Sun, 12/3: The Herenikos Talk About Filmmaking

Vilsoni Hereniko, a professor at the Center for Pacific Island Studies at the University of Hawaii, and the writer/director/co-producer of the award-winning feature film, "The Land Has Eyes," will be speaking on "Re/Presentations of Pacific Islanders in Film" at the Native Books/Na Mea Hawai’i store at Ward Warehouse this Sunday, December 3, at 3:00 PM. During his talk, he will examine the portrayal of Pacific Islanders in feature films such as "Once Were Warriors," "Whale Rider," "No.2," "Samoan Wedding," "The Ride," and "The Land Has Eyes."

Following his presentation, Jeannette Paulson Hereniko, the producer of "The Land Has Eyes," will discuss “Self Distribution of Low Budget Indie Feature Films.” She believes producers must start developing distribution strategies even before the first day of production, including identifying target audiences and developing low-cost methods to reach them, and she will share how she and husband Vilsoni went about distributing their own film.

After the presentations, the filmmakers will sign DVDs of "The Land Has Eyes" and meet with the public. For more information about the event, please call Native Books Event Coordinator Cristina Valenzuela at 783-2612.

RELATED POSTS:
>> "The Land Has Eyes" Released on DVD
>> Four LVHIFF Films Vie for Foreign Film Oscar Nom
>> Hawaiinuiakea Film Festival
>> HIFF Report: Monster, Matty, Mujeres
>> Indigenous Pacific Storytelling
>> Free Native Film Showcase on Mon, 9/25

Triple Dose of Indie Film News: Sundance, Spirit, Gotham

Taika Waititi's "Eagle vs. Shark"

The 2007 Sundance Film Festival competition slate was announced today, and the rest of the slate will be announced tomorrow. Among the films screening in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition is "Eagle vs. Shark" by Maori filmmaker Taika Waititi, whose short film, "Two Cars, One Night" was nominated for an Oscar a few years ago. "Eagle vs. Shark," Waititi's first feature, is about two social misfits awkwardly trying to find love.

Yesterday, the Independent Spirit Award nominations were announced, and there is very strong representation of Asian American filmmaking talent--the strongest ever, I believe, at the Spirit awards. So kudos to the Film Independent and IFP folks for that! The Asian Am nominees include: for Best First Feature: "Man Push Cart" directed by Ramin Bahrani and produced by Ramin Bahrani, Pradip Ghosh, and Bedford T. Bentley; and "The Motel" directed by Michael Kang and produced by Matthew Greenfield, Miguel Arteta, Gina Kwon, and Karin Chien; and for the "IFC/Acura Someone to Watch Award," So Yong Kim ("In Between Days") and Richard Wong ("Colma: The Musical").

So Yong's and Richard's films were also nominated for IFP Gotham Awards in the "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You" category. The awards ceremony is taking place in NYC right now as I write.

The Gotham Awards have gotten a lot of flack this year for nominating big budget studio features like Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" and Sofia Coppola's "Marie Antoinette." Critics are saying that this "anything goes" nomination process throws into question the whole point of the Gotham Awards, a 16-year old event put on by IFP, the oldest non-profit membership and advocacy organization for independent filmmakers.

IFP exec director Michelle Byrd defends the bigger budget nominees, saying "I don't think the Gotham Awards are about independent film...We're celebrating almost a style of working, in all genres and budget levels....The importance of filmmaking is the author's voice, which drives people to make independent films." Perhaps the Gotham Awards should be renamed the Auteur Awards. Auteurs do exist at every budget level, and in fact, I would argue that it is probably harder for an auteur working within the studio system to retain his or her independent spirit in the face of all that financial pressure. Still, it's a little tough to stomach the fact that the nomination spot taken up by the $90 million "The Departed" (notwithstanding that fact that Scorsese is the reigning king of American auteurs) could've provided a much needed promotional venue for some little known film. But then, would anyone (media, sponsors, you) even care about the Awards? (Sigh) Such is the conundrum of film events, organizations, and festivals that were originally founded to support pre-Indiewood independent film.

