Like many film events this past summer and fall, this year’s Hawai’i International Film Festival found cinema in a bit of an uneasy holding pattern, what with the Hollywood strikes, the after-effects of pandemic production delays, a rising fear of an A.I.-dominated future, and a growing dissatisfaction with commercial cinema’s superhero-centric fixations. But rather than the paranoia and uncertainty that dominated mainland festivals, Hawai’i seemed invigorated by what was rising up in its place. News that much-anticipated titles like Alika Tengan’s feature Molokai’i Bound, Mitchel Merrick’s Native Hawaiian martial-arts actioneer Kūkini, and Zoë Eisenberg’s debut Chaperone had neared completion gave […]
The post Stories Shared, Stories Known: the 2023 Hawai’i International Film Festival Presented by Halekulani first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Stories Shared, Stories Known: the 2023 Hawai’i International Film Festival Presented by Halekulani first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 12/21/2023
- by Jason Sanders
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Like many film events this past summer and fall, this year’s Hawai’i International Film Festival found cinema in a bit of an uneasy holding pattern, what with the Hollywood strikes, the after-effects of pandemic production delays, a rising fear of an A.I.-dominated future, and a growing dissatisfaction with commercial cinema’s superhero-centric fixations. But rather than the paranoia and uncertainty that dominated mainland festivals, Hawai’i seemed invigorated by what was rising up in its place. News that much-anticipated titles like Alika Tengan’s feature Molokai’i Bound, Mitchel Merrick’s Native Hawaiian martial-arts actioneer Kūkini, and Zoë Eisenberg’s debut Chaperone had neared completion gave […]
The post Stories Shared, Stories Known: the 2023 Hawai’i International Film Festival Presented by Halekulani first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Stories Shared, Stories Known: the 2023 Hawai’i International Film Festival Presented by Halekulani first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 12/21/2023
- by Jason Sanders
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
During his tenure as head of production at Columbia TriStar in the 1990s, Chris Lee oversaw such Hollywood classics as Philadelphia, Jerry Maguire and As Good As It Gets.
But behind the scenes, as the first known Asian American to lead production at a major Hollywood studio, the Hawaii native was also actively involved in nurturing the industry’s then-inchoate Aapi community of executives and creatives, co-founding in 1991 the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment.
Just over 20 years ago, Lee returned to his home state and continued his mission of developing Aapi storytellers by establishing the Academy for Creative Media across the University of Hawai’i system, where he still directs the program. Two ACM alumni have premiered features at Sundance over the past two years — Christopher Makoto Yogi with I Was a Simple Man in 2021 and Alika Maikau with Kaimuki in 2022.
This year Lee himself is returning to the...
But behind the scenes, as the first known Asian American to lead production at a major Hollywood studio, the Hawaii native was also actively involved in nurturing the industry’s then-inchoate Aapi community of executives and creatives, co-founding in 1991 the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment.
Just over 20 years ago, Lee returned to his home state and continued his mission of developing Aapi storytellers by establishing the Academy for Creative Media across the University of Hawai’i system, where he still directs the program. Two ACM alumni have premiered features at Sundance over the past two years — Christopher Makoto Yogi with I Was a Simple Man in 2021 and Alika Maikau with Kaimuki in 2022.
This year Lee himself is returning to the...
- 1/23/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Bentonville Film Festival announces the jury prize winners for their 8th annual Festival.
The week-long Festival, led by Academy Award-winning actor and Festival Chair Geena Davis,is known for its dedication to championing female, non-binary, Lgbtqia+, Bipoc, and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment.
Every Day in Kaimuki was awarded Best Narrative Feature with director Alika Tengan and cast in attendance. Special honors presented Fin Argus with the Rising Star Award for their truly outstanding talent that has captured the attention of both the public and entertainment and media industry, and Effie Brown with the Rising to the Challenge Award honoring her success supporting indie film projects, both on and off screen.
