have to confront the secrets of their villages and their personal pasts.
THE HUNGRY LION
HUSBAND MATERIAL
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
SPOTLIGHT ON INDIA
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 78M DIRECTOR: TAKAOMI OGATA
INDIA 2018 | HINDI, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 157M DIRECTOR: ANURAG KASHYAP
15-NOV 7:00 PM DOL • 17-NOV 6:30 PM DOL
10-NOV 2:15 PM DOL • 13-NOV 2:30 PM DOL
Hitomi is a bubbly and popular high school student when one day while in class her homeroom teacher is abruptly dismissed and arrested. When a video is leaked online of the teacher having inappropriate relations with a student, a rumor begins to circulate that the student is Hitomi. Even though it clearly doesn't seem to be true, the rumor takes on a life of its own. A powerful critique of the sway of digital media in modern life, THE HUNGRY LION is a must-see.
Rummi is a free-spirited young woman. She lives with her family in Punjab, doing her best to be a good daughter. But youthful desires have led her to Vicky. With his impulsive nature, he's the excitement she wants. But, when he constantly disappoints her and is hesitant to propose, she agrees to an arranged marriage with a London-based banker. But Rummi keeps returning to Vicky. How long can they keep their trysts secret from her family and her new husband?
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
I USED TO BE NORMAL: A BOYBAND FANGIRL STORY HAWAII PREMIERE
SOUND X VISION AUSTRALIA 2018 | ENGLISH | 96M DIRECTOR: JESSICA LESKI 11-NOV 1:30 PM DOL • 12-NOV 3:00 PM DOL In this often hilarious but heartfelt documentary, the lives of four women from across the globe are radically changed by their deep love of boy bands in a fascinating, joyful exploration of intense fandom. From The Beatles to The Backstreet Boys and One Direction, boy bands across generations of popular culture will always hold a special place in the hearts of these women, mirroring the way many of us felt about the comic books, video games, or movies of our youth.
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK HAWAII PREMIERE
AWARDS BUZZ UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 117M DIRECTOR: BARRY JENKINS 17-NOV 8:00 PM DOL Fonny and Tish are in love, and this protects them from their respective families and the outside world until Fonny is falsely accused of rape. After his imprisonment, Tish finds out she is pregnant and she, her family, and her lawyer race against the clock to find evidence to free Fonny before the baby is born. Based on the James Baldwin novel, Barry Jenkins' follow-up to the Oscar Best Picture winner MOONLIGHT continues his exploration of the African American experience.
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
INTO THE OKAVANGO
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
HAWAII PREMIERE
FILMMAKER IN FOCUS: WONG KAR WAI
GREEN SCREEN
HONG KONG SAR CHINA 2000 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 98M DIRECTOR: WONG KAR WAI
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 88M DIRECTOR: NEIL GELINAS
17-NOV 12:30 PM DOL
10-NOV 2:30 PM DOL • 12-NOV 1:15 PM DOL
Set in Hong Kong, 1962, Chow Mo-Wan (Tony Leung) is a newspaper editor who moves into a new building with his wife. At the same time, Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), a beautiful secretary and her executive husband also move in to the crowded building. The two pass each other across the hall and a budding romance blooms, one that is unrequited but also deeply passionate in one of the most ravishingly shot films in Wong Kar Wai's filmography.
A passionate conservationist leads a four month expedition into the Okavango Basin—one of the largest remaining wilderness areas in Africa— to gather information about its illusive water source. A thrilling excursion into the wild balancing breathtaking scenery with the desolation of human actions in the aftermath of civil war.
32 HIFF
FILM PROGRAM
DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW SCREENING
INUYASHIKI
INVENTING TOMORROW
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
EXTREME ASIA | SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
FILM FOR THOUGHT
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 127M DIRECTOR: SHINSUKE SATO
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 87M DIRECTOR: LAURA NIX
12-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 14-NOV 8:45 PM DOL
16-NOV 8:00 PM DOL
Utterly forgettable salaryman Inuyashiki gets no respect from his colleagues or his family. His feelings of futility are compounded when his doctor informs him that he has terminal cancer. That night, Inuyashiki is involved in a freak accident which somehow transforms his body into a machine with superhuman powers. Simultaneously Shishigami, a high-school student, undergoes the same transformation. Shishigami uses his powers to hurt whoever crosses him, while Inuyashiki uses his powers to save them -- setting the two up for a showdown of epic proportions.
30-NOV 6:00 PM PAL (HILO)
IT'S BORING HERE, PICK ME UP
JOEL S. GOLDSMITH, THE MAN AND HIS MESSAGE
UNTIED STATES PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 97M DIRECTOR: RYUICHI HIROKI 14-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 18-NOV 3:15 PM DOL From veteran filmmaker Ryuichi Hiroki comes a touching drama about youthful dreams and growing up. 'I' (Ai Hashimoto) couldn't wait to leave her small town after high school and spent 10 years working in Tokyo. But the big city wasn't all its cracked up to be, and she's returned home to work at a local magazine. Picking up her best friend from school, they embark on a trip across town and down memory lane to find out what happened to the most popular boy in school.
Six high school students (including one from Hilo, Hawaii) travel to an international science competition with innovative solutions to pressing environmental problems facing their communities and the world. Hopeful, bright and inspiring, INVENTING TOMORROW puts our future in the hands of some seriously impressive kids.
HAWAII PREMIERE
MADE IN HAWAII UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 44M DIRECTOR: JOHN STEPHENSON 17-NOV 12:00 PM DOL Joel S. Goldsmith's "Infinite Way" message sowed the seeds of the spiritual revolutions that took place in America in the 1960s. He brought the words Consciousness and Meditation into the common lexicon, and his teaching inspired many contemporary spiritual and philosophical leaders like Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle and Marianne Williamson. This film shows Goldsmith's journey from an ordinary businessman in turn-of-the-century New York to the last decades of his life in Hawaii.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
KILLING
KILLING FOR THE PROSECUTION
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 80M DIRECTOR: SHINYA TSUKAMOTO
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 122M DIRECTOR: MASATO HARADA
12-NOV 6:15 PM DOL • 17-NOV 7:00 PM DOL
9-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 13-NOV 8:30 PM DOL
From cult film maestro Shinya Tsukamoto comes a dark take on the samurai drama. A young ronin appears in a farming village on his way through the countryside. Offering to help with the harvest, he is taken in by the farmers. Shortly thereafter an experienced samurai comes through town looking for men to join him on his way to Edo. The ronin accepts, but when a band of roaming thugs appears outside of the village, it may spell doom for both the ronin and the village...
Young Public Prosecutor Keiichiro Okino (Kazunari Ninomiya) is assigned to the department of Tokyo Public Prosecutors Office which deals with violent cases. He is thrilled to work with Takeshi Mogami (Takuya Kimura) whom he admires. One day, an elderly money lender is killed and the suspect who is identified, turns out to be a key witness from a teenage girl's murder years ago. Now questioning the results of the old murder case, Mogami becomes determined to prove the suspect guilty, but at what cost?
LAST CHILD
THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
SOUND X VISION
SOUTH KOREA 2017 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 124M DIRECTOR: SHIN DONG-SEOK
JAPAN 1985 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 100M DIRECTOR: MACOTO TEZUKA
14-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 18-NOV 3:30 PM DOL
11-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 17-NOV 8:45 PM DOL
Sung-cheol, and Mi-sook lost their teenage son in a tragic drowning accident when he died saving his friend Ki-hyun. Some time later, as the couple struggles to put their lives back together, they learn that Ki-hyun has been abandoned, and is living alone trying to make ends meet. What begins as a simple offer to help out Sung-cheol at his wallpaper business, turns into much more, as Ki-hyun increasingly becomes enmeshed in the couple's life.
