Filmmaker Christopher K.T. Bright, grandson of Ron and Mo Bright, has landed his first film festival for his short film, "Tsuru," which deals with the World War II internment camp experience.
"Tsuru" premieres at the San Jose International Short Film Festival Oct. 9 through 12 and will be part of the Orlando Film Festival Oct. 22 through 26. (The fall Hawaii International Film Festival passed on the film.)
The young Bright is an emerging filmmaker committed to telling compelling stories with Hawaii implications. Chris said he learned that a professor at Chapman College, from where he graduated this year, submitted his "Niihau Story" script about a Japanese fighter pilot who landed on the Forbidden Isle during the WWII Japanese invasion, to the 2014 Nicholls Fellowship in Screenwriting. It’s a competition sponsored by the Academy Awards; the entry has survived several cuts, with five winners (not yet determined) each earning $35,000. …
PERSONALITIES: Roy and Kathy Sakuma, the pillars at Roy Sakuma’s Ukulele Studios, will be honored as the 2014 Distinguished Peacemakers of the Year in ceremonies at 11 a.m. Sunday at a Peace Day event (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at the Urban Garden Center in Pearl City. Their work as peace builders, via their ongoing ukulele music education and annual ukulele festival, is unmatchable. …
Speaking of music advocates, folk singer Keith Haugen and pakini master Frank Uehara kicked off a series of "Folk Music Lives" concerts at Hawaii Public Radio’s Atherton Performing Arts Studio two years ago. The show has been on the road at nearly every retirement center on Oahu — next stop,7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Pohai Nani’s Ruth Bacon Auditorium — but the duo has renamed itself Simple & Unpretentious,because they use only five strings (four on Haugen’s ukulele and one on Uehara’s unique single-string washtub bass) to back their vocals.Haugen admits he’s simple, Uehara is unpretentious. …
MEMORY LANE: I have many warm recollections of the Ilikai, which is marking its 50th anniversary with a reunion of employees past and present from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. The public celebration starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
I spent many a night catching Loyal Garner, the Lady of Love, in the long-gone Canoe House, and equally numerous evenings at the Pier 7 coffee shop, which now is a Cinnamon’s. I saw the Fabulous Echoes (now the Society of Seven) in the parking-level Hong Kong Junk (history, too), and was at the Top of the I (now Sarento’s) when Elvis Presley strolled in one evening. I saw Vikki Carr (and many others) in the Pacific Ballroom when she had a No. 1 hit in "It Must Be Him," and had great meals at the Dynasty Restaurant (gone from the Marina Tower).
And, yes, I remember when Jack Lord put the hotel on the map when CBS’ original "Hawaii Five-0" shot its classic opening sequence from a balcony there, and when Barbara Eden and the late Larry Hagman were part of NBC’s visiting "I Dream of Jeannie" episode filmed during an Aloha Week parade fronting the Ilikai. Ah, memories.
Publicists Bobbie Watson Kane and Valery O’Brien and songbird Nina Keali’iwahamana (who also spent time in the Canoe House) will be among the alumni on hand. Those were rich, fertile and fun times as Hawaii’s visitor industry flourished, when music and culture were integral ingredients of hotel life. Much has changed. …
DATEBOOK: John Cruz will be among the performers when the Royal Hawaiian Band, with maestro Clarke Bright, stages a free concert, "The Ocean Connects Us All (Ma o ke Kai e Pili Ai Kakou)," at7 p.m. Thursday at the Hawaii Theatre. …
And a shout-out to Melveen Leed, ambassador for the Hawaii Seniors Fair/Good Life Expo, Friday through Sept. 28 at Blaisdell Center. …
And that’s Show Biz …
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist; reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at www.staradvertiser.com.
