“Mad Men” and “Saturday Night Live” Stars Shine on Hawaii Island at the 2013 Big Island Film Festival

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Damon

From sinister to seriously funny, this year’s Big Island Film Festival (BIFF) celebrity honorees bring some of the best talent in television to Hawaii over Memorial Day Weekend.  Vincent Kartheiser, “Pete Campbell” on the award-winning drama “Mad Men,” will appear in person, as will Kate McKinnon, featured player on the legendary “Saturday Night Live,” known for hilarious impressions of Ann Romney, Ellen DeGeneres and Penelope Cruz.

and Kate McGinnon

Vincent Kartheiser and Kate McKinnon

Named after Vincent van Gogh, Kartheiser began acting as a teen, in “Untamed Heart” with Marissa Tomei.  His many film credits include “Little Big League,” “Ironwill” and “Another Day in Paradise” with James Woods and Melanie Griffith.  Most recently he appeared in the sci-fi thriller “In Time” with Justin Timberlake.  On television, Kartheiser starred in Joss Whedon’s “Angel,” and has guest-starred in numerous other series including “ER” and “The Cleveland Show,” before joining the skyrocketing success of Mat Weiner’s “Mad Men” on AMC.

Kate McKinnon joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” last April and has cracked up fans with creatively wacky characters and killer celebrity impressions ever since, one of which earned an invitation to “The Ellen Degeneres Show” last month.  McKinnon also earned a spot on Forbes’  “30 Under 30” list for 2012.  Prior to “SNL,” McKinnon performed with numerous at the Upright Citizens’ Brigade Theatre, becoming beloved by the New York comedy community for the three one-woman shows she wrote and performed at the UCB: “Disenchanted,” “Best Actress” and “Kate McKinnon On Ice.”

BIFF 2013 celebrity events:

  • Friday, May 24, 5-6:30 p.m., “Meet the Stars: Aloha Hollywood” reception in the Kilohana Room.  $75 VIP admission includes The Fairmont Orchid’s elegant “Legacy Menu” pupus, Kenwood wines and other beverages.  Or—new this year—the “Paparazzi Pass” at $15 invites the public to bring cameras and watch for photo ops as celebrities and filmmakers arrive on the red carpet, then mingle with the stars, and enjoy a no-host bar.  Party-goers are encouraged to dress up in aloha wear and join in the fun of celebrity buzz and Hollywood style “Aloha glam.”
  • Saturday, May 25, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Reception & Salute to Kate McKinnon, starring chef’s select Asian appetizers, Moo Shu duck station and desserts, like fruit “sashimi,” mango nigiri and chocolate chopstick matcha torte.  After the reception, Brian Kohne will talk story with Kate in a one-of-a-kind interview and Q&A.  $35, advance tickets required.
  • Sunday, May 26 4:30-6:30 p.m., Reception & Salute to Vincent Kartheiser, with a “Mad Men” theme:  mini Beef Wellingtons and Oysters Rockefeller, “Dr. Arnold Rosen and Sylvia’s” cheese fondue and Baked Alaska.  Video career retrospective and personal interview with Vincent to follow.  $35, advance tickets required.
  • Monday, May 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Golden Honu Awards Brunch in the Kilohana Room.  $50 per person, reservations required.  Posh buffet brunch, Awards presentations and announcement of the Audience Choice films that will be screened at Best of the Fest Monday evening.

The Big Island “Talk Story” Film Festival is a celebration of independent narrative films and filmmaking, taking place May 23-27, 2013.  Major sponsors include The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i and The Shops at Mauna Lani and Hawaii Tourism Authority/Hawai‘i County CPEP.

For complete schedule information and tickets, visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com or call (808) 883-0394.

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Hollywood Screenwriter Ron Osborn to Teach Big Island Film Festival Workshops

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Damon

Veteran screenwriter Ron Osborn shares his tried and true techniques and insider tips to create winning screenplays, in Big Island Film Festival workshops, Saturday, May 25, 2013.  Two screenwriting workshops, “What’s So Funny?” and “Ripped from the Newspapers,” will be held at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i Promenade Ballroom.  Limited space is available at $50 per session, with advance registration required (www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com).

Ron Osborn

Ron Osborn

Ron Osborn’s wonderful words have been making us smile for over 35 years in favorite TV comedies like “Mork & Mindy,” “Night Court” and “Moonlighting” and feature films like “Duckman.”  His “What’s So Funny?” class, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon explores the fine line that separates comedy from drama, along with today’s current comedy market, and how to approach just about any subject from a comedic standpoint.  “What’s So Funny?” promises to be an entertaining and energizing way to kick off the day with Ron Osborn.

In the afternoon, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., “Ripped from the Newspapers” is all about the art of adaptation.  With the mastery that created award-winning dramas like “West Wing,” Osborn shares his approach to finding inspiration in existing news stories or events, classic stories or previously filmed stories, and then making them your own. Using proven strategies that earned him Emmy, Humanitas and Writer’s Guild Award nominations, Osborn will provide valuable insight and perspective to screenwriters at any level.

