Lots o' Hawaii Film News

Man, I move back to New York, and suddenly all this film stuff happens all at once in Hawaii! I'm still unpacking, so I don't have time to give you my full witty commentary on the following, but you're smart, you can comment to yourself re:

>> Only-in-Hawai'i films claim tax credits, too (Hnl Advertiser, 1/16/07) - Another one of Sean Hao's "fair and balanced" (ahem) articles on Hawaii's film tax credits, which AP happened to pick up.

>> Film industry provides full range of benefits (Hnl Advertiser, 1/26/07) - SAG Hawaii Exec Director Brenda Ching's opinion on just how "fair and balanced" above article is.

>> State urged to get tangible benefits from tax breaks (Hnl Advertiser, 1/26/07) - Yet another example of Hao's "fair and balanced" reportage on tax credits as they were discussed in the first informational hearing on Hawaii's film industry at the 2007 Legislature (which convened on 1/17, by the way).

>> MTV’s ’Maui Fever’ makes some residents sick (Maui News, 1/21/07) - Islanders are in a tizzy over watching slutty white folks tarnish their beautiful Maui on an MTV reality show. Show's producer defends lack of ethnic diversity thusly: “You can only film people who are willing to be filmed, and a lot of the people we wanted (for a more diverse cast) didn’t want to be filmed. You can’t control that." Does this mean there were no slutty ethnic folks, or that only the slutty white folks were willing to be exhibitionist? AP picked this one up too.

And on lighter notes...

>> A pair of esteemed academics from Beijing are visiting Hawaii to give free lectures on Chinese American actress Anna May Wong and Chinese actress Li Lilli. Go and learn a little about Asian American and Chinese film history! Lectures are from 12-1:30pm in the Tokioka Room, Moore Hall 319, University of Hawaii. On Wed, Jan 31, Graham Gao Hodges speaks about "Anna May Wong: From Laundryman's Daughter to Hollywood Legend," and on Thurs, Feb 1, Gao Yunxiang speaks on Li Lilli and "Reframing the Athletic Movie Star During China's National Crisis, 1931-1945." Call 956-8891 for more info.

>> Ten students from the University of Hawaii's Academy for Creative Media were chosen to intern on ABC's "LOST." They will do rounds in various departments.

>> Roy Disney's "Morning Light" documentary feature about a pack of young sailors training for the Transpac yacht race started filming.

>> Don Brown of "Hawaii's Reel Stories" and the UH Cinema Series and former programmer of the Art House at Restaurant Row reports that he will be programming an alternative film series at "Cupola," a venue within the new Honolulu Design Center. "Cupola" is a 150-seat theater space flanked on either side by a restaurant and a wine bar. Starting on April 11, there will be music-oriented films on Wednesdays, and starting on April 22, foodie feature films on Sundays--all accompanied by food. Check the official site for film and menu announcements in March.

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