The 2022 Bff Jury included six experts across three categories: Narrative judges included Producer, Bird Runningwater, Actor/Filmmaker, Yolonda Ross and Producer Shrihari Sathe; Documentary judges included Emmy Award-winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo, Producer/Distributor Karin Chien and Filmmaker...
The week-long Festival, led by Academy Award-winning actor and Festival Chair Geena Davis,is known for its dedication to championing female, non-binary, Lgbtqia+, Bipoc, and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment.
Every Day in Kaimuki was awarded Best Narrative Feature with director Alika Tengan and cast in attendance. Special honors presented Fin Argus with the Rising Star Award for their truly outstanding talent that has captured the attention of both the public and entertainment and media industry, and Effie Brown with the Rising to the Challenge Award honoring her success supporting indie film projects, both on and off screen.
The 2022 Bff Jury included six experts across three categories: Narrative judges included Producer, Bird Runningwater, Actor/Filmmaker, Yolonda Ross and Producer Shrihari Sathe; Documentary judges included Emmy Award-winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo, Producer/Distributor Karin Chien and Filmmaker...
- 6/26/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The lineup of films premiering in the narrative, documentary, short film and episodic selections at the 2022 Bentonville Film Festival’s competition program have been released today, the Bentonville Film Foundation announced. The annual festival is set to run in-person from June 22-26 in Bentonville, Ark, with a virtual component having an extended run from June 22 to July 3.
Led by “Thelma and Louise” star and vocal feminist Geena Davis, the festival aims to amplify female, non-binary, LGBTQ, Bipoc and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment. In collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, this year’s programming includes a wide array of storytelling with more than 82 of the competition program from creators who identify as female or gender non-conforming. Additionally, 65 of the creators identify as Bipoc, Asian, or Pacific Islander and 62 identify as LGBTQ. The vast majority of onscreen leads — 90, to be exact — are women or gender non-conforming.
“We...
Led by “Thelma and Louise” star and vocal feminist Geena Davis, the festival aims to amplify female, non-binary, LGBTQ, Bipoc and people with disabilities’ voices in entertainment. In collaboration with founding partner, Walmart, and presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola, this year’s programming includes a wide array of storytelling with more than 82 of the competition program from creators who identify as female or gender non-conforming. Additionally, 65 of the creators identify as Bipoc, Asian, or Pacific Islander and 62 identify as LGBTQ. The vast majority of onscreen leads — 90, to be exact — are women or gender non-conforming.
“We...
- 6/1/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
Asian content specialist hires veteran distribution and production executive.
Finance, production and sales company Est Studios has hired veteran distribution and production executive Tenten Wei as head of sales and distribution as the team kicks off Cannes sales on Sundance selection Every Day In Kaimuki.
Based in Los Angeles for the Asian content specialist, Wei will report to head of film and TV Juefang Zhang. Prior to joining the company she was director of acquisitions and distribution at Starlight Media and worked on Midway, Malignant and Umma.
Before Starlight she worked at Instrum International as head of Asia sales. Wei...
Finance, production and sales company Est Studios has hired veteran distribution and production executive Tenten Wei as head of sales and distribution as the team kicks off Cannes sales on Sundance selection Every Day In Kaimuki.
Based in Los Angeles for the Asian content specialist, Wei will report to head of film and TV Juefang Zhang. Prior to joining the company she was director of acquisitions and distribution at Starlight Media and worked on Midway, Malignant and Umma.
Before Starlight she worked at Instrum International as head of Asia sales. Wei...
- 5/18/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Alika Tengan directed story of young Hawaian man searching for meaning outside home town.
Newly launched finance, production and sales company Est Studios has acquired international sales rights for Cannes on Sundance 2022 selection Every Day In Kaimuki.
Alika Tengan directed and co-wrote the story of a young man determined to give his life meaning outside of Kaimuki, the small Hawaiian town where he grew up, even if it means leaving behind everything he’s ever known and loved.
