Hawaii International Film Festival opens with premiere of ‘The Navigator’
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The red carpet was out as the 46th annual Hawaii International Film Festival opened with the world premiere of “The Navigator.”
Hundreds lined up to see the film, in which Nainoa Thompson revisited his historic 1980 voyage as the first Native Hawaiian navigator in six centuries to travel from Hawaii to Tahiti using traditional wayfinding.
“We hope that this story can go far and wide,” said the film’s director, Jordan Manley. “Hokulea and the tradition of navigation are just so compelling and amazing and we hope that the story does get out worldwide.
Thompson and members of the Polynesian Voyaging Society were there for the debut.
“The Navigator” — like so many of the films in the festival — doesn’t have a distribution deal. Filmmakers look at HIFF as a way to attract industry buzz, which leads to lager audiences.
“Nowadays, people are staying at home and streaming movies, right? But why not go into the theater and see it on the big screen with all the sound and the visual effects,” said HIFF Executive Director Jean Lee.
Another incentive — one of the short films screened at the festival could win an Oscar.
“It’s one of the very few festivals that if you get your short film accepted at HIFF and it wins, it automatically qualifies to be under consideration for an Academy Award,” said Chris Lee, the former head of Columbia/TriStar and the founder of the University of Hawaii Academy for Creative Media. “There are very, very few festivals that can offer that.”
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Actress Amy Hill also believes that Hawaii is becoming more attractive to film and television producers again, thanks to increased tax credits that were passed by this year’s legislature.
“Disney’s Back with ”Lilo and Stitch 2,’ and there are other productions that are going to becoming, there are other series and things that are sort of starting to shoot their pilots here,” she said.
A total of 170 films will be screened at this year’s festival, which specifically showcases 30 films that are made in the islands.
“I love the Made in Hawaii festival stuff, the shorts and the feature length things that focus on movies that are made here, which are beautiful, scripted so beautifully, acted so beautifully. I mean, it really shows the world what we have,” said Hill.
Jordan Kandell, who co-wrote the Disney animated film “Moana” and is now the HIFF Board President, also sees a bright future for local filmmakers and Hawaii’s film industry.
“I think the future of filmmakers and films that are being made by local talent is increasing year to year,” he said. “I’ve seen it, being born, raised and based here, increase even in the last decade.”
He added, “The amount of talent we have here from writers, directors, actors — it’s exploding. And it’s amazing.”
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Wednesday’s ceremony starts at 7 p.m. at the Hawaii Theatre.
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