Made in 1985 and never seen outside of Japan, this film is a crazy musical adventure that features anyone who was anyone in the '80s Japanese pop culture scene. The debut feature of director Macoto Tezuka, son of the legendary manga impresario Osamu Tezuka (ASTRO BOY). Inspired by PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE and ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, the film is the epitome of a cult classic, rediscovered and digitally restored 30 years later and ready to grace the screen in true midnight madness fashion!
34 HIFF
FILM PROGRAM
LEITIS IN WAITING HAWAII PREMIERE
LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT HAWAII PREMIERE
PACIFIC SHOWCASE
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA
TONGA 2018 | ENGLISH, TONGAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 72M DIRECTOR: DEAN HAMER, JOE WILSON, HINALEIMOANA WONG-KALU
CHINA 2018 | CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 140M DIRECTOR: BI GAN
10-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 12-NOV 3:15 PM DOL
11-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 14-NOV 7:45 PM DOL
Over the course of a year, LEITIS IN WAITING follows Joey, a devout Catholic of noble descent, as she organizes an exuberant beauty pageant, mentors a young contestant rejected by her family, garners the support of a Royal Princess, and spars with American-financed evangelicals threatening to resurrect colonial-era laws that would criminalize the leitis' lives. With unexpected humor and extraordinary access to the Kingdom's leaders, this emotional journey reveals what it means to be different in a society ruled by tradition.
Luo Hongwu returns to Kaili, the hometown from which he fled several years ago. He begins the search for the woman he loved (Tang Wei), and whom he has never been able to forget. Continuing his languorous noir motif, Bi Gan's second feature is the epitome of "slow cinema" that culminates in an incredible one shot take in 3-D. The young auteur stretches the parameters of narrative structure to create a feature length mood piece with a first person VR-like experience.
LONG TIME NO SEA
MA'OHI NUI, IN THE HEART OF THE OCEAN MY COUNTRY LIES
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN TAIWAN ROC 2018 | MANDARIN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: HEATHER TSUI 13-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 14-NOV 1:15 PM DOL Inspired by the personal experiences of Director Heather Tsui and her involvement with the the Yami people, LONG TIME NO SEA explores themes of indigenous identity and family traditions. A pair of new shoes, a cross-sea competition, and a tribesman of oceans are interwoven with a story of a child's emotional courage in pursuit of dreams. The film was 6 years in the making and is part love letter to the Yami people and a coming-of-age story with universal appeal.
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
PACIFIC SHOWCASE BELGIUM 2018 | TAHITIAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 113M DIRECTOR: ANNICK GHIJZELINGS 12-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 14-NOV 3:00 PM DOL The voice of an ancestor speaks to Tanaoa, a young Tahitian man in search of his people's identity. Reciting the history of the country and its people, the voice traces the country's past as a test site for French atomic weapons, the current struggle for land rights against colonial powers, and the future of the Ma'ohi, whose very way of life is under threat. MA'OHI NUI is a poetic, contemplative and visually-stunning journey through contemporary Tahiti.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
MANTO
MAUI'S HOOK
HAWAII PREMIERE
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON INDIA
PACIFIC SHOWCASE
INDIA 2018 | HINDI, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 112M DIRECTOR: NANDITA DAS
NEW ZEALAND 2018 | ENGLISH, MAORI, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 92M DIRECTOR: PAORA TE OTI TAKARANGI JOSEPH
17-NOV 2:45 PM DOL
15-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 16-NOV 2:45 PM DOL
A sweeping biopic, MANTO chronicles the life of Saadat Hasan Manto, a daring Urdu author, whose stories garnered acclaim and controversy during India's most tumultuous period. Beginning in 1946 during Indian independence, the film finds Manto mid-career, making a living as an author in Mumbai. But when tensions begin to rise between the Hindu and Muslim communities in the city, Manto must flee to Pakistan along with thousands of others. A move that will change Manto and the Indian people forever.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world, leaving thousands of families struggling to survive in the aftermath of their loss. Grounded by the experiences of five families reeling from the loss of loved ones, MAUI'S HOOK blurs documentary and drama to tackle the crisis head on in a heartfelt and moving meditation on family, grief and we leave behind.
MEMORIES OF MY BODY
THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY SHOTTAN
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOWCASE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
INDONESIA 2018 | INDONESIAN, JAVANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 106M DIRECTOR: GARIN NUGROHO
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 127M DIRECTOR: TOSHIAKI TOYODA
8-NOV 6:30 PM DOL • 14-NOV 3:45 PM DOL
Shogi, also known as 'Japanese chess', is a 1,000 year-old game of strategy steeped in history and tradition. Professional players are revered, and must endure a strict training process through what's known as the 'shore-kai' system, in order to 'go pro'. THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY SHOTTAN, tells the true story of Shoji 'Shottan' Segawa (Ryuhei Matsuda), the man who broke the rules, and turned the system on its head in order to become one of the greatest known professional players.
Juno is just a child when his father abandons him in their village. Alone now, he joins a dance center where men shape their feminine appearance and movement. But the sensuality and sexuality that come from dance and bodies, mixed with the violent social and political Indonesian environment, force Juno to move from village to village. Even if on his journey Juno receives love from his those around him, he still has to face the battlefield that his body is becoming.
36 HIFF
17-NOV 3:00 PM DOL • 18-NOV 12:00 PM DOL
FILM PROGRAM
MIRAI HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 100M DIRECTOR: MAMORU HOSODA
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14-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 17-NOV 12:45 PM DOL 18-NOV 3:15 PM WAI (KAUAI) When entitled only child Kun meets his newborn sister Mirai for the first time, he struggles to adapt to the new family dynamic. Everything changes when Kun discovers a magical portal in his garden and meets younger and older versions of his family, including his sister Mirai as a teenager. Blending time travel hijinks with a universal story about family and the struggles of growing up, MIRAI cements Mamoru Hosoda (BOY AND THE BEAST, HIFF 2015) as one of Japan's foremost animation directors working today.
MODEST HEROES: PONOC SHORT FILMS THEATRE, VOL. 1 HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 52M DIRECTORS: HIROMASA YONEBAYASHI, YOSHIYUKI MOMOSE, AKIHIKO YAMASHITA 17-NOV 4:15 PM DOL Studio Ponoc, was founded by Yoshiaki Nishimura after the closure of Studio Ghibli and formed by some of the same creative staff. They continue showcasing their brilliant talents with their latest production, an omnibus film comprising a trio of brilliant creations: lost crab siblings, a bizarre allergy to eggs, and an invisible man having an unusual day. Strange, fantastical and beautifully animated, MODEST HEROES is a testament to the vision and imagination of its creators.
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MY HERO'S SHADOW WORLD PREMIERE
MADE IN HAWAII UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 78M DIRECTOR: JUSTIN YOUNG 11-NOV 3:30 PM DOL • 14-NOV 3:30 PM DOL When Shane Stant was 22, he made international news when he struck Nancy Kerrigan's knee the day before the 1994 US National Figure Skating Championships. He's a different man today, but still has to deal with memories of his mistakes. Told by Stant's sister Maile, MY HERO'S SHADOW is a compassionate look at trauma, poor choices and the redemptive value of family.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
NON-FICTION HAWAII PREMIERE
ON YOUR WEDDING DAY HAWAII PREMIERE
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
FRANCE 2018 | FRENCH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 106M DIRECTOR: OLIVIER ASSAYAS
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 110M DIRECTOR: LEE SEOK-GEUN
9-NOV 8:45 PM DOL
9-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 11-NOV 6:00 PM DOL
Alain (Guillaume Canet) is a successful book publisher struggling with the ins and outs of his professional and private life. His relationship with his wife Serena (Juliette Binoche), has gone stale, and he has to deal delicately with one of his long-time authors who is pushing for publication. Complicating this is Alain's enthusiastic embrace of social media, which has led him to hire an ambitious young woman as the "head of digital transition". As Alain pushes his new-media agenda forward, he encounters support and resistance.