Osborn has over 35 years of experience in the film industry and presently teaches for Dreamworks.  He also has a consulting website, NoBSscreenwriting.com, where he welcomes questions from writers.  His spec feature “Visitation” has been optioned, and he has just adapted the supernatural novel “The Elementals” for The Orphanage Animation Studios.  He also currently has three features being sent out by his reps, plus an hour-long pilot and a half-hour show that was developed with John Cleese.

The Big Island “Talk Story” Film Festival is a celebration of independent narrative films and filmmaking, taking place May 23-27, 2013.  A total of 54 free Family Films (up to PG13) and ‘Festival Films’ (up to R) are screened in three different venues during the five-day festival, which also includes celebrity receptions and salutes, social and networking events and “Best of the Fest” event with concert by HAPA and silent auction to benefit Fisher House at Tripler Army Medical Center. 

Tickets are available for individual events, or a variety of passes.  New this year, designed with food and wine lovers in mind, the “Reception Pass” admits attendance at four ultra-delicious celebrity soirees, including the invitation-only Mayor’s Welcome Reception on Thursday.  With VIP hors d’oeuvres luxuriously catered by The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i chefs, and a different upscale menu every night, the Reception Pass is a good value and great opportunity to mingle with the filmmakers and stars, enjoy stellar cuisine and savor fine wines by Kenwood Vineyards.

Big Island Film Festival’s major sponsors include The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i, The Shops at Mauna Lani and Hawaii Tourism Authority/Hawai‘i County CPEP.  For complete schedule information and tickets, visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com or call (808) 883-0394.

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All-Star Ensemble Cast for New Hawaii’i-Based Film: “The Fishing Club”

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Damon

Zippo Film Productions announced that it will begin production of a new made-in-Hawai‘i narrative festival film, led by award-winning director David Rosen and starring an ensemble cast of Hawaii’s top talent including KITV4 Sports Director Robert Kekaula and musical artist and kumu hula Keali‘i Reichel.  Filming is scheduled to begin in May on Oahu, with a world premier planned for later this year, and film festival tour to follow.

Keali'i Reichel and Robert Kekaula

Keali’i Reichel and Robert Kekaula

In “The Fishing Club” a group of longtime fishing buddies hatch a plan to save their favorite fishing spot from development.  When outside forces come into play, events start to spin out of control and the Fishing Club’s members have to question not only their plans, but their own, and each other’s, personal motives and kuleana.

One of Hawaii’s premier directors, Rosen (Shooters Film Production) is known for his visual storytelling style which has helped create successful marketing campaigns and garnered numerous local and national awards, including Hawaii’s 2010 Advertising Man of the Year.  With him, Shooters Executive Producer Darrin Kaneshiro brings key organizational skills and 20 years of production storytelling to the quality film project.

In addition to Kekaula and Reichel, the cast includes veteran actor Allan Okubo, who began his career in “Magnum P.I.” and appeared recently in “You May Not Kiss the Bride.”  Fellow “Bride” actor Theo Coumbis has also played roles in iconic TV series from “Fantasy Island” to “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0.”  And, musical theatre actress-singer Mary Gutzi performed in “Les Miserables” and “CATS” in New York, and most recently, the television military drama “Last Resort.”

A serious story with a sense of humor, “The Fishing Club” is based on short fiction written by Hawai‘i Island author Catherine Tarleton in the 1990’s, though its themes, and its questions, are alive and well today.  Executive Producer Dana Hankins of Redhead Productions selected the story from entries written for the Honolulu Magazine Fiction Contest , as with previous short films, “The Lemon Tree Billiards House” with Ray Bumatai, “Dancing with the Long Bone” (Henry Kapono and Karen Keawehawaii), and “True Love and Mimosa Tea” (Tamlyn Tomita and Elizabeth Lindsey).  Hankins also produced the award-winning short film “Chief,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

For more information, follow The Fishing Club Movie on Facebook or visit www.thefishingclubmovie.com

The Fishing Club

 

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HAPA in Concert at 2013 Big Island Film Festival “Best of the Fest”

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Damon

The dynamic musical duo HAPA, acclaimed as “the Simon and Garfunkel of Hawai‘i,” will take the stage for Big Island Film Festival’s “Best of the Fest” concert at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i on Monday, May 27, 2013.

HAPA

Among the top-selling and most enduring acts in contemporary Hawaiian music history, HAPA has been described by Al Rudis in the Long Beach Press-Telegram as “a musical storm.”  The soulful singing of Ron Kuala‘au and stirring guitar strings of Barry Flanagan combine to create what Rudis calls “music with beautiful melodies, soaring harmonies and sweeping rhythms that is immediately captivating… And between the vocal gems are haunting instrumentals. Hearing HAPA’s music, the listener might feel if the Hawaiian Islands could be turned into a movie, this would be its soundtrack.”

Ten-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winners, HAPA has been heard in countless national TV shows and feature films, and was showcased in a PBS documentary hosted by Peter Fonda. Fresh from the recording studio, Flanagan and Kuala‘au are currently on tour, performing 25+ shows spanning both coasts in many of the most prestigious venues in the country.