Naz Kawakami and Rina White star in Every Day In Kaimuki, which became the first feature by a native Hawaiian filmmaker to premiere at Sundance.
Newly launched finance, production and sales company Est Studios has acquired international sales rights for Cannes on Sundance 2022 selection Every Day In Kaimuki.
Alika Tengan directed and co-wrote the story of a young man determined to give his life meaning outside of Kaimuki, the small Hawaiian town where he grew up, even if it means leaving behind everything he’s ever known and loved.
Naz Kawakami and Rina White star in Every Day In Kaimuki, which became the first feature by a native Hawaiian filmmaker to premiere at Sundance.
- 5/4/2022
- ScreenDaily
Alika Tengan directed story of young Hawaian man searching for meaning outside home town.
Newly launched finance, production and sales company Est Studios has acquired international sales rights for Cannes on Sundance 2022 selection Every Day At Kaimuki.
Alika Tengan directed and co-wrote the story of a young man determined to give his life meaning outside of Kaimuki, the small Hawaiian town where he grew up, even if it means leaving behind everything he’s ever known and loved.
Naz Kawakami and Rina White star in Every Day At Kaimuki, which became the first feature by a native Hawaiian filmmaker to premiere at Sundance.
Newly launched finance, production and sales company Est Studios has acquired international sales rights for Cannes on Sundance 2022 selection Every Day At Kaimuki.
Alika Tengan directed and co-wrote the story of a young man determined to give his life meaning outside of Kaimuki, the small Hawaiian town where he grew up, even if it means leaving behind everything he’s ever known and loved.
Naz Kawakami and Rina White star in Every Day At Kaimuki, which became the first feature by a native Hawaiian filmmaker to premiere at Sundance.
- 5/4/2022
- ScreenDaily
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (Laapff), presented annually by Visual Communications (Vc), Southern California’s leading showcase for new Asian Pacific American and Asian international cinema, announced today the program for the 38th edition of the festival. The festival returns May 5th to 13th in Los Angeles and will feature an exciting lineup of in-person programming, along with virtual programming for our audiences at home in Southern California and beyond.
As Visual Communications premiere annual event, Laapff continues to build connections between peoples and generations through the amplification of Asian and Pacific Islander film, video, and media.The festival celebrates Asian Pacific American filmmakers and Asian international artists with profound, important and entertaining films and content from the new voices of cinema while honoring the legends and leaders who keep this cultural movement going forward. Important themes of representation, authorship, responsibility and ethics are at the forefront of content creation.
As Visual Communications premiere annual event, Laapff continues to build connections between peoples and generations through the amplification of Asian and Pacific Islander film, video, and media.The festival celebrates Asian Pacific American filmmakers and Asian international artists with profound, important and entertaining films and content from the new voices of cinema while honoring the legends and leaders who keep this cultural movement going forward. Important themes of representation, authorship, responsibility and ethics are at the forefront of content creation.
- 4/18/2022
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
We might be in year two of a pandemic but you'd be hard pushed to notice it in terms of its presence on film, with most directors preferring to pretend that it doesn't exist. It comes as something of a welcome change then to see director Alika Tengan fold the realities of the situation we're all living through into his film - just one of the things that makes this snapshot of life on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu relatable.
Tengan made waves with his short Moloka'i Bound, the feature version of which made the Black List's newly inaugurated Indigneous List and though this film does have the vibe of something that was made with friends in the meantime, his authenticity and ear for dialogue continue to bode well for the future. The low-key narrative - which is a docufiction hybrid very much in the mumblecore tradition - is just inviting you to.
Tengan made waves with his short Moloka'i Bound, the feature version of which made the Black List's newly inaugurated Indigneous List and though this film does have the vibe of something that was made with friends in the meantime, his authenticity and ear for dialogue continue to bode well for the future. The low-key narrative - which is a docufiction hybrid very much in the mumblecore tradition - is just inviting you to.