One of the biggest hits of the year, this is the romantic comedy fans have been waiting for! Woo-yeon is struck by love when cute transfer student Seung-hee appears at his high school. But Seung-hee is not so interested. Thus, the two strike up a friendship. But when Seung-hee suddenly leaves town, Woo-yeon can't get her out of his mind. With a master plan to win the girl, Woo-yeon embarks on a mission to Seoul. Yet things may not be as simple as he anticipated!
DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW SCREENING
ONE CUT OF THE DEAD HAWAII PREMIERE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE HAWAII PREMIERE
EXTREME ASIA | SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
FILM FOR THOUGHT
JAPAN 2017 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: SHINICHIRO UEDA
CHINA, UNITED STATES 2018 | CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 95M DIRECTOR: HAO WU
10-NOV 9:00 PM DOL • 13-NOV 8:45 PM DOL
11-NOV 5:00 PM DOL • 16-NOV 1:30 PM DOL
A filmmaker sets out to shoot a zombie film in an abandoned factory, but something is lurking on the outside. Is it a zombie apocalypse or just another shoot gone wrong? Seriously? Another zombie film? We know... we had the same reaction. And we have to pre-warn you to sit through the first 30 minutes of a zombie short film all done in one shot. Trust us, it's totally worth it, as audiences will soon be rewarded by one of the most inventive films in years!
In a digital universe where live streamers earn as much as $200K a month, can virtual relationships replace real-life human connection? PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE tells the stories of two such online stars who've risen from isolation to fame and fortune in China. The film takes us on a journey through their live streaming showrooms, which have become virtual gathering places for hundreds of millions - from the super rich who lavish performers with digital gifts, to poor migrant workers who worship them.
38 HIFF
FILM PROGRAM
THE PREY NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
RECALL HAWAII PREMIERE
EXTREME ASIA | SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOWCASE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
CAMBODIA 2018 | CAMBODIAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 93M DIRECTOR: JIMMY HENDERSON
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 120M DIRECTOR: KATSUHIDE MOTOKI
12-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 15–NOV 9:00 PM DOL
16-NOV 5:30 PM DOL • 18-NOV 5:00 PM DOL
Chinese undercover cop Xin is arrested during a raid on a gang he infiltrated, but handles himself well in prison. Unfortunately, he has been targeted by the corrupt prison warden, who is in the business of inviting rich businessmen on human hunting expeditions in a nearby forest. In the meantime, the Chinese government has picked up on Xin's trail, having found a signal from his GPS device. When the two teams unexpectedly converge, it's just the beginning of a battle for survival!
Tokuro Akamatsu runs a family-owned transport company that bears his name. Whilst the company is not wealthy, they make ends meet for their employees. However, when a freak accident causes a wheel to fly off of one of their vehicles killing a pedestrian, it seems Akamatsu Transport is doomed. Yet before long Tokuro begins to suspect the car manufacturer of foul play; setting off a battle against the odds, and a corporate giant, to save his family and his company.
RIVER'S EDGE
ROMA
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
AWARDS BUZZ
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 118M DIRECTOR: ISAO YUKISADA
MEXICO 2018 | SPANISH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 135M DIRECTOR: ALFONSO CUARÓN
8-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 16-NOV 1:00 PM DOL
10-NOV 5:45 PM DOL
Based on classic 1990's manga 'River's Edge' comes a nostalgic comingof-age drama from Isao Yukisada. Haruna (Fumi Nikaido) is a quirky high school student that doesn't fit in with the mainstream, while classmate Ichiro (Ryo Yoshizawa) is a bullied loner harboring a personal secret. When Haruna sticks up for Ichiro at school, the two form a bond. But this may soon be tested when Ichiro discovers a dead body down by the river...
Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón’s cogent and nuanced semi-autobiographical feature chronicles one year in the life of a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City, crafting a uniquely spectacular yet intimate brand of cinema. Cleo works as a live-in maid. When the family patriarch departs for an unusually protracted business trip, his wife Sofia is left at home. Inhabiting a role somewhere between family member and employee, Cleo helps Sofia and the kids through a period of difficulty.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
THE ROPE CURSE WORLD PREMIERE
THE RUNNING ACTRESS UNITED STATES PREMIERE
EXTREME ASIA | SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
TAIWAN ROC 2018 | MANDARIN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 106M DIRECTOR: SHIH HAN LIAO
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 71M DIRECTOR: MOON SO-RI
9-NOV 9:00 PM DOL • 16-NOV 6:00 PM DOL
17-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 18-NOV 8:15 PM DOL
Local legend has it that when someone hangs themselves, an elaborate ceremony must be performed by a shaman to dispel any curse from the victim's spirit. The ceremony is not to be viewed by anyone except the participants lest the curse spread. Seeking an easy way to increase their social media following, two young unsuspecting filmmakers travel to a small fishing village to live stream the mythical ceremony. Little do they know, this may hold dire consequences for all...
Famed Korean actress Moon So-ri (OASIS, THE HANDMAIDEN) goes behind the camera in a triptych of stories playing herself as a middle-aged actress, using the daily drama of a stress-ridden film star and mother as the platform for a beguiling contemplation of art, aging, alienation and the fleeting moments of emotional intimacy that justify the drudgery of life. THE RUNNING ACTRESS just proves that Ms. Moon is one of the greatest South Korean actresses of her generation.
SAMURAI'S PROMISE
SECRET SCREENING
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
SNEAK PREVIEW
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH 11-NOV 12:30 PM DOL
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 112M DIRECTOR: DAISAKU KIMURA 15-NOV 8:30 PM DOL • 17-NOV 5:45 PM DOL It is the year 1720. Shinbei, who was exiled from the Ogino clan for getting too close to a conspiracy, has been relegated to wandering the countryside with his sick wife Shino. However, Shino has only a short while to live. As her dying wish, Shino asks Shinbei to return to the clan and to save clan elder Uneme Sakakibara from a brewing civil war... Starring Junichi Okada in the lead, alongside Haru Kuroki and Hidetoshi Nishijima, SAMURAI'S PROMISE is a sweeping must-see period drama.
40 HIFF
Join us for HIFF’s first ever SECRET SCREENING! Come on down to see an exciting preview of a mystery film soon to make it’s world premiere. Don’t miss out on this never before seen film at HIFF 2018!
FILM PROGRAM
SHARKWATER EXTINCTION UNITED STATES PREMIERE
SHE SHEARS INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
GREEN SCREEN
DOCUMENTARIES
CANADA 2018 | ENGLISH | 88M DIRECTOR: ROB STEWART
NEW ZEALAND 2018 | ENGLISH | 79M DIRECTOR: JACK NICOL
11-NOV 1:15 PM DOL • 12-NOV 12:30 PM DOL
12-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 15-NOV 2:45 PM DOL
01-DEC 1:00 PM MAC (MAUI)
In the gruelling world of competitive sheep shearing, there is no women's section: women and men must compete together in a physically-gruelling contest for the coveted 'Golden Shears.' Following five remarkable women who wool stop at nothing to prove their strength, skill and agility, SHE SHEARS proves that champions come in all sheeps and sizes.
A follow-up to SHARKWATER (HIFF 2007), this new chapter is an inspiring action packed journey that follows filmmaker Rob Stewart as he exposes the massive illegal shark fin industry. From West Africa, Panama and France, to our own backyard, Stewart's third film dives into the violent underworld of the pirate fishing trade to expose a multi-billion dollar industry. Sadly, Stewart passed away during the production of this film but his conservationism and love for the ocean lives on in his work.
SHOPLIFTERS
SINK OR SWIM
HAWAII PREMIERE
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 121M DIRECTOR: HIROKAZU KORE-EDA
FRANCE 2018 | FRENCH, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 122M DIRECTOR: GILLES LELLOUCHE
10-NOV 8:30 PM DOL
11-NOV 6:30 PM DOL • 17-NOV 6:00 PM DOL
After one of their shoplifting sessions, a poor family come across a little girl freezing in the cold, and although initially reluctant, welcome her into their home. Though happy together, an unforseen incident begins to unravel hidden secrets and test the bonds that unite them. From Palme d'Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda, SHOPLIFTERS tells a breathtaking story of family and love told across four seasons on the streets of contemporary Tokyo.