Tickets for “Best of the Fest” with HAPA can be purchased online at www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com. Best of the Fest tickets are $40 at the door ($30 kama‘āina) and $35 in advance ($25 kama‘āina), $10 keiki 6-12.  Some chairs will be available as well as no-host bar, gourmet pupus and other movie snacks (no coolers please).

Best of the Fest includes:
•    Silent Auction to benefit Fisher House at Tripler Army Medical Center, 5-7 p.m.
•    HAPA Concert, 5-7 p.m.
•    Audience-voted Best Feature and Best Short Films of BIFF 2013, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
•    Best of the Fest is also a fundraiser for Hawai‘i Island Food Basket.

The Big Island “Talk Story” Film Festival is a celebration of independent narrative films and filmmaking, taking place May 23-27.  Major sponsors include The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i and The Shops at Mauna Lani and Hawaii Tourism Authority/Hawai‘i County CPEP.
For complete schedule information and tickets, visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com or call (808) 883-0394.

 

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2013 Big Island Film Festival Announces Official Selections

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Damon

Now in its 8th year, the Big Island Film Festival has announced 54 Official Selections for 2013, to be screened May 23-27 at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i and The Shops at Mauna Lani.  The “talk story” film festival is a celebration of narrative films and filmmaking, with free family films, nightly double features for grown-ups with gourmet food and no-host bar, and “meet-the-stars” celebrity social events.

BIFF2013

Notable selections include the inter-cultural romance “Chasing Shakespeare” starring Danny Glover.  Continuing the legend of their ancestral Lightning Clan, a Native American family sends a talented daughter to reach for her destiny on Broadway.

“Home,” with Gbenga Akinnagbe (“The Good Wife”) follows a mentally-ill father on the slippery path to recovery and re-connection with his son.  The film’s ensemble cast includes Emmy-winning actor James McDaniel (“NYPD Blue”).  The short film “Liberator” stars Lou Ferrigno as a washed-up super hero dealing with his past, and co-stars Ed Asner.

Top contenders from Hawai‘i State and Island include “Strange Frame” by G.B. Hajim, Island Planet One Productions (East Hawai‘i).  This animated sci-fi romance won Best Feature at the Dragon Con Independent Film Festival, with the famous voices of Claudia Black, Tara Strong, Ron Glass, Tim Curry, Alan Tudyk, Michael Dorn and George Takei, to name a few.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, a slice-of-life drama, “The Land of Eb,” directed by Andrew Williamson, tells a touching story of Marshallese coffee workers in today’s South Kona.

Another Big Island film, “Bullitt and the Mystery o the Devil’s Root” is an island adventure,  produced, acted, and directed by Kona filmmakers Richard Gonzalez and Rockwood, with Shawn Lathrop, Darrin “DC” Carlson, Mary Croix, and a great ’68 Mustang.  In “Parts of the Same Circle,” the Honolulu team of Eric Nemoto and Denny Hironaga use intertwining stories and familiar local characters to create a kaleidoscopic (at times very funny) look at life and death in Hawai‘i.  And, from the Marshall Islands, Jack Niedenthal’s “The Sound of Crickets at Night” summons a mysterious ancient deity to reunite a Bikini Atoll elder with his family.

On Thursday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m., BIFF’s Grand Opening at The Shops at Mauna Lani will include a free sampler of movies with seven short films.  One of most unique, the animated film, “Searchlight Serenade: Big Bands in the Japanese American Incarceration Camps,”shares stories from the WWII-era big band musicians and singers who made history with their music.  The entire community is invited to come and welcome filmmakers to the Island.

The Official Selections for BIFF 2013 are:

  • A Perfect Day
  • Balancing Emma
  • Boys Are Us
  • Broken
  • Bullitt and the Mystery of the Devil’s Root
  • Bumsicle
  • Caterpillar’s Kimono
  • Chasing Shakespeare
  • Coffee, God and Gasoline
  • Fight Scene
  • Frame of Mind
  • Gabby’s Wish
  • Good Dog
  • Hangdog
  • Hatch
  • Home
  • Homecoming
  • If I Were A Bell
  • Last Call
  • Liberator
  • Lift
  • Lipstick Lies
  • Lost Dog
  • Monster in Paris
  • Offline
  • Out of Focus
  • Paper
  • Parts of the Same Circle
  • Pervertigo
  • Searchlight Serenade: Big Bands in the Japanese American Incarceration Camps
  • Shoot the Moon
  • Sidewalk Wars
  • Six Letter Word
  • Spaghetti for Two
  • Stenwyken
  • Stigma
  • Strange Frame
  • Sway Away
  • The Assistant
  • The Equestrian
  • The Future
  • The Intruder
  • The Invention
  • The Land of Eb
  • The Lion’s Den
  • The Perfection of Anna
  • The Regret of the Doubt
  • The Sound of Crickets at Night
  • The Spare
  • The Visit
  • Upside Down
  • What if
  • You Got This!
  • Your Place or Mine

A limited number of ballots will be given to audience members during each screening.  Votes are tallied at the end of the festival, to determine the Audience-choice Feature and Short to be screened at Best of the Fest on Monday, May 27.

