The Hawaii International Film Festival fittingly wrapped up its 31st edition last week with Alexander Payne’s Hawaii-set-and-shot comedy/drama The Descendants, with a gracious Payne in town for the screening (no George Clooney, alas, though a life-sized Clooney cardboard cut-out was certainly a massive hit in the lobby). “Wine always tastes the best in the region it was grown and made,” noted Payne to an appreciative audience. “I hope that this film plays best in Hawaii.”
Judging from audience response, Payne got his wish; the film (to be released nationally November 15) won the festival’s Audience Award for Narrative Feature, with many viewers praising its respectful take on author Kaui Hart Hemming’s source novel, as well as its catchy all-Hawaiian soundtrack. Taking the Audience Award for Documentary Feature was Aloha Buddha, Bill Ferehawk and Dylan Robertson’s fascinating look at the complicated history and unique present of Japanese Buddhism in Hawaii,...
Judging from audience response, Payne got his wish; the film (to be released nationally November 15) won the festival’s Audience Award for Narrative Feature, with many viewers praising its respectful take on author Kaui Hart Hemming’s source novel, as well as its catchy all-Hawaiian soundtrack. Taking the Audience Award for Documentary Feature was Aloha Buddha, Bill Ferehawk and Dylan Robertson’s fascinating look at the complicated history and unique present of Japanese Buddhism in Hawaii,...
- 11/5/2011
- by Jason Sanders
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The 31st Hawaii International Film Festival presented by Halekulani has announced the winners of this year's Audience Awards. They include Alexander Payne's mid-life crisis drama "The Descendants" for Best Narrative Feature, Bill Ferehawk and Dylan Robertson's Hawaiian Buddhism doc "Aloha Buddha" for Best Documentary Feature and Mitsuyo Miyazaki's post-war Japan drama "Tsuyako" for Best Short Film. Payne also received this year's Vision in Film Award. Earlier in the festival, jury ...
- 10/26/2011
- Indiewire
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