In this French crowd-pleaser reminiscent of THE FULL MONTY, a group of 40-something guys, all on the verge of a mid-life crisis, decide to form their local pool's first ever synchronized swimming team - for men. Braving the skepticism and ridicule of those around them, and trained by a fallen champion trying to pull herself together, the group set out on an unlikely adventure, and on the way will rediscover a little self-esteem and a lot about themselves.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
SIR HAWAII PREMIERE
SONG LANG NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON INDIA
SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOWCASE
INDIA 2018 | ENGLISH, HINDI, MARATHI, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: ROHENA GERA
VIETNAM 2018 | VIETNAMESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 100M DIRECTOR: LEON LE
10-NOV 6:45 PM DOL • 12-NOV 3:45 PM DOL
13-NOV 5:30 PM DOL • 15-NOV 3:00 PM DOL
When Ratna lands a job as a housekeeper in the home of young, wealthy heir Ashwin, she is thrilled. She'll have money to send home, and maybe enough to take the seamstress course she dreams of. But when the engaged Ashwin suddenly breaks it off with his fiance, they begin to form a bond she wasn't expecting. Is it possible for the two to break social convention and form a relationship? And is that even what Ratna wants for herself?
Saigon,1990s. D’ng "Thunderbolt," a tough gangster meets Linh Phung, a (Vietnamese musical theatre). An unlikely young performer of bond forms between the two as it is revealed that D’ng also once came from a musical troupe, though circumstances led him to a darker path. But the tension mounts as his loan shark boss demands he "take care" of the theatre company, which is in deep debt. D’ng must choose between violent retribution or a return to his musical roots.
STILL HUMAN
STOKE
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON HONG KONG
MADE IN HAWAII
HONG KONG 2018 | CANTONESE, TAGALOG, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 111M DIRECTOR: OLIVER SIU KUEN CHAN
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 89M DIRECTOR: ZOE EISENBERG, PHILLIPS PAYSON
9-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 1:00 PM DOL
10-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 11-NOV 12:00 PM DOL
Paralyzed and disgruntled Cheong-wing (Anthony Wong) has gone through quite a few caretakers when he gets new Filipino domestic helper, Evelyn (Crisel Consunji). The only problem is Cheong-wing is unreasonably mean, and Evelyn doesn't speak a word of Cantonese. Yet somehow as the unlikely duo begin to warm up to each other, a bond forms that may transcend stereotypes and change them both in ways they never imagined. One of the most heartwarming and touching comedies of the year, STILL HUMAN is bound to charm!
02-DEC 7:00 PM PAL (HILO)
42 HIFF
Jane is an attorney based in Los Angeles and she's clinically depressed. While channel flipping, she sees footage of Kilauea in full eruption. She buys a one-way ticket to the Big Island, and along the way, runs into two local guys who sell themselves as tour guides. What transpires is a road movie that captures some of the unique sub-cultures of Hawaii Island from hippie enclaves, and spiritual sanctuaries, to Native Hawaiians trying to make ends meet, and midnight ravers looking for their next hit.
FILM PROGRAM
SUNSET IN MY HOMETOWN
THE SWEET REQUIEM
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
SPOTLIGHT ON INDIA
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 123M DIRECTOR: LEE JOON-IK
INDIA 2018 | TIBETAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 91M DIRECTOR: RITU SARIN, TENZING SONAM
15-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 17-NOV 1:30 PM DOL
13-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 15-NOV 3:45 PM DOL
Young wannabe rapper Hak-soo (Park Jung-min) hasn't exactly made it big time in Seoul, though he feels his break is just around the corner. But just when that break appears on the horizon, he gets a call from home that his estranged father has fallen gravely ill. Begrudgingly returning to his hometown, he can't wait to leave again. But as he is forced to reconnect with family and friends he finds his heart may be in this small town after all.
Dolkar, a 26-year-old Tibetan, lives in Delhi. 18 years ago, she escaped from Tibet with her father, making a perilous trek across the Himalayas that ended in tragedy. Dolkar has suppressed all recollection of that traumatic incident. But when she unexpectedly encounters Gompo, the guide who abandoned them during their journey, memories of her escape are reignited and she is propelled on a search for retribution and closure. THE SWEET REQUIEM presents an India little seen on the big screen in this gripping and lyrical tale.
DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW SCREENING
T-SHIRT THEATRE PRESENTS: KIPUKA
TEN YEARS: JAPAN
WORLD PREMIERE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
MADE IN HAWAII
FILM FOR THOUGHT
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 64M DIRECTOR: JEREMIAH TAYAO
HONG KONG, JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 99M DIRECTOR: AKIYO FUJIMURA, CHIE HAYAKAWA, KEI ISHIKAWA, YUSUKE KINOSHITA, MEGUMI TSUNO
10-NOV 1:15 PM DOL • 12-NOV 2:45 PM DOL T-Shirt Theatre is a low tech, high zest performing arts company based at Farrington High School. This documentary chronicles the work of the students in the company, as they address bullying, cyberbullying, and teen suicide prevention, all written and performed by the students (aged 13-18). Their 2017-2018 performance of "Kipuka" - an oasis in a lava field - is reflective of the T-Shirt Theatre mantra that one smile, one word, one friend can make all the difference for someone in turmoil and contemplating tough decisions.
10-NOV 3:45 PM DOL • 12-NOV 1:00 PM DOL From the producers of the award-winning Hong Kong omnibus TEN YEARS and Executive Producer Hirokazu Kore-eda, comes TEN YEARS: JAPAN, a series of 5 shorts from up-and-coming Japanese filmmakers about their vision of Japan in 10 years time. These futuristic shorts, reminiscent of a Japanese version of BLACK MIRROR, include a future Japan plagued by pollution and an ageing population; a society where morality and personal history are manipulated by technology, and a nation overshadowed by the spectre of war.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
THE THIRD WIFE HAWAII PREMIERE
THIS AND NOTHING ELSE: RED BULL WA'A HAWAII PREMIERE
SOUTHEAST ASIAN SHOWCASE
MADE IN HAWAII
VIETNAM 2018 | VIETNAMESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: ASH MAYFAIR
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 30M DIRECTOR: MARC SALOMON, MARC LEVY, JUSTIN MITCHELL
15-NOV 5:30 PM DOL • 17-NOV 1:15 PM DOL
12-NOV 8:00 PM DOL
In 19th century rural Vietnam, 14-year-old May becomes the third wife of wealthy landowner Hung. Soon she learns that she can only gain status by asserting herself as a woman who can give birth to a male child. May's hope to change her status turns into a real and tantalizing possibility when she gets pregnant. Faced with forbidden love and its devastating consequences, May finally comes to an understanding of the brutal truth: the options available to her are few and far between.
18-NOV 5:15 PM WAI (KAUAI) • 02-DEC 5:15PM PAL (HILO) THIS AND NOTHING ELSE - RED BULL WA'A is a short documentary that chronicles an outrigger canoe team from Kona, HI and is part of an ongoing series about those who follow their passions... no matter what. This film will be preceded by SURFING TO COPE as we follow surfer Brianna Cope, as she attempts to make the Women's Championship Tour while coming to terms with a physical challenge that has shaped her life.