The Big Island “Talk Story” Film Festival is a celebration of independent narrative films and filmmaking, taking place May 23-27, 2013. Major sponsors include The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i and The Shops at Mauna Lani and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority/Hawai‘i County CPEP.

For complete schedule information and tickets, visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com.

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‘The Fruit Hunters’ Debuts During HIFF Spring Showcase

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Damon

Partially filmed in Hawai’i, “The Fruit Hunters” move premieres at the 2013 Spring Showcase of the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF). Appearing in the award-winning film is the Big Island’s Ken Love, executive director of the Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG).

Fruit Hunters Poster

The Hawai‘i premiere is 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium Theatres. As part of a fundraiser for HTFG programs, members will offer a fresh fruit display and sell HTFG videos and posters showing Hawai‘i’s many varieties of mangos, bananas and avocado, plus a poster featuring more than 160 unusual types of fruit grown in Hawai‘i.

“In ‘The Fruit Hunters’ the characters travel across culture, history and geography to illustrate how people are intertwined with the fruits they grow and eat,” says Love.

Directed by Yung Chang in 2012, the 95-minute film received the Grand Prix at the 30th edition of the Festival International du Film de l’Environnement in Paris. A cinematic odyssey through nature and commerce, “The Fruit Hunters” changes not only the way we look at what we eat, but how we view our relationship to the natural world.

Inspired by Adam Gollner’s 2008 book of the same name, the film is a documentary about exotic fruit cultivators and preservationists. It uses performers and fruit enthusiasts to stage real and imagined moments in the history of fruit.

“The Fruit Hunters” follows actor Bill Pullman’s crusade to create a community orchard near his Hollywood Hills home. Noris Ledesma and Richard Campbell of Florida’s Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden “scour the jungle for rare mangos, hoping to intervene before the plants are steamrolled by industrialization,” according to the film synopsis. Other plots include a scientist racing to breed bananas resistant to a fungus that threatens the worldwide crop and fruit detective Isabella Ragione investigating paintings for clues to rediscover lost fruits.

Love appears in the film introducing Pullman to some of Hawai‘i’s finest fruits and later appears in Pullman’s dream sequence. Hawai‘i filming was done on the Big Island, at the Keauhou Farmers Market, Manago Hotel and a number of private farms in South Kona.

Before coming to Hawai’i, the film is being featured at film festivals in Canada, Amsterdam, Berlin and Turin. It will be released in 15 U.S. cities in May and later this year in Japan. A TV version, with different footage, appeared on the Canadian TV show, “The Nature of Things.”

HIFF’s 2013 Spring Showcase offers 33 films from 15 countries April 5-11. For more info, visit http://www.hiff.org.

 

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Steven Spielberg Movie “Blaws” to Be Filmed in Hawaii???

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Damon

I just noticed the following and it’s kind of a trip… not sure how true it is:

…The movie’s tentative title is “Blaws,” and it’s about an ageing reporter who blogs while he’s trying to catch a big fish. When Spielberg told me it would be shot in Hawaii and he needed a month of my time, I figured that was a dealbreaker…

More here: Video: Spielberg taps reporter for new movie.

I’ve looked online for other information about this pending movie but I can’t find anything about it now.  Here is a picture of Peter Fischetti whom the quote can be attributed to.

Peter Fischetti is the new Corona-Norco reporter for The Press-Enterprise

Peter Fischetti is the new Corona-Norco reporter for The Press-Enterprise

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Department of Education Schools Lead Strong Hawaii Showing at National Student Television Awards

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Damon

Led by five awards from Waianae High School, public schools captured 16 of 17 awards won by Hawaii schools this month at the 10th Annual Student Television Network (STN) Convention in Los Angeles, Calif.

DOE Release

Nearly 2,500 students from 153 middle and high schools across the country attended this year’s convention, March 7-10. Hawaii was well represented with the third-largest contingent with 15 public and private schools. During the four-day convention, students and teachers were able to select from more than 90 breakout sessions taught by industry professionals covering all areas of broadcast journalism, video production, filmmaking and media.

Also as part of the convention, STN held onsite contests for video production in 27 categories, during which public schools dominated Hawaii’s cadre of awards. Kamehameha Schools Maui took home a second-place award in the “Tell the Story” category. Here is how island public schools placed in the competition:

Waianae High School:
1st Place – Convention Recap
1st Place – STN Excellence Award for Monthly Broadcast
2nd Place – Laptop Journalist
3rd Place – Short Story
Honorable Mention – Broadcast News Writing

Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School (Kauai):
1st Place – Spot Feature
2nd Place – Middle School Movie Trailer
3rd Pace – Middle School Public Service Announcement
Honorable Mention – Middle School Anchoring

Waianae Intermediate School:
2nd Place – Middle School Music Video
2nd Place – Sweet 16 Broadcast Journalism

Moanalua High School:
Honorable Mention – Laptop Journalist
Honorable Mention – Music Video

Waiakea Intermediate School (Hawaii Island):
3rd Place – Middle School Anchoring

Waiakea High School (Hawaii Island):
Honorable Mention – High School Anchoring

Maui Waena Intermediate School (Maui):
Honorable Mention – Middle School Public Service Announcement

“There is an extraordinary wealth of talent among our public schools,” said Candy Suiso, a Waianae High teacher considered one of the pioneers of student video production in Hawaii. “Waianae High continues to set the standard among Hawaii’s schools, but what is rewarding is to see how many other schools have invested in this medium as part of their curriculum over the past decade.”