>> Sundance Unveils Competition Slates: Organizers Highlight Diversity, Innovation and Globalization [indieWIRE, 11/29/06]
>> 2007 Spirit Awards Nominees [Film Independent]
>> 2006 Gotham Awards Nominees [IFP]
>> Gotham nominees a case of double identity? [The Hollywood Reporter, 11/28/06]
>> Gotham Awards grows to include studio fare [Variety, 11/28/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> The Meaning of "Independent"
>> IFP Hawaii?
>> 2006 Independent Spirit Award Winners
>> 2005 IFP Gotham Award Mominees
>> HIFF Report: Asian American Invasion
>> Hollywood Studio System is "Inherently Racist"
>> Hawaii Looks to New Zealand
>> Hawaiinuiakea Film Festival
>> Technical Difficulties at HIFF, on blog
>> Calling All Korean & Korean American Filmmakers
>> US Indies at LVHIFF
>> Beantown as Tinseltown

Senate Leadership and Committees Rejiggered

Here's a rundown of the newly elected Hawaii State Senate leaders and the film-related committees:

It appears that there is no longer a Committee on Media, Arts & Technology (MAT). This was the subject committee to which all film-related bills were assigned. Film measures will probably now be vetted by the newly formed Committee on Economic Development and Taxation (EDT), which will be chaired and co-chaired by Carol Fukunaga and Will Espero, respectively.

The Committee on Ways & Means (WAM) has a new chair, Rosalyn Baker, but the co-chair is still Shan Tsutsui.

And the overall Senate leaders are:

President: Colleen Hanabusa
Vice President: Donna Mercado Kim
Majority Leader: Gary Hooser
Majority Floor Leader: David Ige

RELATED POSTS:
>> New Leaders at the State House of Reps
>> It's Official: Hawaii Boasts 15-20% Film Tax Credit!
>> FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS
>> Public Testimonies Have Clout
>> Hear, Hear on Hearings
>> So That's How Bills Get Passed!
>> Brush Up Your Legislature!
>> Schoolhouse Rock Redux
>> Legislative Alphabet Soup
>> How a Bill Becomes a Law

"World Market Leader in Video Game Adaptations" to Film in Hawaii

"'Die Hard' on an island": An ex-Special Forces guy stranded in Micronesia searches for his charge after their boat is destroyed by mercenaries.

Michael Tsai reported in today's Honolulu Advertiser that local production company Hawaii Film Partners will be very busy next year. Among the two films, one animation project, and one TV series ("Flight 29 Down"'s third season) on the company's slate is a $15 million film called "Far Cry."

"Far Cry" is based on a video game of the same name, and will be one among a string of video game-to-film adaptations directed by Uwe Boll, whose own German-based production company BOLL KG considers itself the "World Market Leader in Video Game Adaptations." Boll has been able to finance his films independently, outside of the Hollywood studio system, because of the generous German tax shelter offered to film investors. Though many Hollywood studios have abused this tax shelter via sale-and-leaseback schemes (thus prompting a reform of the law earlier this year), Boll actually used the incentive as it was meant to be used: to stimulate investment in German entertainment properties.

Interestingly, Boll is a much maligned director who recently got so fed up with the invective hurled at him by armchair geek-critics who hide behind the Internet that he literally beat them into submission when he challenged them all to a real-life physical boxing match--a stunt that one of his four (defeated!) challengers called "a combination of PR and BS." Read about it here in Wired Magazine. And check out clips of the fights on YouTube.

>> 2 films, 1 TV series slated for Hawai'i [Hnl Advertiser, 11/29/06]
>> Raging Boll [Wired Magazine, December 2006]

UPDATE, 11/30: I keep forgetting to post this Pacific Business News article from a few weeks ago that goes into detail about Hawaii Film Partners' slate. The title, "Local group to spend $57M on four films," is inaccurate though, as it should read "four projects" (there are 2 films, 1 animated TV series, and 1 live action TV series). Oh well...

RELATED POSTS:
>> Local Film Co. Enters Into $20m Agreement
>> German Free Ride is Over
>> Europe on the Cheap
>> "Flight 29 Down"'s 2nd Season Premieres 9/9

"Morning Light" Kicks Off on the Hokulea

The Hokulea

Roy Disney's "Morning Light" documentary about the trials and tribulations of 14 young sailors training for a transpacific yacht race kicked off over Thanksgiving weekend. The 14 youngsters joined Disney and master navigator Nainoa Thompson on the Hokulea, a venerable Hawaiian twin-hull canoe, to learn the ancient art of Hawaiian sailing and navigation. They will spend a few days sailing aboard the Hokulea, go home for Christmas, and return in January to train for 6 months on their own boat, the Morning Light, for a yacht race in July.