PRECEDED BY:
SURFING TO COPE UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 31M DIRECTOR: KATIE WALSH
TRANSMILITARY
UNITED SKATES
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
DOCUMENTARIES
DOCUMENTARIES
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 93M DIRECTOR: FIONA DAWSON, GABE SILVERMAN
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 90M DIRECTOR: TINA BROWN, DYANA WINKLER
17-NOV 5:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 1:00 PM DOL
15-NOV 8:15 PM DOL • 16-NOV 3:15 PM DOL
In 2017, Donald Trump stepped back from an Obama-era policy allowing transgender people to serve openly in the military, which ignited mass protest. Following four active-duty military personnel as they balance their commitment to service and federal policies that actively exclude them, TRANSMILITARY makes a timely and heartfelt statement of human endurance, commitment to service, and courage in the face of injustice.
17-NOV 4:00 PM WAI (KAUAI)
44 HIFF
When America's last standing roller rinks are threatened with closure, a community of thousands battle in a racially-charged environment to save an underground subculture. At a time when our country feels painfully divided, and fly-over states often feel overlooked, the story of a community crisscrossing our nation to celebrate what unites them, is more important now than ever. Co-directed by Kauai-native Dyana Winkler, UNITED SKATES is a heart-thumping, beat-pumping and liberating look at the fight to keep the roller rink alive.
FILM PROGRAM
THE UNITY OF HEROES HAWAII PREMIERE
VOICES BEHIND BARBED WIRE HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA
MADE IN HAWAII
CHINA 2018 | CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 103M DIRECTOR: MARCO MAK
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 110M DIRECTOR: RYAN KAWAMOTO
10-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 17-NOV 8:00 PM DOL
12-NOV 3:00 PM DOL
Late Qing Dynasty. The East India Company produces a narcotic even more dangerous than opium by conducting human testing. These secret tests come to light when one of the test subjects, Vile Face, crashes into Po Chi Lam, Wong Fei Hung's medicine clinic. Wong decides to take in Vile Face, causing the the Company to use whatever means necessary to try to get rid of him. In the face of foreign and domestic enemies, can Wong stop the spread of this dangerous narcotic in time?
18-NOV 1:00 PM WAI (KAUAI) • 02-DEC 2:45 PM PAL (HILO)
VOX LUX
WACHIGAI-YA ITOSATO
While the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II has been well documented on the U.S. Mainland, new information about the sites and untold stories continue to emerge from Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i who endured this dark chapter of history. VOICES BEHIND BARBED WIRE is a series of four short films that explore the personal stories of Japanese Americans living on O‘ahu, Maui County, Kaua’i and Hawaii Island.
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
AWARDS BUZZ
SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 110M DIRECTOR: BRADY CORBET
JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 117M DIRECTOR: MIKIYA KASHIMA
18-NOV 7:30 PM DOL
10-NOV 3:15 PM DOL
Natalie Portman and Jude Law star in this stunning, beautifully lensed drama about fame, fortune, and its price from director Brady Corbet. When Celeste is only 13 years old her life, and that of her sister Eleanor, are forever changed by tragedy. But it is in the wake of this tragedy, that Celeste is surprisingly catapulted to fame. Years later she has become a popstar so famous she is a household name, yet echoes of the past still reverberate through her life.
17-NOV 6:00 PM WAI (KAUAI) 3 memorable women – 3 love affairs. Times were changing during one of the most turbulent eras of war in Japan. Through the eyes of young Itosato, we find a woman’s struggle for love and happiness. Three women, risking everything for life and love had to make hard choices. Collaboration, secrets & suicide. Based on actual events and one of the biggest assassination mysteries of all time, this movie shows a unique view of the bloody yet beautiful world of war and love in 1863.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
WAKE HAWAII PREMIERE
WISH YOU WERE HERE NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 96M DIRECTOR: CYRUS MIRAKHOR 18-NOV 4:30 PM DOL
CHINA, JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE, MANDARIN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 113M DIRECTOR: KENNETH BI
01-DEC 10:45 AM PAL (HILO)
10-NOV 5:30 PM DOL • 15-NOV 3:30 PM DOL
Mortician Molly Harrison hates her birthday. With good reason. Three years ago, on that day, her husband Peter, died in a tragic accident. Since then, she has been struggling with agoraphobia. As a gag, she is given a birthday gift from her mother and daughter. The gift, a life-size male doll named Pedro, somehow comes to life, in the form of her late husband, played by comedian Jo Koy in his first film role, complicating her ties with her family as well as a budding relationship.
Yuan Yuan is a successful fashion designer in China. Having reached middle age, she has made her mark in the fashion world, but has never met that special someone and settled down. One day at the launch of her new fashion line, a mysterious young Japanese girl appears. While their communication is poor, the two seem to strike an instant bond. Could this girl be her connection to a mysterious past life, lost love, and a sake brewery in Hokkaido?
THE WITCH: PART 1. THE SUBVERSION
WOMAN AT WAR
UNITED STATES PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
EXTREME ASIA | SPOTLIGHT ON KOREA
EUROPEAN SHOWCASE
SOUTH KOREA 2018 | KOREAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 125M DIRECTOR: PARK HOON-JUNG
FRANCE, ICELAND, UKRAINE 2018 | ICELANDIC, UKRAINIAN, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 100M DIRECTOR: BENEDIKT ERLINGSSON
11-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 17-NOV 9:00 PM DOL In rural South Korea, a young girl flees a government facility, landing bleeding and muddy at a local farmhouse. 10 years later a now teenage Ja-yoon has no recollection of her past, and knows only the elderly couple who have taken her is as her parents. But soon Ja-yoon discovers that she has some incredible talents, she is so talented in fact that she lands on national television. However shortly after her appearance, ominous figures show up, threatening to turn her peaceful life upside down.
46 HIFF
8-NOV 8:00 PM DOL • 10-NOV 11:00 AM DOL Known to others only by her alias "The Woman of the Mountain," 50-year-old Halla secretly wages a one-woman-war on the local aluminum industry. As Halla's actions grow bolder, from petty vandalism to outright industrial sabotage, she succeeds in pausing the negotiations between the Icelandic government and the corporation building a new aluminum smelter. But right as she begins planning her biggest and boldest operation yet, she receives an unexpected letter that changes everything.
FILM PROGRAM
WRATH OF SILENCE
YOCHO (FOREBODING)
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
SPOTLIGHT ON CHINA
EXTREME ASIA | SPOTLIGHT ON JAPAN
CHINA 2017 | CHINESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 119M DIRECTOR: XIN YUKUN
JAPAN 2017 | JAPANESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 140M DIRECTOR: KIYOSHI KUROSAWA
12-NOV 6:00 PM DOL • 18-NOV 5:30 PM DOL
16-NOV 8:45 PM DOL • 18-NOV 8:30 PM DOL
After his son disappears, a mute drifter returns to his desolate hometown in search of answers, but becomes embroiled in a conspiracy of violence and corruption at the heart of the region's coal industry. Stylishly-blending film noir with the spaghetti western, emerging director Yukun Xin crafts a kinetic action thriller set amongst the arid landscapes of Northern China. Essential viewing for genre fans.
A companion film to BEFORE WE VANISH (HIFF 2017), YOCHO explores a darker view of pending alien invasion. Alien scouts have arrived in Japan in the form of body-snatching invaders with a mission to steal the 'concepts' of humanity. Young Miyuki notices strange things happening all around; her colleague has lost her mind, and her husband is under the spell of a strange new doctor at his work. All of this seems to portend impending doom, will she be able alert the world in time?
LATE ADDITIONS
KEVIN ROCHE: THE QUIET ARCHITECT HAWAII PREMIERE
REEL WĀHINE OF HAWAI’I SPECIAL PRESENTATION
DOCUMENTARIES
MADE IN HAWAII
IRELAND, FRANCE, SPAIN 2018 | ENGLISH | 82M DIRECTOR: MARK NOONAN
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 92M DIRECTORS: HEATHER GIUGNI, LEAH KIHARA, LAURIE SUMIYE, SHIRLEY THOMPSON, VERA ZAMBONELLI
9-NOV 6:30 PM DOL Still working at age 95, Pritzker Prize winning Irish-American architect Kevin Roche is an enigma. He's reached the top of his profession, but has little interest in celebrity and eschews the label “Starchitect”. Despite a lifetime of acclaimed work that includes 40 years designing new galleries for The Met in New York, he has no intention of ever retiring. Some of his best known work includes the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York which he has worked on for almost 50 years, the revolutionary Oakland Museum of California, the Ford Foundation and United Nations Plaza in Manhattan. Irish Director Mark Noonan's biography of this incredible man is his debut debut documentary feature, and was filmed on location across the US and Europe.