Waianae High School’s videos are available for viewing at http://vimeo.com/spwhs, while Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School’s winning videos can be found at http://vimeo.com/cktvmediaproductions.

STN is a nonprofit organization started in 1999 by a group of dedicated teachers who volunteered their time, energy, and vision. With hundreds of affiliate public and private schools, STN embraces the educational components of broadcast journalism, video production, filmmaking and media by networking students and teachers with professionals in the industry. A list of competition winners can be found at http://www.studenttelevision.com/convention.htm.

 

 

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2013 Big Island Film Festival Coming in May

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Damon

Acclaimed as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “20 Can’t-Miss Festivals,” the Big Island Film Festival (BIFF) 2013 will take place May 23-27 at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i and The Shops at Mauna Lani.  A celebration of narrative filmmaking, BIFF 2013 includes film screenings, social events, screenwriting workshop and a closing night “Best of the Fest” with a top Hawaiian music concert and movies chosen by the audience from Festival entries.

Photo by Kirk Aeder

Photo by Kirk Aeder

“There are hundreds of film festivals around the country,” said Executive Director Leo Sears, “but how many offer the audience a resort setting like The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i?  Their Plantation Estate is this incredibly beautiful lū‘au area by the tennis garden.  They set up a 20-foot screen and superb sound system, gourmet food stations, a beer and wine bar—all out there under the stars, surrounded by palm trees.  It’s just a magnificent way to spend Memorial Day Weekend.”

The majority of BIFF events take place at various locations within The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i, including daytime film screenings in the air-conditioned amphitheatre, filmmaker workshops, celebrity receptions and salutes, as well as “festival films” (up to R) and Best of the Fest, at Plantation Estate.  Family films (up to PG-13) are shown at The Shops at Mauna Lani Center Stage, where admission is free.

“We’re not quite ready to announce the celebrities for this year yet,” said Sears.  Generally, one filmmaker and one actor are invited to attend BIFF, where attendees can meet and interact with them at receptions and salutes in their honor, and other social occasions.  “But I can tell you that we’re getting a lot of interest from stars who’ve heard about the Festival and want to experience the Big Island.”

Kristina Anapau in front of the Fairmont Orchid at Mauna Lani

True Blood’s “Maurella” Kristina Anapau was awarded a Golden Honu in 2011

Past years celebrity honorees have included Hawai‘i actresses Eloise Mumford (The River), Kristina Anapau (“Black Swan”, “True Blood”) and Sarah Wayne Callies (“The Walking Dead”), Tom Berenger, Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa, D.B. Sweeney, John Saxon and filmmakers Ron Osborn, Rick Stevenson, David Winning and Scott Stewart.  And, such noted Hawaiian musicians as Makana, Brother Noland, John Cruz, Henry Kapono and Kohala have graced the stage.

Eloise Mumford was honored in 2012

Eloise Mumford was honored in 2012

BIFF 2013’s “Golden Honu” Awards will be presented to the Best Feature and Best Short in Family, Student, Animated, Foreign, Hawaii and Audience Choice categories at a special Awards Brunch to honor the filmmakers and their works on Monday, May 27.  Numerous alumni films have won awards at prestigious film festivals around the world, and achieved commercial success in the industry.  One of BIFF’s alumni short films, “The Buzkashi Boys” is a current Oscar nominee, and another, “The Sea is All I Know” starring Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo, was a nominee last year.

The Big Island “Talk Story” Film Festival is a celebration of narrative filmmaking.  Sponsors include The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i, The Shops at Mauna Lani, County of Hawai‘i, Dept. of R&D: CPEP Grant/Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Redeeming Light International, Inc. and others. For detailed information visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com, find them on Facebook, or 808-883-0394.

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Former Big Island Resident Ryan Higa Up for Audience Choice Awards at 2013 Streamy Awards

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Damon

According to the Wrap.com, former Big Island resident Ryan Higa is nominated for an Audience Choice Awards at the 2013 Streamy Awards as well as nominated in the “Best First-Person Series” as well:

Streamy

“Ryan Higa, the Fine Brothers and the Young Turks are among the 20 nominees for two Audience Choice Awards at the 2013 Streamy Awards, which will take place February 17 in Hollywood.

Tubefilter and Dick Clark Productions on Tuesday also unveiled the nominees for Personality of the Year and Series of the Year, opening voting until February 11.

