With the 43rd Hawai‘i International Film Festival just a few days away from opening on Oct. 12, the organization announced the winners of its industry awards and released other details about this year’s festival.
The organization will host an awards gala at 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Halekulani Hotel to formally celebrate the honorees. Competition winners will also be announced at the gala.
“This year has been particularly challenging for the film and entertainment industry at large, so we are proud to recognize the HIFF43 honorees and their unwavering dedication to their craft, their support of diverse representations in cinema, and support of independent film,” said Beckie Stocchetti, HIFF executive director, in a news release.
This year’s winners:
HIFF43 HALEKULANI MAVERICK AWARD
Given to an artist who has a “unique and eclectic career trajectory,” goes to Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-Seok), a Korean actor and producer based in Seoul, South Korea. He has appeared in more than 80 Korean films, with more than 50 major action roles, including in blockbusters such as “Train to Busan” (2016), “The Outlaws” (2017) and “The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil” (2019), which screened at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. His films “The Roundup” (2022) and “The Roundup: No Way Out” (2023) became the first Korean film franchise to sell more than 30 million tickets and is considered to have revitalized South Korea’s cinema industry.
Lee will be in attendance and host a discussion at the screening of “The Round Up: No Way Out” at 8:15 p.m. Oct. 21 at Consolidated Theatres Kahala.
HIFF43 HALEKULANI NEW VANGUARD AWARD
Given to a “rising star” in the industry as an artist, advocate and role model, goes to Sakura Ando, who is considered the premier Japanese female actor of her generation. She debuted in her father Eiji Okuda’s “Out of the Wind” (2007) and won newcomer awards in Japan the following year for her appearance in Sion Sono’s “Love Exposure” (2008). She’s received several awards since for her work in the films “A Crowd of Three” (2009), “Our Homeland” (2012), “For Love’s Sake” (2012), “The Samurai That Night” (2012 ) and “100 Yen Love” (2014).
Ando will be in attendance and host a discussion at the screening of “Monster” at 5:15 p.m. Oct. 21 at Kahala Theatre.
HIFF43 PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN COMMUNICATIONS TRAILBLAZERS AWARD
Given to an artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories being told on the world stage, becomes a trendsetter in their field and a cultural ambassador for Pacific islander culture, goes to actor Cliff Curtis of New Zealand, who has had a 30-year career in television and film. An ethnic Maori, he studied traditional Maori form of fighting and later performed as a breakdancer and competed in dance competitions. While he has appeared in Hollywood films, his New Zealand-based productions “The Piano” (1993), “Once Were Warriors” (1994), “Whale Rider” (2002) and others have gained worldwide attention.
Curtis will host an acting masterclass during the festival.
OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS AND DETAILS OF INTEREST AT HIFF43
>> American Samoan soccer player Jaiyah Saelua is HIFF43’s opening night special guest.
A center back for her national team, Saelua was the first openly nonbinary and transgender woman to compete in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. Saelua has become an ambassador for equality and LGBT athletes, and has become a referee as well.
Her career inspired Taika Waititi to write and direct his 2023 narrative feature film “Next Goal Wins,” which will be screened on the opening night of the festival at 8:15 p.m. Oct. 12 at Consolidated Theatres Ward, with Saelua in attendance.
>> Hong Kong actor, producer and race car driver Daniel Wu will attend and host a discussion after the screening of “One Night in Mongkok” (screening at 8:15 p.m.) Oct. 17 at Kahala Theatre.
The Northern California native was traveling in Hong Kong when he got offers to go into modeling and soon got into acting. He appeared in the films “Bishonen” (1998), “The Young & the Dangerous: The Prequel” (1998) and “City of Glass” (1999). He would star alongside his mentor Jackie Chan in “New Police Story” (2004). He returned to the U.S. in 2012 and has appeared in Hollywood films and TV series. He also became an activist in Asian Pacific Islander American issues.
>> HIFF will present a free panel discussion with filmmakers spotlighted in this year’s program: Geoff McFetridge (“Drawing a Life”), Sing J. Lee (“The Accidental Getaway Driver”), Chiaki Yanagimoto (“Aum: The Cult at the End of the World”), Till Schauder (“A Revolution on Canvas”), Sara Nodjoumi (“A Revolution on Canvas”), Nicky Nodjoumi (artist) and Denise Zmekhol (“Skin of Glass”).
The filmmakers and artists will discuss their careers, their works and their experiences exploring cultural themes in the U.S. The panel discussion is at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at Kahala Theatre.
>> Award-winning Ram Bergman, producer of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017), “Knives Out” (2019) and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022) has been selected as the inaugural HIFF Producer-in-Residence.
In his 30-year career, Bergman has been a nominee at the Producers Guild of America Awards and received awards from film festivals in Israel and Toronto. During HIFF43, Bergman will host a master class as part of the HIFILM Industry Hub (festival pass required for attendance) and will take part in HIFF’s educational and career development initiatives for the local film and television industry.
For more information on HIFF43, visit hiff.org.