10-NOV 1:15 PM DOL From the mothers of Hawai‘i independent filmmaking to cutting edge artists at the top of their game, Reel Wˉahine of Hawai‘i is a series of portraits of Hawai‘i’s top women filmmakers. Six short films showcase pioneering and current filmmakers Connie M. Florez, Heather Haunani Giugni, Jeannette Paulson Hereniko, Victoria Keith, Ciara Leina‘ala Lacy and Anne Misawa as they recount their philosophies, challenges and triumphs building careers and telling uniquely Hawai‘i stories through a camera lens.
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
BE THE CHANGE SHORTS
CAREFUL WHAT MIND THE GAP YOU PACK SHORTS SHORTS
OHANA MEANS.. SHORTS
Sometimes you have to go against the grain, swim upstream, dare to be different. From one man striving to save migrants off of the Italian coast, to a Korean man who just wants to clean up the streets (literally), and a gay teen trying to make it in New York, stories about beating the odds.
From cookie addictions, to pet chickens, and a comedy about tiny pet people, make sure to pack what you need on this perilous journey. Safety is not guaranteed.
Families can be great, and sometimes challenging. Stories about relationships, the ties that bind, the families we choose and the ones we don’t.
17-NOV 3:30PM DOL
HIDDEN LIFE DIRECTOR: KAITLYN SATTER, HANNAH MATTNER
LIFE BOAT DIRECTOR: SKYE FITZGERALD
OBON DIRECTOR: ANDRE HOERMANN
THE CLEANER DIRECTOR: KIM BOWON
HAUS DIRECTOR: JOSEPH AMENTA
10-NOV 8:45 PM DOL
MILK AND COOKIES
9-NOV 8:00PM DOL
DIRECTOR: PATRICK MULVEY, ANDREW RAMSAY
LUMPIA CAMPESINO
THE OTHER SIDE WITH VALERIE HOPE
LITTLE PYONGYANG
DIRECTOR: LUCY BARRICK, KIERAN GRANT
TEA LAND DIRECTOR: TSENG YING-TING
MONDAYS
DIRECTOR: ROBERT KARIMI DIRECTOR: ROXY REZVANY
BLACK SHEEP DIRECTOR: ED PERKINS
WE BECAME FRAGMENTS
DIRECTOR: MICHAEL THELIN
DIRECTOR: LUISA CONLON
TUNGRUS
ONE CAMBODIAN FAMILY PLEASE FOR MY PLEASURE
DIRECTOR: RISHI CHADNA
THE GATEKEEPERS DIRECTOR: MIRKO HANS
END OF THE LINE DIRECTOR: JESSICA SANDERS
48 HIFF
In today’s world, our global communities are more connected than ever before. Or are they? Tales of inter-continental travel, crossing the cultural divide, and creating community.
DIRECTOR: A.M. LUKAS
THE CHOSEN ONE DIRECTOR: GORI
11-NOV 3:45 PM DOL
MY LITTLE BROTHER, SEUNG-HYUK DIRECTOR: KIM DEOKGEUN
FLOATING WEEDS DIRECTOR: JIMBO LEE
MAY 14TH DIRECTOR BOO EUNJOO
THE LOVE MOTEL DIRECTOR: HENRY CHEN
TOKYO 21ST OCTOBER DIRECTOR: HIROSHI OKUYAMA
AREOLA BOREALIS DIRECTOR: LI LIN WEE
FILM PROGRAM
MADE IN HAWAII SHORTS
PACIFIC SHOWCASE ACM UHM NIGHT 13-NOV 6:00PM DOL SHORTS
Presenting the very best in short films from kama'aina filmmakers, as well as stories based and shot in Hawaii, the MADE IN HAWAII shorts program is an early indicator of Hawaii's emerging talents, both in front and behind the camera.
This annual showcase of the very best short films by and about the first peoples of the Pacific presents a broad cross section of genres and themes, ranging from comedy, slice of life drama, magical realism and the varied stories and traditions of Pacific Islanders.
MAMA’S WISH
16-NOV 8:00PM DOL 18-NOV 10:45AM DOL
DIRECTOR: SHANEIKA AGUILAR
14-NOV 6:00PM DOL 17-NOV 11:00AM DOL 1-DEC 1:00PM PAL
KALEWA DIRECTOR: MITCHEL VIERNES
SIX HUNDRED LUX DIRECTOR: KOA SAN LUIS
MAUKA TO MAKAI DIRECTOR: JONAH OKANO & ALIKA MAIKAU
THE MOON AND THE NIGHT DIRECTOR: ERIN LAU
HAE HAWAII DIRECTOR: TY SANGA
DIRECTOR: SHANEIKA AGUILAR
FOUND SOUNDS
DIRECTOR: REA CHUPEK
HOW TO MAKE A HEART BEAT
DIRECTOR: BRADLEY TANGONAN
WAITING DIRECTOR: AMBERLY JO AUMUA
ANOINTED DIRECTOR: DAN LIN
GRAIN BUDS
DIRECTOR: WANG LIN
HOME
KAI AND HONUA
RETURN TO MY HOMETOWN
DIRECTOR: KOBI FURUMOTO DIRECTOR: KARI NOE
IN MEMORY OF
DIRECTOR: RENA SHISHIDO
EXHIBIT A
DIRECTOR: LIAO XIANGHUI DIRECTOR: SU KAI
DIRECTOR: ZHOU PEIJIE
SHANGHAI TREASURES
DIRECTOR: VICTORIA CUBA, LIU MING & XINYU JIAO
DIRECTOR: PETER SUSKI
DIRECTOR: NEIL TINKHAM
DIRECTOR: RENA SHISHIDO
STAIRWAY
CROSSING SPACES: CHUUK, POHNPEI, AND THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
DIRECTOR: SAWYER CHESNUT-PINTO
DIRECTOR: LAUREN JACKSON
DIRECTOR: XIE BIAO
GAL PALS
GLASS ARTIST
TREE
BUTTON UP
AN EYE FOR AN EYE
THE BAY
DIRECTOR: LOLA BAUTISTA
13-NOV 8:30PM DOL
SINCERELY, KAYE
DIRECTOR: KRISTLE BACKE
KAUMAKAIWA
SHANGHAI FILM ACADEMY SHOWCASE
DOWN THE RED DIRT ROAD DIRECTOR: GAVIN ARUCAN
AUNTY EMMA DIRECTOR: CASEY LAPIDUS
SHORELINE DIRECTOR: BRANDI MARTIN
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2018 FALL FESTIVAL
FILMMAKER IN FOCUS
FILMMAKER IN FOCUS
WONG KAR WAI PRESENTED BY THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC & TRADE OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO Across Wong Kar-wai’s IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) wears 21 dresses, each cut as a near-identical cheongsam from a different sumptuous fabric with a high collar that reaches to the top of her neck. Su believes that her husband is having an affair, and bonds with her neighbour Chow Mo-wan (Tony ChiuWai Leung) who shares the same suspicions about his wife, but as they grow closer must balance their desire for intimacy with their marital commitments. Set within the apartments and in-between spaces of Hong Kong amid the tumultuous 1960s, Wong’s masterpiece reflects its dresses: refined, beautiful, but heartbreakingly-restrained. Wong Kar-wai is one of contemporary cinema’s greatest living directors. After coming to international attention in 1994 with his urban love story CHUNGKING EXPRESS, Wong won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for HAPPY TOGETHER, a turbulent romance between two men who leave Hong Kong for Argentina in an attempt to rekindle their relationship. In 2000, Wong returned to Cannes with IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, which received the Technical Grand Prize and Best Actor award, before going on to win Best Foreign Film at the 2001 Césare Awards. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE was voted one of the three greatest Asian films in history at the 2015 Busan Film Festival, and was listed as the second greatest film of the 21st century by a BBC poll of critics in 2016. Wong’s latest film, the martial arts epic THE GRANDMASTER, opened the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival and garnered two Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design. The film also received honors at the 33rd Hong Kong Film Awards and the 8th Asian Film Awards, which included Best Film and Best Director. Born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong, Wong was named one of the Top Ten Directors of modern times by the British Film Institute in 2006 and made history as the first Chinese chair of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2007, he was knighted by the French government’s National Order of the Legion of Honour, and was awarded France’s Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2013. He was invited as the Exhibition Artistic Director for the art exhibition “China: Through the Looking Glass” held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2015, and this year was awarded a Doctor of Arts by Harvard University. HIFF is honoured to host Wong Kar-wai and include a retrospective of some of his most significant works at this year’s festival. This year, we will screen HAPPY TOGETHER and IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, as well as a special screening of CHUNGKING EXPRESS that will include a discussion with the filmmaker.