The nominees for Personality of the Year are Ashley Clements, Bernie Su, Brad Bell, Chester See, Grace Helbig, Mary Kate Wiles, Megan & Liz, Ryan Higa, SMOSH and the Fine Brothers. SMOSH ranks as the most subscribed YouTube channel on the online video site, while Higa ranks third…”

More here:  Ryan Higa, Fine Brothers nominees for audience Choice Awards at 2013 Streamys

 

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Silly Saturday – “The Truth About Hawaii”

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Damon

“The Truth About Hawaii”

Truth

By DamnItsGood808:

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Video – The Kilauea Volcano Eruption of 1955

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Damon

1955

The Kilauea Volcano Eruption of 1955:

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Waimea Ocean Film Festival Opens January 3 – Ocean Experience, Ocean Environment, Island Culture

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Damon

The Waimea Ocean Film Festival (Ocean Film) offers a stellar lineup of films and special guests January 3-11, 2013.  The festival headlines several TEDx and TED global speakers; world, US and Hawai’i premieres; plus a non-stop schedule of 39 stunning and thought-provoking films, breakfast talks and special cultural exhibits and events.

Waimea Ocean Film Festival Page

The festival runs at multiple venues in Waimea and the Kohala Coast before moving to Four Seasons Resort Hualalai January 7.

Find a festival program guide listing all films, talks and activities at www.waimeaoceanfilm.org.

Festival passes are on sale now online or by calling the festival office at 808.854.6095.  Passes will be for sale and available for pickup, along with program guides, at the festival’s hospitality desks January 2-6 at Kahilu Theatre and January 7-11 at the Ballroom Foyer at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

Film presenters and guest speakers headlining the festival include:

  • Jon Shenk, director of The Island President
  • Louie Schwartzberg, director of Hidden Beauty/Wings of Life and the video Gratitude
  • Jeff Orlowski, director, and Paula DuPré Pesman, producer, of Chasing Ice
  • Producer/director Phil Arnone of KGMB’s Duke Kahanamoku: Hawai‘i’s Soul and  IZ-The Man Behind the Music
  • M. Sanjayan, chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and CBS environment and science contributor
  • Noah Idechong, Speaker of the House of the Palau National Congress and former chief of   Palau’s Division of Marine Resources
  • Bradford Schmidt, creative director of GoPro

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i, The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel are offering discounted rates to attendees purchasing a festival pass.

The Waimea Ocean Film Festival thanks all 2013 Film Festival partners: GoPro, SanDisk Foundation, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, The Fairmont Orchid, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hapuna Prince Resort, the Matson Foundation, Blacksand Sound and Show, Kona MacNet, West Hawaii Today, Maria Peterson Catering, Island Girl Eats, All About Chocolate, Big Island Weekly, Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA), Big Island Brewhaus, Redwater Cafe, Parker School, Merrimans, gaiacreative, The Computer Doctor, Ke Ola Magazine, Joe Fagundes III (Kona Law), Maile Charters, Blue Wilderness Dive Adventures and Starbucks Coffee.

For the latest updates on films and speakers, follow the festival on Facebook, www.facebook.com/waimeaoceanfilmfestival, or visit www.waimeaoceanfilm.org.

 

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Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Big Island, Community, Environment, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Kohala, Kona, Movies and Film | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

2013 Waimea Ocean Film Festival Coming Up – GoPro Joins Ocean Film Fest

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Damon

The Waimea Ocean Film Festival (Ocean Film) offers a stellar lineup of films and special guests for 2013. The festival headlines several TEDx and TED global speakers; world, US and Hawai’i premieres; plus a non-stop schedule of stunning and thought-provoking films, breakfast talks and special cultural exhibits and events. The festival runs January 3-11, starting at Waimea and Kohala Coast venues before moving to Four Seasons Resort Hualālai with the first showing at the resort the evening of January 7.

Waimea Ocean Film Festival

Each year, the festival immerses participants in a greater understanding and awareness of the ocean and island culture. The 2013 event opens on January 3 with a tribute to the late Jake Eberts, including a compilation of his work, and the showing of the latest film he produced, Hidden Beauty/Wings of Life, presented by director Louie Schwartzberg.

Producer Paula Dupré Pesmen and director Jeff Orlowski will be on hand during the festival to talk about the making of Chasing Ice, currently under consideration for a 2013 Academy Award nomination. Jon Shenk joins the festival for a discussion of The Island President, along with some 30 other filmmakers and speakers, traveling from as far away as New Zealand, Norway and the UK.

Ocean Film is pleased to welcome M. Sanjayan as a guest speaker on ocean health. Sanjayan is a CBS correspondent on science and environment, a chief scientist for the Nature Conservancy, has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and David Letterman, was a TED Global 2010 speaker, has hosted documentaries for the Discovery Channel, BBC, and National Geographic TV, and is one of 20 senior advisors to the Clinton Global initiative.

Among the other outstanding festival speakers, Ocean Film presents Noah Idechong, founding executive director of the Palau Conservation Society and the elected speaker of the Palau National Congress, to elaborate on the Palau experience in reversing the deterioration of its reefs and depletion of its fisheries to become one of the world’s leading dive destinations. Dr. Adam Pack, associate professor at UH-Hilo, will share his 18 years of studying the behavior and biology of humpback whales in their Hawaiian breeding and calving grounds. Alan Cohen, inspirational author and featured speaker in the film Finding Joe, will speak about the work of Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey, while Louie Schwartzberg, whose presentation on gratitude was the most popular TEDx talk of all time, will discuss gratitude at the festival, along with a showing of the film with the same name.

