Awards and Jurors
Halekulani Golden Orchid Award
Presented by Halekulani
The Golden Orchid is bestowed upon the narrative and documentary films that best express artistic and technical excellence and promote cross-cultural understanding. Like the rare endemic orchids of our native Hawaii, these awards recognize singular achievements amid collective beauty. Each nominated film furthers the Hawaii International Film Festival mandate to entertain, enlighten and empower. Our international jury will select the films that articulate this manifesto consistent with the cross-pollination of words, ideas and images that comprise the kinetic and visceral power of film.
Halekulani Golden Orchid Jury
NARRATIVE:
Tim League, Founder & CEO, Alamo Drafthouse / Drafthouse Films / Fantastic Fest
Todd Brown, Founder & Editor, TwitchFilm.com / Partner xyz films
Elizabeth Brambilla, IFC Films
DOCUMENTARY:
Lisette Marie Flanary, Filmmaker / Professor, Academy for Creative Media UH Manoa
Walea Constantinau, Commissioner, Honolulu Film Office
Philip W. Chung / Creative Director, YOMYOMF Network
Audience Choice Award
Presented by Hawaii News Now
Vote for your favorite feature film, documentary or short film playing at HIFF. Ballots will be distributed for the first screening of every eligible film during the film festival. No pens, pencils or i.d. required. Tear along the edge of the ballot from 1 (terrible) to 5 (excellent) and drop it in the ballot boxes as you exit the theater. Winners will be announced post-festival.
NETPAC Award
Founded in 1990 by Cinemaya and UNESCO, the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting Asian film throughout the world. The prestigious NETPAC award is given at select international film festivals to promote Asian cinema by spotlighting exceptional works and discovering new talent.
The NETPAC award is presented annually at international film festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii. HIFF is the only film festival in North America given permission to present the NETPAC award.
NETPAC JURY:
Vilsoni Hereniko, Filmmaker / Professor, Academy for Creative Media UH Manoa
Chaoying Deng, President & CEO, Red Dragonfly Entertainment Ltd
Keoprasith Souvannovong, Film scholar
Vision in Film Award
Presented by City & County of Honolulu
The Vision in Film Award which seeks to recognize industry players with broad insight into film: artistically, commercially and charitably. Previous honorees have included The American Film Institute, the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, directors Alexander Payne, Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou, Park Chan-wook and Roger & Chaz Ebert. This year’s recipient is the Sundance Institute’s Native Program.
The Tiffany & Co. Awards
Over the past two centuries, Tiffany & Co. has built an international reputation as the ultimate source of gifts for life’s most cherished occasions. Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) is proud to have Tiffany & Co.’s beautiful crystal pieces as the official awards.
Lifetime Achievement Award
YUE-SAI KAN (Chinese media icon, entrepreneur & philanthropist) will be honored this year with a HIFF Lifetime Achievement Award.
Career Achievement Award
One of the mainstays of Japanese cinema, Koji Yakusho rose to superstardom in the mid-90s with his leading role in SHALL WE DANCE? He would work with the most important Japanese auteurs, from Shohei Imamura’s THE EEL, to Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s cult hits CURE and CHARISMA. He would crossover to Hollywood, joining the ensemble cast in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Oscar nominated BABEL and Rob Marshall’s adaptation of MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. He continues to be Japan’s most prolific and high-profile actor working today, including HIFF favorites WALKING MY LIFE, 13 ASSASSINS, CHRONICLE OF MY MOTHER and THE LAST RONIN. This year, the Festival is presenting THE WOODSMAN AND THE RAIN. Mr. Yakusho will be presented with the Career Achievement Award.