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Maui Film Festival

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Maui Film Festival
LocationMaui, Hawaii
Founded2000; 24 years ago (2000)
Founded byBarry Rivers
Festival dateJune, July
WebsiteOfficial website

The Maui Film Festival is a film festival held annually on the island of Maui, Hawaii. It is based at Grand Wailea Resort[1] and includes film premieres, filmmaker panels, special screenings, tributes, award ceremonies, culinary arts celebrations, and private soirees.[citation needed]

Past attendees include Bryan Cranston,[2][permanent dead link] Freida Pinto,[3] Connie Britton,[4] and Pierce Brosnan.[5]

History

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The festival was created by current festival director Barry Rivers,[6] who studied Film & Media Arts at University of Massachusetts Amherst.[citation needed] The festival originated from a weekly screening series that Rivers began in 1997.[citation needed] The website has been archived beginning in 1999 and the organization programed film screenings of independent film and world cinema year-round at the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului.[7]

The festival was first officially held in 2000.[6] In 2001, the festival was held from June 13 through June 17 in Wailea, Hawaii.[8] The festival continued to screen films outside official festival dates.[9]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Maui Film Festival was delayed. The 70 participating films were made available online as the "Speed-of-Light Virtual Cinema" between January 1 through 3rd, 2021. Despite the film festival normally being held outdoors, Rivers explained to The Maui News that the festival had lost all its venues during the summer. A few films were given in-person, limited screenings. The festival donated all money received in film submissions to the Maui Food Bank, resulting in a donation of over $7,000.[10]

In 2023 the festival was held on June 28 - July 2.[11] After the 2023 Hawaii wildfires badly affected Maui and destroyed the village of Lahaina, Rivers and his family donated to and participated in the recovery efforts.[6]

Program

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The festival consists of filmmakers submitting features and shorts which the programmers choose 50 to be screened over the five-day program.[citation needed] Certain filmmakers, actors, and actresses receive awards based on who the programmers think best fits the award criteria for that year.

The festival begins with an Opening Night Twilight Reception at Grand Wailea Resort.[12]

During the 2023 festival, there were 11 local and international film premieres. From July 3 to 30, 50 short and feature films were made available to stream online.[13]

Venues

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The festival is nicknamed “Cinema-Under-the-Stars," because it's predominantly held at the open-air[13] Stardust Cinema at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's A&B Amphitheater.[11] Films are also projected onto a 50-foot screen set on the slopes of Haleakala at the Wailea Gold and Emerald Golf Courses.[14]

On June 14, 2018, a special "Toes in the Sand Cinema" event took place at Wailea Beach in front of the Four Seasons Resort Maui, during which short films were screened.[1]

Awards and honors

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Lights! Camera! Action! Award: Honors directors. Winners include Olivia Wilde.

Maverick Award: Honors actors and actresses who promote activism in protecting the Earth.

Navigator Award: Honors film actors and actresses. Winners include Gina Rodriguez.

Nova Award: Honors film actors/actresses. Recipients include:

Pathfinder Award: Honors actors and actresses. Pierce Brosnan received this award, making him the first two-time honoree at the Maui Film Festival after also winning the Maverick Award.[16]

Rainmaker Award: Honors actors/actresses. Michael B. Jordan received the award in 2016 for his powerful and emotional lead roles in Fruitvale Station and Creed.

Rising Star Award: Honors young actors and actresses. Winners include:

Shining Star Award: Honors film actors and actresses. Past winners include:

Shooting Star Award: Honors an actor in a Maui Film Festival Hawaii Premiere. Winners include Joe Manganiello.

Visionary Award: Honors actors and actresses.[19] Winners include Louie Schwartzberg.

References

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  1. ^ a b "2018 Maui Film Festival 'Toes in the Sand Cinema'". mauinow.com. Maui Now. June 14, 2018. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Maui Now Interviews Bryan Cranston at the Maui Film Festival". Maui Now. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  3. ^ "Freida Pinto to Receive 2017 Maui Film Festival Shining Star Award". Maui Now. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  4. ^ "Connie Britton to Receive Navigator Award at the 2017 Maui Film Festival". Maui Now. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "Pierce Brosnan Returns to Maui: First Two-Time Honoree at Maui Film Festival". Maui Now. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c Romeyn, Kathryn (August 16, 2023). "Maui Film Festival Director: "We're All Doing Our Best" to Move Forward Amid Devastating Wildfires". The Hollywood Reporter. Hollywood, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Schedule of Shows Through March 1999". mauifilmfestival.com/. Maui Film Festival. Archived from the original on January 25, 1999. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  8. ^ "Maui Film Festival at Wailea". mauifilmfestival.com. Maui Film Festival. Archived from the original on May 17, 2001. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "Wednesday, June 21st". Maui Film Festival. Archived from the original on June 22, 2000. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Woodhouse, Jon (December 5, 2020). "COVID-delayed film fest debuts online". The Maui News. Wailuku, Hawaii. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Maui Film Festival". mauifilmfestival.com. Maui Film Festival. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023. Enjoy five engaging nights of cinematic diamonds at the Stardust Cinema at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's A&B Amphitheater...
  12. ^ a b Uechi, Colleen (June 13, 2019). "Maui Film Festival honors Paul Rudd on opening night". The Maui News. Maui, Hawaii. Archived from the original on June 13, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Shelby Mattos (June 28, 2023). "Enjoy films under the stars at the 2023 Maui Film Festival". kitv.com. KITV 4 ABC News. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  14. ^ "Maui Film Festival". mauiinformationguide.com. Maui Information Guide. 2022. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  15. ^ "Maui Now: Maui Film Festival to Award Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Chastain". Maui Now - Maui Film Festival to Award Kirsten Dunst, Jessica Chastain. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  16. ^ McCracken, Kristin (July 7, 2017). "Pierce Brosnan Receives Maui Film Festival Pathfinder Award". HuffPost. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
  17. ^ "Tribute to Garrett Hedlund". Maui Film Festival. June 17, 2011. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  18. ^ a b Scorziello, Sophia (June 21, 2023). "Yara Shahidi and 'Flamin' Hot' Star Annie Gonzalez to Be Honored at Maui Film Festival". Variety. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  19. ^ "Maui Film Festival – News". mauifilmfestival.net. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
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