>> Hokulea Stars in a Disney Movie [KGMB9]
>> Young sailors get taste of Hawai'i [Hnl Advertiser, 11/25/06]
>> Young sailing crew training in ancient ways [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 11/27/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Disney's "Morning Light" Project

Tax Credit Mania?

Here are two commentaries by Lowell Kalapa, Hawaii's most vocal opponent of tax credits. The first is about the brouhaha over the impending release of the Tax Review Commission's report which will include an analysis of Act 221, and the second is about what Kalapa perceives is a proliferation of tax credit requests inspired by Act 221. See if you agree with him...

>> Knock Down, Drag Out Fight, Expected Over Hawaii's High Tech Tax Credits [Hawaii Reporter, 11/20/06]
>> Hawaii State Government Overwhelmed with Tax Credit Requests [Hawaii Reporter, 11/26/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Act 221: Stop the Madness!
>> Tech Community: Act 221 Research Stinks!
>> New Data on Effectiveness of Act 221
>> Tax Dept. Clarifies Act 221 Standards
>> Press Massacres Hawaii's Film Tax Credits Again
>> Tax Incentives Suck...Who Said That?

Pacifika: New York Hawaiian Film Fest Accepting Entries

The 5th Annual Pacifika: New York Hawaiian Film Festival, which will take place in NYC on May 18-20, 2007, is accepting film submissions until Feb. 1. Click here for the entry form.

Presented by the Hawaii Cultural Foundation (HCF), in collaboration with New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Department of Film and Television, Pacifika integrates film and cultural demonstrations to explore questions of history, human rights, and identity of Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. The festival celebrates the accomplishments of indigenous film and video artists by introducing them to New York audiences.

HCF is a non-profit organization dedicated to perpetuating Hawaiian culture outside of Hawaii. Founded in 1997, HCF provides native Hawaiians, former Hawaii residents, and those interested in Hawaii in New York City and the tri-state area a means of learning and celebrating Hawaiian traditions through music, dance, art, film and other forms of cultural expression.

For more information, go to www.pacifika.org, or contact Mary Berman at pacifika@hcfnyc.org or 808-941-2905.

RELATED POSTS:
>> Meanwhile in Gotham...
>> Asian American Film Festivals
>> Hawaii vs. Hawaiian
>> Hawaii Films at HIFF 2006
>> Indigenous Pacific Storytelling
>> Hawaii Looks to New Zealand

New Leaders at the State House of Reps

The State of Hawaii House of Representatives recently issued a news release announcing its new leadership. Here's a rundown of who's in charge of the committees that pertain to film-related legislation. The 2007 legislative session will open on January 17th, so get to know these people now!

Tourism & Culture Committee (TAC)
Chair: Ryan I. Yamane
Vice Chair: Joey Manahan

Economic Development and Business Concerns Committee (EDB)
Chair: Kyle Yamashita
Vice Chair: Glenn Wakai

Finance Committee (FIN)
Chair: Marcus Oshiro
Vice Chair: Marilyn Lee

And the overall House leaders are:

Speaker of the House: Calvin Say
Vice Speaker: Jon Riki Karamatsu
Majority Leader: Kirk Caldwell
Majority Floor Leader: Blake Oshiro

RELATED POSTS:
>> It's Official: Hawaii Boasts 15-20% Film Tax Credit!
>> FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS
>> Public Testimonies Have Clout
>> Hear, Hear on Hearings
>> So That's How Bills Get Passed!
>> Brush Up Your Legislature!
>> Schoolhouse Rock Redux
>> Legislative Alphabet Soup
>> How a Bill Becomes a Law

KCC New Arts Lecture, 11/20: Story & Animation

Kapiolani Community College's next "New Arts Lecture" is entitled "Storytelling: Defining Characters," and will be about developing story and characters in animated projects. Here are the details:

Lecture: "Storytelling: Defining Characters"

• Who: Kevin Johnson, director of Starz Entertainment's upcoming animated feature "Sheepish" due out in 2007. Kevin has also worked as a storyboard artist at Sony ImageWorks, Warner Bros., Disney, and Don Bluth Studios. He was the assistant director of the Character Animation Program at the School of Film and Video at CalArts. His feature film credits include: "The Iron Giant," "Cats Don't Dance," "The Pagemaster," and "Everyone's Hero."
• What: An overview of story and character development in animated projects, illustrated with scenes from "Sheepish."
• When: Mon, 11/20, 7:30-9:30pm
• Where: OHIA 118, Kapiolani Community College (4303 Diamond Head Rd)
• Cost: FREE to the public
• Bonus Workshops!: There will be 2 accompanying workshops that day, also at KCC in KOA 102: "Story: Staying on Point" at 11am, and "Character Animation" at 2pm
• More info: Contact Sharon Sussman, 808-734-9382 or ssussman@hawaii.edu

Talk on CGI, Animation, Games on Wed ,11/15

This just in from the ACM's Kaveh Kardan:

There will be a gathering of the local Siggraph chapter this Wednesday evening. It should be a fun event for anyone interested in computer graphics, animation, and games.

