On October 11, I attended the opening Press Conference
for Hawaii International Film Festival. The conference was held at Rumfire at Sheraton
Waikiki. It was hosted by executive director of HIFF Chuck Boller, and the panel
consisted of; Debra Zimmerman, Georja Skinner, Princess Liz Kawananakoa, Ruth
Bolan and Peter Shaindlin.
One new initiative
this year is HIFF creative lab that will explore a broad range of fields such
as acting, screenwriting directing and music for local and visiting filmmakers.
The workshops will give the opportunity
to interact with the industry.
The festival have over 300 international guest
and media from all over the world are attending. The major of Honolulu Peter Carlisle handed over a twenty thousand dollars check to the
festival.
- It’s important to celebrate the
arts and the creativity, and this is one of the greatest film festivals in the world.
Next up speaking were Georja Skinner who is chief officer of the state of
Hawai’i’s Creative Industries Division in the Department of Economic
Development and Tourism. She said that Hawaii has a lot of great storytellers and
their vision is; begin small but grow expeditionary.
Ruth Bolan mentioned how important media is to the democracy, because
everyone needs a voice. She is the executive Director of Pacific Islanders in Communications
which sponsor pacific showcase, to bring films from the islands in the spotlight.
One of the people who have been recognized for their talent is the local writer
Davis Kop, who is sponsored by HIFF. He came up to the panel and expressed how
much this means to him because it tells that he is heading in the right
direction.
- My advice to other story
tellers is to be fearless and to keep writing, Davis said.
At the end of the conference, Bolan told that there are going to be some celebrities
attending this year’s festival. One of them is the Japanese film icon Koji
Yakusho.