- 1/28/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
“I’d rather have one person dance in my car than have 100 people with the song on in the background” late-night radio DJ, Naz (Naz Kawakami), tells his friend. The young man hosts a show called “Night Drive,” on 90.1 FM Honolulu, “the show that makes you feel cool when you’re driving at night, the show where you actually are as you speed down the freeway going about your misdeeds.”
Beginning production in November 2020 as a sort of documentary/fiction hybrid, native Hawaiian filmmaker Alika Tengan’s “Every Day In Kaimukī,” is an admirable and well-intended debut, though it’s far more successful in its vibe than it is in establishing an artistic voice with command over narrative.
Continue reading ‘Every Day In Kaimukī’ Review: Moody Shoegaze Vibes Still Feel A Little Undercooked [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Beginning production in November 2020 as a sort of documentary/fiction hybrid, native Hawaiian filmmaker Alika Tengan’s “Every Day In Kaimukī,” is an admirable and well-intended debut, though it’s far more successful in its vibe than it is in establishing an artistic voice with command over narrative.
Continue reading ‘Every Day In Kaimukī’ Review: Moody Shoegaze Vibes Still Feel A Little Undercooked [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/24/2022
- by Andrew Bundy
- The Playlist
Array and Google have found the first recipient of their $500,000 Feature Film Grant in Hawaiian filmmaker Alika Maikau.
The award, fittingly (and coincidentally) announced on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, will include mentorship from the advisory committee that selected Maikau, including producer Gabrielle Glore, Visual Communications executive director Francis Cullado, IllumiNative founder and executive director Crystal Echo Hawk, Film Independent senior director of education and international initiatives María Raquel Bozzi and Mumbai Academy of Moving Image artistic director Smriti Kiran. Google will provide the $500,000 for Maikau’s production, which will be sourced by Array Crew, the database of below-the-line professionals from historically ...
The award, fittingly (and coincidentally) announced on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, will include mentorship from the advisory committee that selected Maikau, including producer Gabrielle Glore, Visual Communications executive director Francis Cullado, IllumiNative founder and executive director Crystal Echo Hawk, Film Independent senior director of education and international initiatives María Raquel Bozzi and Mumbai Academy of Moving Image artistic director Smriti Kiran. Google will provide the $500,000 for Maikau’s production, which will be sourced by Array Crew, the database of below-the-line professionals from historically ...
- 10/11/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Exclusive: Sundance Institute has named the recipients of the inaugural Uprise Grant Fund and Arts Organization Grants, supporting Bipoc artists.
The Uprise Grant Fund specifically looks to uplift Bipoc artists, whose careers and creative development have been harmed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 38 U.S.-based artists selected for the grant are Yasmin Almanaseer, Fatimah Asghar, Hadeel Assali, Lena Chen, Edyka Chilomé, Dominic Colón, Min Ding, Mandolin Eisenberg, Ash Goh Hau, Leandro Fabrizi, Kayla Farrish, Brittany Franklin, Dickie Hearts, Armando Ibanez, Carlos Ibarra, Cashmere Jasmine, Henry Alexander Kelly, Patrick G. Lee, Sasha-Gay Lewis, Alika Maikau, Andre Muir, Marcos Nieves, San-San Onglatco, Naima Ramos-Chapman, Faye Ruiz, Jazmin Jones, Nyjia, Nova Scott-James, Michael Shayan, Wendi Sierra, Bryan Sih, Weng-San Sit, Josalynn Smith, Nay Tabarra, Nesaru Tchaas, Jingjing Tian, So Yun Um, Derrick Woods-Morrow, and Yuan Yuan.
80% of Uprise artist grantees work in traditional film disciplines; the other 20% work primarily in emerging media or theatre disciplines.