University of Hawaii at Manoa
POST Building, Room 127
Wed, Nov 15, 6:00-8:30pm

There will be two guest speakers:

• Chris Lee, director of the Academy for Creative Media, and executive producer of "Superman Returns," will speak about how computer graphics is changing the making of movies, from pre-production to special effects. He will also speak of what it will take to build a digital effects industry in Hawaii.
• Gerard Banel, software engineer on "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" and developer of the Syflex cloth simulation system, will speak about the current state of the art in simulating clothing using computer graphics.

Feature on Filipino American Cinema

Albert Lanier has written a nice piece for the Philippine News about the Filipino American presence at the Hawaii International Film Festival last month. HIFF had a special focus on Filipino films this year because 2006 marks the Centennial of Filipinos in the U.S. These films included works by Hawaii-based documentarians Stephanie Castillo ("Strange Land") and Emme Tomimbang ("Mabuhay with Aloha"), and former UH Academy for Creative Media student Renato Fontaine ("Brown").

Lanier also mentions L.A. Renigen, star of "Colma: The Musical," which was co-written by her co-star and fellow FilAm H.P. Mendoza; and Matthew Libatique, a prolific and successful FilAm cinematographer ("Pi," "Requiem for a Dream," "The Fountain," "Inside Man," "Everything is Illuminated," etc.), who gave a special seminar at HIFF, and who said of his HIFF experience, "my whole world has opened up....It’s inspiring for me to meet Filipino filmmakers and it’s inspiring to see everybody being creative.”

>> Hawaii filmmakers mull over future of FilAm cinema [Philippine News, 11/8/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Hawaii Films at HIFF 2006
>> HIFF Report: Asian American Invasion
>> HIFF Report: Monster, Matty, Mujeres
>> Hawaii Film Panorama at LVHIFF
>> How Da Haoles Wen Stole Hawaii: The Film(s)
>> Hawaii Independents
>> TV Special on 100 Years of Filipinos in Hawaii
>> Two New Local Film Festivals

Showdown in Chinatown Winners

In case you didn't brave the technical difficulties and teeming masses tonight at NextDoor or thirtyninehotel to watch the Showdown in Chinatown Championship, here are the winners (pardon the possible misspellings--feel free to email me corrections):

1st Place ($1000 winner) - "La Voyage" directed by Zach Heilison
2nd Place - "You Don't Have to Leave" directed by Vince Keala Lucero and James Vanderpoel
3rd Place (tie) - "Iris" by 3 Toad Team and "Half" directed by Chris Roher

Twelve films in all, including the above, made the semi-finalist cut out of about 30 submissions. All filmmakers had one week to complete their films, and all films had to be about "Finding Love," and include a wine bottle, bubble gum, and the line, "You don't have to leave."

Here are the rest of the semi-finalists:
* "Finding Love in the White House" directed by Johnny American
* "Sour Grapes" directed by ?
* "UnderDog" directed by Reese Williams
* "It" by Dark Sevier
* "Serendipity" directed by Michael Ogasawara
* "The Flea" directed by Walrus Howard
* "Pheromones" directed by Fifty Yen
* "Blindsided" directed by Chris Potts

A thirteenth film was shown even though it exceeded the 10-minute max: "Breaking Rules" directed by Robert Campbell.

My personal faves? The too-cool-for-school (but still cool) kaleidescopic experimental art film "It," the prettily photographed and scored "Iris," and "Serendipity" a funny "video haiku" by the talented young Michael Ogasawara, who I felt really captured what ought to be the spirit of the SIC film (simple, quick, witty, and executable with a cast and crew of less than 5). Mike's film was about 20 seconds long, and this was the entire script:
A dinner for two
Ex-girlfriends can be so cruel
You don't have to leave

And there you have indie filmmaking by way of Honolulu!