GoPro joins Ocean Film in 2013 Creative Director Bradford Schmidt talks about the beginnings of GoPro, the evolution of the camera’s capabilities and design and what it’s like to work with the world’s most versatile camera. GoPro athletes Jaime Sterling, Alana Blanchard and Monyca Byrne Wickey join the festival for a “Best of GoPro” evening January 3.

Other festival activities include an exhibit and presentation on the 2013 worldwide voyage of Hokulea, the artist works of Christian Enns and Becky Holman, a Barela Art Gallery reception, a cultural evening featuring a talk on wayfinding under the stars January 9, the Taste of the Island culinary event January 6, and a book signing with Kathy Kohner Zuckerman, the real “Gidget,” who will talk about the book written by her father that started it all, Gidget: The Little Girl with Big Ideas. Participants can begin the day with sunrise yoga on the beach or outrigger canoe lessons, power up with coffee at the morning breakfast talks and then head out for a day of thought-provoking film and discussion.

A still frame from "Hokulea: Passing the Torch" one of the films shown last year.

A still frame from “Hokulea: Passing the Torch” one of the films shown last year.

Selections and film synopsis from the 2013 film line up include:

  • Chasing Ice / USA (Jeff Orlowski* Paula DuPré Pesmen*)
  • Duke Kahanamoku: Hawaii’s Soul / USA (Phil Arnone*)
  • The Endless Winter / UK (Matt Crocker, James Dean)
  • Finding Joe / USA (Pat Takaya Solomon) Alan Cohen* for Q&A
  • Gauchos del Mar / Argentina (Joaquín Azulay & Julián Azulay)
  • Going Vertical AUS (Poppy Walker)
  • Gratitude / USA (Louis Schwartzberg*)
  • Hidden Beauty/Wings of Life USA (Louis Schwartzberg*)
  • The Island President / USA (Jon Shenk*)
  • Jaws: Changing the Game / USA (Wangdu Hovey*)
  • Naked Ambition / UK (Joe Wihl, Oliver Gray)
  • Nona Beamer: A Legacy of Aloha / USA (Linda Kane*)
  • North of the Sun / Norway (Inge Wegge*, Jørn Ranum)
  • There Once was an Island: Te Henua e Nnoho / New Zealand (Briar March*)
  • The Tsunami and The Cherry Blossom / USA (Lucy Walker)
  • Under African Skies / USA (Joe Berlinger)
  • Waking the Green Tiger / Canada (Gary Marcuse)
  • The Water Tower (Pete McBride)
  • 2012: The Beginning (Shannon Kring Buset*)

*Filmmakers attending Ocean Film and leading a discussion

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i, The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel are offering discounted rates to attendees purchasing a festival pass.

The Waimea Ocean Film Festival thanks all 2013 Film Festival partners. Mahalo to Go Pro, San Disc Foundation, Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, The Fairmont Orchid, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hapuna Prince Resort, West Hawaii Today, Big Island Weekly, Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA), Big Island Brewhaus, Redwater Cafe, Parker School, Merrimans, gaiacreative, Ke Ola Magazine, Joe Fagundes III (Kona Law), Maile Charters, Blue Wilderness Dive Adventures, and Starbucks Coffee.

For the latest updates on films and speakers, follow the festival on Facebook, www.facebook.com/waimeaoceanfilmfestival, or visit www.waimeaoceanfilm.org.

TICKET INFORMATION – Waimea and Four Seasons film passes for the festival are on sale now.  Passes may be purchased online or by calling the festival office at 808.854.6095.

 

Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Big Island, Community, Entertainment, Environment, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Kohala, Movies and Film, Tourism | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Hawaii Film “Endangered Hawai’i” Awarded International Jury Prize in EkoFilm Festival

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Damon

EKofilm Festival
Endangered Hawai’i, produced by American Bird Conservancy and narrated by actor Richard Chamberlain, has been awarded the international jury prize of the EKOFILM Festival.

For more information about the film and the Endangered Birds of Hawaii see here: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/oceansandislands/hawaii/endangered_hawaii…

For more information about American Bird Conservancy’s program to protect endangered Hawaiian birds see http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/releases/120822.html

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Kona Movie Theater Robbed

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Damon

Big Island police are investigating a burglary at a movie theater complex in Kailua-Kona.

Makalapua Stadium Cinemas

Sometime between 2:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. Monday (November 19), an unknown person or persons entered the Makalapua Stadium Cinemas complex on Kamakaeha Street and removed cash and electronic devices.

Police ask that anyone with information about the identity of the burglar or burglars call the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311.

Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. Crime Stoppers is a volunteer program run by ordinary citizens who want to keep their community safe. Crime Stoppers doesn’t record calls or subscribe to caller ID. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Filed under: Announcements, Big Island, Hawaii, Kona, Legal, Movies and Film | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Vote for Your Favorite Student Film by November 26

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Damon

Eleven short films created by island students for the park’s Digital Mountain Film Festival are ready for viewing and voting on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalMountain2012?feature=watch. Each film is approximately three minutes in length.