SCREENINGS CHUNGKING EXPRESS WITH WONG KAR WAI HONG KONG SAR CHINA 1994 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 102M DIRECTOR: WONG KAR WAI 15-NOV 6:30 PM DOL See page 25 for film details.
50 HIFF
HAPPY TOGETHER
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
HONG KONG SAR CHINA 1997 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 96M DIRECTOR: WONG KAR WAI
HONG KONG SAR CHINA 2000 | CANTONESE, WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 98M DIRECTOR: WONG KAR WAI
16-NOV 6:45 PM DOL
17-NOV 12:30 PM DOL
See page 30 for film details.
See page 32 for film details.
HIFF VR LOUNGE
HIFF VR LOUNGE
Virtual reality technologies bring us closer to the action than ever before, bringing us face-to-face with some of the most vital issues and stories in the world today. For the first time at the festival, we are proud to present the HIFF VR Lounge, bringing together a selection of exciting contemporary VR projects from around the world to SALT at our Kakaako. The HIFF VR LOUNGE is FREE and open to the public. VR LOUNGE LOCATION
VR LOUNGE DATES & TIME
SALT at Our Kaka’ako 691 Auahi Street Honolulu, HI 96813
SAT NOV 10 - MON NOV 12 DAILY | 11:00AM – 9:00PM
2018 FILMS
AGE OF SAIL
CHASING CORAL: THE VR EXPERIENCE
UNITED STATES | ENGLISH | 12M DIRECTOR: JOHN KAHRS
UNITED STATES | 6M DIRECTOR: JEFF ORLOWSKI
An old, down on his luck sailor rescues a young girl lost at sea, but in the process begins to question his place in the world. The latest work from the director of Academy Award-winning animated short PAPERMAN, AGE OF SAIL is a visually-extraordinary snapshot of life at sea.
A companion piece to the CHASING CORAL documentary feature screened at HIFF 2017, CHASING CORAL: THE VR EXPERIENCE follows ‘coral nerd’ Zackery Rago as he explores Lizard Island and examines the impacts of bleaching through time-lapse photography.
FINDING HAKA
SONGBIRD
NEW ZEALAND, UNITED KINGDOM | ENGLISH, MAORI | 14M DIRECTOR:
UNITED KINGDOM | ENGLISH | 8M DIRECTOR: LUCY GREENWELL
The haka is a fearsome and impressive demonstration of strength in Maori culture. Placing us alongside a young Maori man trying to reconnect with his history and identity, FINDING HAKA brings us face to face with the terrifying wardance, but also its importance as a symbol of survival and community.
Hawaii is the extinct bird capital of the world. Many native birds are endangered, but for some it's too late. The fabled 'ˉo'ˉo (songbird) was last seen in 1985. Set amid the cloud forest of Kauai, SONGBIRD takes you back in time to meet the legendary species and hear its last song.
HIFF .ORG 51
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FILM FOR THOUGHT
FILM FOR THOUGHT: THE COMMON GOOD PRESENTED BY:
Film For Thought is a special program presented in partnership with the Hawai’i Council for the Humanities designed to inspire critical discourse and community dialogue through the medium of film. The ninth annual Film For Thought program will feature five feature films, focused on the theme ‘Common Good’. The first screening of each film will be followed by a special post-screening scholar led discussion, while a companion booklet containing essays on all five film programs will be provided to audience members at all FFT screenings.
2018 FILMS
9-NOV | SCHOLAR-LED DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW FILM
12-NOV | SCHOLAR-LED DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW FILM
16-NOV | SCHOLAR-LED DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW FILM
EATING UP EASTER
GENERAL MAGIC
INVENTING TOMORROW
WORLD PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
CHILE, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH, FRENCH, SPANISH, TAHITIAN W/ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 75M DIRECTOR: SERGIO M. RAPU
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 93M DIRECTOR: SARAH KERUISH, MATT MAUDE
UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH | 87M DIRECTOR: LAURA NIX
12-NOV | 8:15 PM | DOL 14-NOV | 3:15 PM | DOL
16-NOV | 8:00 PM | DOL 30-NOV | 6:00 PM | PAL
9-NOV | 5:30 PM | DOL 10-NOV | 11:00 AM | DOL
See page 29 for film details.
See page 33 for film details.
See page 26 for film details.
11-NOV | SCHOLAR-LED DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW FILM
10-NOV | SCHOLAR-LED DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW FILM
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE
TEN YEARS: JAPAN
HAWAII PREMIERE
HAWAII PREMIERE
CHINA, UNITED STATES 2018 | ENGLISH, CHINESE W/ ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 95M DIRECTOR: HAO WU
HONG KONG, JAPAN 2018 | JAPANESE W/ ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 99M DIRECTOR: AKIYO FUJIMURA, CHIE HAYAKAWA, KEI ISHIKAWA, YUSUKE KINOSHITA, MEGUMI TSUNO
11-NOV | 5:00 PM | DOL 16-NOV | 1:30 PM | DOL See page 38 for film details.
10-NOV | 3:45 PM | DOL 12-NOV | 1:00 PM | DOL See page 43 for film details.
52 HIFF
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HIFF .ORG 53
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
HIFF EDUCATION
DANIEL K. INOUYE STUDENT FILM INITIATIVE This past June, the Daniel K. Inouye Institute and the Hawaii International Film Festival launched a partnership to encourage middle and high school students statewide to create films inspired by Senator Inouye’s historic speech at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Senator Inouye, a decorated veteran who served in World War II as part of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, was the first person of color to deliver a keynote address at the
Democratic National Convention. In that historic moment, Inouye boldly addressed lingering racism in America or what he called the “immorality” of the Vietnam War. Student filmmakers chose one of four themes/excerpts from Senator Inouye’s speech and used their chosen theme/excerpt for inspiration to produce a short film (no more than 3 minutes in length).
DKII STUDENT SHOWCASE SCREENING
Finalists will be presented during the 38th Annual Hawaii International Film Festival (November 8th-18th) during a special presentation screening as part of the Festival’s annual program.
DKII FINALIST LUNCHEON & SEMINAR
Finalists will also be invited to attend a Future Filmmaker Luncheon and Seminar, featuring guest speaker Harry Shum, Jr., who has won a Screen Actor’s Guild award for his performance on GLEE, numerous awards and accolades for his role on SHADOWHUNTERS, and most recently has appeared on the blockbuster hit CRAZY RICH ASIANS. Producer and writer Phil Chung of You Offend Me, You Offend My Family (YOMYOMF) will serve as the moderator for the panel.