The Uprise Grant Fund specifically looks to uplift Bipoc artists, whose careers and creative development have been harmed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 38 U.S.-based artists selected for the grant are Yasmin Almanaseer, Fatimah Asghar, Hadeel Assali, Lena Chen, Edyka Chilomé, Dominic Colón, Min Ding, Mandolin Eisenberg, Ash Goh Hau, Leandro Fabrizi, Kayla Farrish, Brittany Franklin, Dickie Hearts, Armando Ibanez, Carlos Ibarra, Cashmere Jasmine, Henry Alexander Kelly, Patrick G. Lee, Sasha-Gay Lewis, Alika Maikau, Andre Muir, Marcos Nieves, San-San Onglatco, Naima Ramos-Chapman, Faye Ruiz, Jazmin Jones, Nyjia, Nova Scott-James, Michael Shayan, Wendi Sierra, Bryan Sih, Weng-San Sit, Josalynn Smith, Nay Tabarra, Nesaru Tchaas, Jingjing Tian, So Yun Um, Derrick Woods-Morrow, and Yuan Yuan.
80% of Uprise artist grantees work in traditional film disciplines; the other 20% work primarily in emerging media or theatre disciplines.
- 7/29/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Previous selections include Crip Camp, Miss Juneteenth, Swallow, The Truffle Hunters.
Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced the announced its slate of 135 international and US features, series and audio projects for this year’s virtual event that runs September 19-24.
The meetings-driven forum says it is the only international co-production market in the US featuring stories for multiple platforms, and hosts scheduled artist and industry meetings dedicated to furthering the work and careers of independent artists.
Previous selections include Crip Camp, (pictured), Miss Juneteenth, Monos, Swallow, My Salinger Year, and The Truffle Hunters.
Gotham Week will also feature a roster of panels,...
Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced the announced its slate of 135 international and US features, series and audio projects for this year’s virtual event that runs September 19-24.
The meetings-driven forum says it is the only international co-production market in the US featuring stories for multiple platforms, and hosts scheduled artist and industry meetings dedicated to furthering the work and careers of independent artists.
Previous selections include Crip Camp, (pictured), Miss Juneteenth, Monos, Swallow, My Salinger Year, and The Truffle Hunters.
Gotham Week will also feature a roster of panels,...
- 7/29/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Criterion Channel has unveiled their March 2021 lineup, which includes no shortage of remarkable programming. Highlights from the slate include eight gems from Preston Sturges, Elaine May’s brilliant A New Leaf, a series featuring Black Westerns, Ann Hui’s Boat People, the new restoration of Ousmane Sembène’s Mandabi.
They will also add films from their Essential Fellini boxset, series on Dirk Bogarde and Nelly Kaplan, and Luchino Visconti’s The Damned and Death in Venice, and more. In terms of recent releases, there’s also Matthew Rankin’s The Twentieth Century and Claire Denis’ Let the Sunshine In.
Check out the lineup below, along with the teaser for the Black Westerns series. For weekly streaming updates across all services, bookmark this page.
The Adventurer, Charles Chaplin, 1917
Bandini, Bimal Roy, 1963
Behind the Screen, Charles Chaplin, 1916
Black Jack, Ken Loach, 1979
Black Rodeo, Jeff Kanew, 1972
Blood Simple, Joel and Ethan Coen,...
They will also add films from their Essential Fellini boxset, series on Dirk Bogarde and Nelly Kaplan, and Luchino Visconti’s The Damned and Death in Venice, and more. In terms of recent releases, there’s also Matthew Rankin’s The Twentieth Century and Claire Denis’ Let the Sunshine In.
Check out the lineup below, along with the teaser for the Black Westerns series. For weekly streaming updates across all services, bookmark this page.
The Adventurer, Charles Chaplin, 1917
Bandini, Bimal Roy, 1963
Behind the Screen, Charles Chaplin, 1916
Black Jack, Ken Loach, 1979
Black Rodeo, Jeff Kanew, 1972
Blood Simple, Joel and Ethan Coen,...
- 2/26/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Alika Maikau's Moloka'i Bound feels like what it is - namely a calling card short that ripe for expansion to feature film. His attention to detail and ear for dialogue bode well for the longer version, which made the Black List's newly inaugurated Indigneous List that aims to spotlight indigenous film and TV makers while giving an authentic voice to stories of Native peoples.
