LVHIFF 2005: A Retrospective

It was the best of times, it was the best of times at the 2005 Louis Vuitton International Film Festival. That's what Tim Ryan reported in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin today. The fest is now "fulfilling its own hype as being one of the most highly regarded festivals in the United States." Here are some record-breaking numbers to prove it:

LVHIFF, the Festival
Films: 268
Countries Represented: 40
Official Guests: 600 (2x average #)
Event Days: 23
Sold-out Shows: 48 (vs. 15 last year)
Attendees: TBD, but more than last year's 65K
Stars and Luminaries: Bai Ling, Lee Byung-hun, Samuel L. Jackson, Zhang Yimou, Sonny Chiba, Roger Corman, Russell Boyd, Roger Ebert, and jurors Julie Delpy, Teddy Zee, and Kang Je-Gyu
Score!: "Brokeback Mountain" premiere

LVHIFF, the Organization
Full-Time Staff: 6 (year-round)
Festival Staff: 35
Volunteers: 250
Budget: $1.2 million per year
Sponsors: Include Louis Vuitton ($150K), Hawaii Tourism Authority ($100K), Sheraton, Regal Entertainment Group, Hawaiian Airlines, Commercial Data Systems, Honolulu Star-Bulletin/MidWeek, Honolulu Magazine, the State Legislature, Hawaii Film Office, Maui Film Office, Kauai Film Office, Honolulu Film Office, and Big Island Film Office. The organization receives about $400K in in-kind services.

>> Film festival celebrates many 'firsts' [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 11/8/05]
>> Hawaii Fest Reaches Milestone in 25th Year With Increased Visibility and Record Attendance [IndieWIRE, 11/2/05]

>> 2005 LVHIFF PHOTO ALBUM

RELATED POSTS (all LVHIFF 2005 posts):
>> Samuel L. Jackson Gets LVHIFF Acting Award
>> $20 for Sam Jackson
>> LVHIFF is Over! (Almost)
>> Korea Fever at LVHIFF
>> LVHIFF Blog Up (Finally)!
>> Four LVHIFF Films Vie for Foreign Film Oscar Nom
>> Warning: Shameless Self-Promotion
>> LVHIFF Report: Politics, Identity and Otherwise
>> LVHIFF Report: Broken Chairs & Boozy Schmoozing
>> Hawaii Independents
>> LVHIFF Report: Film Good, Video Bad
>> LVHIFF Kicks Off
>> U.S. Indies at LVHIFF
>> Hawaii Film Panorama at LVHIFF
>> Coming Soon: HIFF