>> Showdown in Chinatown
>> Cinema Paradise's Island Independent Film Festival

RELATED POSTS:
>> Showdown in Chinatown Championship
>> Cinema Paradise / Island Independent Film Festival
>> Honolulu: Hipster Haven
>> The Meaning of "Independent"
>> IFP Hawaii?
>> Hawaii Films at HIFF

HBO Miniseries on WWII Scouting Hawaii

An HBO miniseries being produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg may be coming our way. The 10-part "The Pacific" is similar to the critically acclaimed 2001 HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," about the European front in WWII. This new miniseries would be about the Pacific theater of war. Discussions to shoot the production in Hawaii are very preliminary. The production is also considering Australia as a location.

>> WWII miniseries may be filmed in Hawai'i [Hnl Advertiser, 11/4/06]

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Hawaii Ranks #5 in Top 10 Places to Shoot in the US
Would These Places Give You a Headache?
Hawaii as San Fran, NYC, UK, Oz, etc.
Our Loss is Their Gain
Two Articles About Act 88 Today

New Teamsters Local 996 Leader

Mel Kahele, who served as president of Hawaii Teamsters & Allied Workers Union Local 996 for the past ten years, was just ousted by Secretary-Treasurer Ron Kozuma. Kozuma won the presidency by 238 votes, 1,076 to 838.

Teamsters Local 996 represents about 6,000 employees across Hawaii and Guam, including bus drivers, hospital workers, cement workers, and movie truck drivers.

Kahele said though he was surprised by the election's outcome, he has no ill feelings and would help make for a smooth transition.

>> Teamsters union picks new leader [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 11/5/06]
>> Kahele ousted as Teamsters leader [Hnl Advertiser, 11/4/06]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Local Labor Union Chapters
>> 10 Factoids From FilmHawaii Seminar on Labor Unions
>> IATSE Local 665, Unions

"The Land Has Eyes" Released on DVD

Sapeta Taito as "Viki"

University of Hawaii Professor Vilsoni Hereniko’s award-winning film from Rotuma, Fiji, "The Land Has Eyes," will be available on DVD at Borders Bookstores at Waikele and Ward Centre, and at Native Books at Ward Warehouse.

The film tells the story of a young South Pacific Islander who is determined to clear her family’s name after her father has been accused of a crime he did not commit. In addition to the 87-minute feature film, the DVD has several bonus features including a behind-the-scenes slide show and documentary on indigenous justice.

Writer-director Hereniko and producer Jeannette Paulson Hereniko (who also founded HIFF) will meet the public and autograph DVDs at the following times/places:

• Borders at Waikele - Sat, 11/4, 12 noon
• Borders at Ward Centre - Sun, 11/5, 2pm

Borders is offering the DVD on sale for $24.99 during the upcoming launch weekend. The regular price is $29.99. For more info about the film, go to www.thelandhaseyes.com.

RELATED POSTS:
>> Four LVHIFF Films Vie for Foreign Film Oscar Nom
>> Hawaiinuiakea Film Festival
>> HIFF Report: Monster, Matty, Mujeres
>> Indigenous Pacific Storytelling
>> Free Native Film Showcase on Mon, 9/25

Cinema Paradise / Island Independent Film Festival

This just in from www.myspace.com/cinemaparadise:

Island Independent Film Festival 2006 at a glance...

Festival Dates: November 9- 12, 2006
Venues: Next Door, 43 N Hotel Street (b/t Nu'uanu and Smith)
Phone: 808.953.0002

Individual Film Tickets are $10
Festival Party prices vary, check online for prices
Cinemaniac All Access passes are $75 and will get you into all films and festival parties.
Because seating is limited Cinemaniac pass holders will be given priority entry. Passes are strongly recommended. Presale tickets and passes available online at:
www.cinemaparadise.org
www.whatiiff.com
Powered by Groovetickets

Thursday, November 9th
12PM BOXOFFICE OPENS
5PM FESTIVAL MEET AND GREET
6PM FESTIVAL OPENING FILM DEATH OF A PRESIDENT
7PM GEORGE TAHARA, HAWAIIAN LEGENDS
8PM GITMO
9PM PRIVATE
10PM OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Friday, November 10
12PM BOXOFFICE OPENS
5PM FESTIVAL HAPPY HOUR
6PM LADY VENGEANCE
7PM NEXT
8PM MIRRORBALL
9PM GOAL DREAMS
10PM PACIFIC STANDARD FESTIVAL PARTY WITH DJ IRA AND J-BOOGIE SF