This short snippet, which also won an Oscar-qualifying award at ImagineNATIVE, observes a conversation between young teenager Jonathan (Austin Tucker) and an older man, Kainoa (Holden Mandrial-Santos) who we come to learn is his father and desperate to forge some sort of reconnection - with the circumstances around this taking shape as the short progresses.
Maikau uses the simple steps of a school to his advantage to emphasise distance between his two characters - with Jonathan initially sitting on a wall and Kainoa at a lower level -.
This short snippet, which also won an Oscar-qualifying award at ImagineNATIVE, observes a conversation between young teenager Jonathan (Austin Tucker) and an older man, Kainoa (Holden Mandrial-Santos) who we come to learn is his father and desperate to forge some sort of reconnection - with the circumstances around this taking shape as the short progresses.
Maikau uses the simple steps of a school to his advantage to emphasise distance between his two characters - with Jonathan initially sitting on a wall and Kainoa at a lower level -.
- 12/23/2020
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Exclusive: The Black List, along with IllumiNative and the Sundance Institute have selected the nine scripts for the inaugural Indigneous List, which spotlights some of the best (if not the best) Indigenous film and television writers living and working within the U.S.
Submissions for The Indigenous List kicked off in June and closed in September. The Native-led nonprofit Illuminative launched to increase the visibility of Native peoples in American society. They challenge negative narratives, stories, and stereotypes about Native peoples and provide tools to develop an accurate representation of voices of Native peoples.
Here are the scripts selected for The first Indigenous List in alphabetical order:
Bunker Boss by Joey Clift
After a nuclear war forces most of humanity into underground bunkers, a total loser must become the inspirational leader of a bunker known to execute any leader that drops below a 60% approval rating. (Animated)
Fancy Dance by Erica Tremblay...
Submissions for The Indigenous List kicked off in June and closed in September. The Native-led nonprofit Illuminative launched to increase the visibility of Native peoples in American society. They challenge negative narratives, stories, and stereotypes about Native peoples and provide tools to develop an accurate representation of voices of Native peoples.
Here are the scripts selected for The first Indigenous List in alphabetical order:
Bunker Boss by Joey Clift
After a nuclear war forces most of humanity into underground bunkers, a total loser must become the inspirational leader of a bunker known to execute any leader that drops below a 60% approval rating. (Animated)
Fancy Dance by Erica Tremblay...
- 12/8/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Breakout acting star Awkwafina was on hand Saturday in Honolulu to receive the Halekulani Maverick Award from the Hawaii International Film Festival. The actress, writer and rapper this year starred in “Ocean’s 8” and “Crazy Rich Asians.” Japanese actor, Takumi Saito was also given a maverick award after his feature directing debut “Blank 13.”
Leading Korean actress Moon So-ri received a career achievement award. Moon recently directed the feature-length omnibus “The Running Actress.”
The festival presented its Best Made In Hawaii feature prize to “Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable,” directed by Aaron Lieber. The jurors also awarded a second place award to “Moananuiakea: One Ocean, One Canoe, One People,” directed by Na’alehu Anthony. The Made in Hawaii jury called “Hamilton” “emotional and inspiring.” It said: “this film did what all great docs do – it captured defining moments you can’t believe were captured on film with twists and turns that defied expectations.
Leading Korean actress Moon So-ri received a career achievement award. Moon recently directed the feature-length omnibus “The Running Actress.”
The festival presented its Best Made In Hawaii feature prize to “Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable,” directed by Aaron Lieber. The jurors also awarded a second place award to “Moananuiakea: One Ocean, One Canoe, One People,” directed by Na’alehu Anthony. The Made in Hawaii jury called “Hamilton” “emotional and inspiring.” It said: “this film did what all great docs do – it captured defining moments you can’t believe were captured on film with twists and turns that defied expectations.
- 11/18/2018
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
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