Eleven films were entered. Click for more details.

The last day to vote is Mon., Nov. 26. Send votes to Park Ranger Kūpono McDaniel by email at kupono_mcdaniel@nps.gov.

The public is also invited to attend the fourth annual Digital Mountain Film Festival, held at the park’s Kīlauea Visitor Center on Sat., Dec. 1. A potluck celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. (please bring a dish), and the film festival gets underway at 6 p.m. Winners, who have a chance to win Mac laptop computers and digital cameras, will be announced at the festival.

“It’s very inspirational and enlightening to see how our island youth perceive Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. They understand the park isn’t just for tourists but is their park, too. I hope everyone has a chance to vote for their favorite film and come and celebrate our talented youth at the film festival,” McDaniel said.

This project was made possible in part by a grant from the National Park Foundation through the generous support of L.L. Bean, Disney, the Anschutz Foundation, and the Ahmanson Foundation.

Additional help, funding, and support comes from the Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association, and the Big Island Film Office.

For more information, contact Ranger Kūpono McDaniel at 985-6015 or by email at kupono_mcdaniel@nps.gov, and visit the festival’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/DigitalMountainFilmFestival.

Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Big Island, Community, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Food & Drink, Hawaii, Kids, Movies and Film, Tourism | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Ingredients Hawaii (The Trailer)

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Damon

Hawaii’s food communities are a growing inspiration to reclaim culture, human health & environmental sustainability in surprising ways.

“Ingredients Hawaii” takes viewers on a sensational tour through the exotic islands in a first class seat through the agricultural revolution of one of our country’s most beautiful places.

Release date: 12/11

Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Community, Education, Environment, Food & Drink, GMO, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Health, Kids, Movies and Film, State Affairs, Sustainable Living | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“Get A Job” – Kamaaina Rates Now Available

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Damon

*Editors note* I just got my copy of Get A Job on DVD.

Even my dogs want a piece of the action!

“GET A JOB,” Hawaii’‘s first award winning major motion picture comedy starring Willie K, Eric Gilliom, Augie T, and many of the island’s top entertainers and musicians, is now available on DVD and is quickly becoming the hottest christmas gift and stocking stuffer in Hawaii and beyond.

Both the Movie and Soundtrack are available for purchase online at www.GetAJobMovie.com, and fans can save 10% on their purchases by using the special discount code “KAMAAINA.”

Get a Job... The Movie

Honolulu Star-Advertiser film critic Burl Burlingame says the movie is “Undeniably funny.” Impressed by the quality of the all-Hawaii production team, he adds “… in sheer filmmaking technique, it’s a masterpiece.”

Entertainer and Honolulu Midweek reporter Kaleo Pilanca observes “This movie is for everybody or anybody who wants to laugh and not take life too seriously.” Asked if he would buy the DVD, he replies “Yes. I would send it to all my relatives who live on the mainland. This would help them with homesickness.”

Regarding the motion picture Soundtrack in his Island Mele column, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Jon Berger raves “‘Get A Job’ sings with fun, creativity, and versatility.”

Maui Time’s Anu Yagi states “GET A JOB” has broken boundaries, proving it’s possible to create a quality Hawaii story, by Hawaii people.” She continues, “From the flicker of the first few frames, “GET A JOB” is going to change everything anyone’s ever thought about locally made films.”

Producer Brian Kohne… with Big Island Film Festival Director Leo Sears and Actor/Musician Eric Gilliom

“(Writer/director) Kohne took inspiration from vintage screwball comedies like ‘It’s a Mad Mad World,’ where chaos is the starting point and things get crazier from there,” reports Maui News film critic Rick Chatenever. “It’s a madcap comedy, a throwback to the zaniness of Hope and Crosby, Martin and LEwis, Abbott and Costello.”

“GET A JOB” on DVD stars Willie K, Eric Gilliom, and Augie T, Jake Shimabukuro, Carolyn Omine, Henry Kapono, Amy Hanaiali’i, the late Charles Ka’upu, Ernie Cruz Jr., Kealoha, and Kathy Collins, with cameos by Mick Fleetwood, Willie Nelson, and Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers. The movie was written/directed by Maui’s Brian Kohne, produced by Stefan Schaefer, and features a tropical soundtrack by the Barefoot Natives. Produced entirely in Hawaii by islanders, the ground breaking feature film previously screened in theaters throughout Hawaii, on the mainland, and in countries such as Spain, India, and Cambodia, winning top prizes in many of the Festivals in which it competed. The movie is available for purchase at www.GetAJobMovie.com.

Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Comedy, Entertainment, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Movies and Film, State Affairs | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

The Coroner Has Officially Proclaimed the Wicked Witch Dead

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Damon

My son plays the role of “The Coroner” in Kamehameha’s production of “The Wizard of Oz”.

Here is his solo:

 

Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Comedy, Education, Entertainment, Hawaii, Kids, Movies and Film | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

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