DKII STUDENT PRIZES
In addition to being able to interact with these internationally recognized leaders in the film industry, the Daniel K. Inouye Institute will be awarding prizes to the top two student films.
17-NOV 11:00 AM DOL | FREE
The Grand Prize student filmmaker will receive a $250 cash award and their school will win a “Get Out and GO” Box which includes a GoPro HERO6 and a $50 Best Buy gift card. The Second Place award includes $100 cash for the student filmmaker and a GoPRO HERO for their school. 54 HIFF
HIFF EDUCATION
HIFF EDUCATION
The Hawaii International Film Festival offers a free and exciting programs for K-12 students throughout the state. The main purpose of our education programs is three fold: • To inspire students to pursue excellence in film and video production • To broaden their understanding of the media industry • To sharpen their critical viewing skills and cultural awareness
Students will have the opportunity to participate in three programs: Guest Filmmaker Program, Cultural & Visual Literacy Program, and Student Showcase.
GUEST FILMMAKER PROGRAM
The following professionals in the filmmaking industry have volunteered to share their expertise. ALIKA MAIKAU TY SANGA GERARD ELMORE ANNE MISAWA
BRADLEY TANGONAN ERIC RIES ERIN LAU CHRISTOPHER YOGI
CULTURAL & VISUAL LITERACY PROGRAM
Free theater screenings of highly acclaimed films that bear cultural and/or educational significance.
BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE
INVENTING TOMORROW
DIRECTOR: AARON LIEBER | 99 M
DIRECTORS: LAURA NIX | 87 M
MOANANUIĀKEA: ONE OCEAN. ONE PEOPLE. ONE CANOE DIRECTOR: NA’ALEHU ANTHONY | 148 M HIFF .ORG 55
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
HIFF EDUCATION
HIFF EDUCATION
STUDENT SHOWCASE A free screening of the best films produced by students in grades K-12 from Hawaii.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4 | 10:30 AM | REGAL DOLE CANNERY STADIUM 18 AND IMAX
LILI’UOKALANI ANIMATION SHORTS
WILD CREATURES WITH DANE OTTMAN
THE LEAKY UMBRELLA
TURN BACK TIME
DIRECTOR: 2018 `ŌLINO ARTS ANIMATION ACADEMY SHORTS DIRECTOR: IRENE YAMASHITA
ANIMATION CLASS 2
DIRECTOR: EMMA TAMASHIRO
DECODE DRESS CODE DIRECTOR: MARTHA NICHOLS
THE VORTEX
DIRECTOR: FIONA SIEVERT
THE MURAL
DIRECTOR: EMILY SMITH
WE ARE U.S.
DIRECTOR: JOY YUKUMOTO
THOUGHTS & PRAYERS DIRECTOR: JADE MCKINNEY
DIRECTOR: KAYLA BRAINARD, SEBASTIAN BASKERVILLE, DANE OTTMAN, & KAIA ROSE ANIMATOR: MIKAELA LAGASCA, CYRIS LAURYSCHAFER, DUKE OTTMAN, & MAURA SMITH
MALAMA KA’EHU
DIRECTORS: BRYCE CLEARING SKY, KA'IMI KALELEIKI, & JADEN KREUTNER
EARTH DOCTOR
DIRECTOR: KA'ILI CASCO, AMIA DATTSVOLUNTAD, MATT GOLIN, & JAYNA KANOHOLANI
AT THE SOURCE
DIRECTOR: CHLOE CHIN, BRYCE CLEARINGSKY, JADEN KREUTNER, & NATALIA POLINSKEY
EMOTIONS IN TIME
DIRECTORS: ALETA HAMMERICH
UNIVERSITY STUDENT SHOWCASE
HIFF will present the best short films submitted by university students from Hawaii. It will be a great opportunity for students to view top-notch films produced by their peers. Everyone is welcome! Students whose films are selected for the University Student Showcase will be invited to introduce their work and to participate in post-screening Q&A sessions with audience members. (Students will be responsible for their own travel.) HIFF’s University Student Showcase screening is open to the general public to attend.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4 | 10:30 AM | REGAL DOLE CANNERY STADIUM 18 AND IMAX FULL FILM LISTING AND DETAILS ON PAGE 41. 2018 University Student Showcase film listing can be found at www.hiff.org.
56 HIFF
HIFF SEMINARS & PANELS
HIFF 2018 SEMINARS & PANELS DISNEY'S MOANA 'OLELO HAWAI'I 11-NOV 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM | DOL | FREE A shortened, edited version of the translated Hawaiian language Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Moana" will be screened at HIFF 2018. A panel discussion will follow describing the process of translating the film. The movie features Annie Award-winning Auli'i Cravalho, UH Mˉanoa student Christopher Kaipulaumakaniolono Baker as Maui, multi-platinum recording artist Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Kelikokauaikekai Hoe as Ali'i Tui, Kalehuapuake'ula Kawa'a as Puna Tala, Kamakakehau Fernandez as Tamatoa, and 24 locally cast 'ˉolelo Hawai'i speaking actors and singers. This is the first time a Disney picture has been re-recorded in 'ˉolelo Hawai'i. The University of Hawai'i's Academy for Creative Media System funded and coordinated the re-recording of MOANA with the goal of sharing the film for educational purposes in Hawai'i and beyond. The collaborative productions joins faculty and staff from the University of Hawai'i - West O'ahu, University of Hawai'i at Mˉanoa, and Honolulu Community College.
808 FILMMAKER TOWN HALL: THE FUTURE OF INDIE FILMMAKING IN HAWAII 10-NOV 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM | DOL | FREE Building on our annual Hawaii Filmmaker Panels—“Choke Misreprentation” in 2016 and “Hometown Heroes” in 2017—HIFF38 is going to change things up for this year’s edition. Instead of a traditional panel, the Festival will host a Town Hall, provide coffee and donuts, and facilitate an open, free-flowing discussion on the state of Hawaii indie filmmaking, current market trends, sustainability, and the future of films and creative content producing in the 808. A major topic will be about HIFF and Ohina Showcase’s partnership in 2019. All Hawaii filmmakers are welcome to attend for free, grab a donut and some coffee, talk story, intermingle, craft partnerships, and work on the future of 808 indie film industry.
SOUND X VISION: IN CONVERSATION WITH AWKWAFINA 17-NOV 2:00 PM | IHEARTRADIO MUSIC HALL Awkwafina is an American actress, writer, rapper and musician from Queens, New York. Awkwafina, whose given name is Nora Lum, brings an impressive range of talent peppered with her signature flair, and has become a major breakout talent of summer 2018 with her co-starring roles in OCEAN’S 8 and CRAZY RICH ASIANS. A true multi-hyphenate, Lum is dominating all media, breaking the glass ceiling not only for women, but also Asian Americans. HIFF is honored to present Awkwafina with this year’s HIFF Maverick Award and present this special exclusive ‘In Conversation’ event at the iHeartRadio MUSIC HALL presented by Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Union across from Regal Dole Cannery Theaters.
HIFF .ORG 57
2018 FALL FESTIVAL
SPECIAL EVENTS
HIFF GAY-LA AFTER PARTY NOVEMBER 10TH | 9:00PM - 12:00AM HULA’S BAR & LEI STAND 134 KAPAHULU AVE HONOLULU, HI 96815
Join us for a celebration of LGBT films at HIFF and the official after party for LEITIS IN WAITING on NOV 10TH at Regal Dole Cannery Theaters. Present your HIFF ticket for FREE admission at the door. Cash bar.
HIFF 80'S NIGHT PARTY NOVEMBER 11 | 9:30PM - 12:00AM NEXTDOOR 43 N. Hotel Street Honolulu, HI 96817
Join us for a celebration for an all 80S NIGHT Celebration and the official after party for crazy underground Japanese 1980s cult hit THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS on NOV 11TH at Regal Dole Cannery Theaters. Tickets & More Information at HIFF.ORG 58 HIFF
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