A week at HIFF: Part one
Whenever HIFF came around in the past, something always came up that prevented me from going. Conflicting work schedule, family responsibilities, it was always something. This year, I made a point to set aside time to experience the Hawaii International Film Festival in all its glory. Over the past week, if I had a free couple of hours, I was at the Regal Dole Cannery Theatres seeing what ever movie was playing. Most were really good, a few were down right strange, but all were entertaining.
My week started out at the HIFF opening press conference held at RumFire. The highlight of the event was the great Chinese director Zhang Yimou (Jet Li’s “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers”) who was premiering his latest film, “Under the Hawthorn Tree.” As a sign of the technological age that we’re in, Yimou discussed how the screenplay for “Under the Hawthorne Tree” is based on a popular online novel. This alone made me want to see this film.
Unfortunately I missed out on the opening night premiere of “Under the Hawthorn Tree,” but it will remain on my radar, and hopefully, it will show up on Netflix or Blu-ray.
Having missed the first two days, I wasn’t about to miss out on the one film, I absolutely had to see, “Kings of Pastry.” Determined to see this documentary about a topic close to my heart, pastry chefing, I cleared my Saturday calendar. “Kings of Pastry” was scheduled 7:45 p.m., but I decided to show up early to see if I could catch one of the other films.
I arrived at Dole a little before 4 p.m., so I got a ticket to the Eddie Kamae documentary, “Those Who Came Before.” The 10th installment of his “legacy series,” Kamae chronicles those who influenced his love of music throughout his life. The film is filled with rare performance video footage from a time when most people didn’t have telephones let alone video cameras. Also featured prominently were fantastic archival photographs from The Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the Bishop Museum, all strung together by Kamae’s narration.
Still having time to kill, I looked at the HIFF schedule to see what else was playing. Next up was the Thai film, “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.” Featuring reincarnation, spirits and creepy-looking, Big foot-like creatures with eyes that glow red in the dark, this film is strange to say the least. The pacing of this film was painfully slow at times. At one point, I dozed off and awoke to a scene with a woman and a talking catfish… Well… let’s leave it at that.
So, I’m leaving the theater after watching “Kings of Pastry,” and who shows up but Danno himself, Scott Caan. Of course I immediately start snapping photos, and found out he was there for the “Ecila” premiere. At this time, the area in front of the theater is packed. I’m making my way to the parking lot when I run into HIFF public relations person, Monica Ivey, who has just arrived with “True Blood” star Ryan Kwanten, whose film “Red Hill” was also premiering that night. Monica grabs tells me that they are about to go through the press line, which consisted of the official HIFF photographer, random fans with cameras, and now me. I walk back into the theater entourage style flanked by Ivey and Kwanten. Not a bad way to start out a weekend.
Next up: Jet Li and Donnie Yen