Saturday, November 11
12PM BOXOFFICE OPENS
5PM THE GREAT FESTIVAL HAPPY HOUR
6PM GREAT HAPPINESS SPACE
8PM SHOWDOWN IN CHINATOWN CHAMPIONSHIP
10PM ESKAE AND CP PRESENT CHINATOWN SESSIONS WITH LOW BUDGET

Sunday, November 12
12PM YOUTH MEDIA WORKSHOP
5PM HAWAIIAN LEGENDS RECEPTION
6PM GEORGE TAHARA RETROSPECTIVE AND FESTIVAL
7PM FESTIVAL AWARD CEREMONY
8PM FESTIVAL CLOSING FILM - REFUGEE ALL STARS
10PM FESTIVAL CLOSING PARTY WITH J-BOOGIE DUBTRONIC SCIENCE

UPDATE, 11/6: Chinatown’s the place IIFF you love indie films [Hnl Star-Bulletin]

RELATED POSTS:
>> Showdown in Chinatown Championship
>> Honolulu: Hipster Haven
>> Asian American Film Festivals
>> Local Fest News
>> News Tidbits

Film in Hawaii Award Given to "Lost"

Sorry, this news is a week old, but I just got around to posting the video for this. At each Hawaii International Film Festival, the Hawaii Film Office chooses a recipient for the Film in Hawaii Award, which is given to a person or entity that has significantly contributed to the development and promotion of Hawaii’s film industry.

Our past honorees were actor Tom Selleck, Walt Disney Studios, Hawaii filmmakers Eddie and Myrna Kamae, independent filmmaker Kayo Hatta, actor James MacArthur, and stunt coordinator and surfing legend Brian Keaulana.

This year, we gave the award to ABC's "Lost." Yes, it's TV and not film, but as most people know, it's done a lot to showcase Hawaii's diverse locations as well as train local crew members. Here is video (in 2 parts) of Dept. of Business Economic Development & Tourism director Ted Liu introducing and presenting the award, and "Lost" executive producer Jack Bender accepting it.

Part I:


Part II:


RELATED POSTS:
>> HIFF Report: Asian American Invasion
>> HIFF Report: Winners, Molesters, Mochi
>> HIFF Report: Monster, Matty, Mujeres
>> Technical Difficulties at HIFF, on Blog
>> Hawaii Films at HIFF
>> LVHIFF 2005: A Retrospective
>> "Lost" Series Finale Will Suck
>> "Lost" is Fab, But Will It Last?
>> Hawaii as San Fran, NYC, UK, Oz, etc.

Showdown in Chinatown Championship

The popular Showdown in Chinatown filmmaking event is turning one! To celebrate, event organizers are hosting a FREE Review this Friday, 11/3 from 6-8pm at NextDoor (43 N. Hotel St.) to showcase winning films from the past year. At the end of the Review, the Showdown in Chinatown Championship challenge will be announced. This time, scrappy local filmmakers will have a full week to shoot their films, instead of the usual 24 hours.

The Championship screening party will be held in conjunction with the Island Independent Film Festival (formerly known as Cinema Paradise, and before that, as the Honolulu Underground Film Festival, and sponsored in part by the Hawaii Film Office) on Saturday, 11/11 at 7pm at NextDoor. The winning film will get $1000!

Here are all the dates and details:

• Fri, 11/3, 6-8pm, NextDoor (43 N. Hotel St.): Showdown in Chinatown year in review showcase and announcement of Championship challenge topic and details. FREE to attend event.
• Sat, 11/4, 7am: Championship topic posted on showdowninchinatown.com (in case you couldn't make it to the review the night before).
• Fri, 11/10, 8pm-midnight, NextDoor: Submissions accepted for Championship round. Submission fee is $40 and film must be under 10 minutes.
• Sat, 11/11, 7pm-?, NextDoor: Championship screening party and winner announcement. $10 to attend event. Winner gets $1000.

RELATED POSTS:
>> September "Showdown in Chinatown"
>> August's Showdown in Chinatown
>> Hawaii Films at HIFF
>> 'Ohina Short Film Showcase: Aug 4-5
>> Two Downtown Venues Host New Film Events
>> Honolulu: Hipster Haven
>> Asian American Film Festivals
>> Local Fest News
>> News Tidbits