Hawaii International Film Festival – Educational Programs Fall 2007

2007 Student Seminar DVD is Now Available

We now have free DVD copies of the LVHIFF 2007 Student Seminar available for interested educators. If you would like a copy, please e-mail Minette Ferrer (minette@hiff.org) and provide your name and a mailing address. You can also stop by our office during normal business hours to pick up a copy. If you do that, please e-mail us first so we can have a copy ready for you to pick up.

2007 GFP Video Conference Recording

If you would like to view the Hawaii International Film Festival Guest Speaker Video Conference that took place on Oct. 25 with Shawn Hiatt (director of photography) and Michael Wurth (writer, director) please click the link below. Please note that this is visible within the Department of Education (DOE) network only. Follow the instructions and type in "guest" etc. While watching the video conference, the audio may drop out. If this happens, go back to home and restart the video conference. By refreshing the video, you can skip ahead to the spot where you left off.

http://www.videoarchive.k12.hi.us/recording_list.html?folder=16

Click "Watch" next to the name "HIFF Speakers_25Oct07_09.55" select your playback format and then play. If it asks for a login use "guest" (no quotes) as the name and leave the password blank.

2007 STUDENT SHOWCASE

Please join us for a free screening of the best entries from students in grade K-12 in the U.S. and Canada. The screening was held on Sunday, October 21, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Theatres in Honolulu.

Just James Marcus Haney	Boxed In Dominic Hart	Post Paradise Erica Morris	The Choice Erica Ofori, Shaneez Tyndall
Good Vibes Jesse Hiraya	With Love Justyn Ah Chong	Guilt Sharif Christopher Matar	Twain Sharif Christopher Matar, Ian Yee, Shaun Goo, Erik Butts, Alex Lau

2007 GUEST FILMMAKER PROGRAM - Video Conferences

With help from the Hawai'i Department of Education Teleschool, LVHIFF will offer two video conferences this fall. The conferences will enable students throughout the State to interact "face-to-face" with filmmakers Shawn Hiatt and Michael Wurth. One conference will focus on students in grades 1-6 while the other will focus on grades 7-12. Both public and private schools with video conferencing capabilities will be welcome.

SHAWN HIATT is one of Hawaii's most sought-after Directors of Photography. He has worked extensively in commercial shoots with a variety of nationwide clients including Starwood Resorts, Swedish-American Health Care Systems, McDonald's and Nissan. He also created the story framework for SUNDAY WIND [recipient of the 2006 LVHIFF Cause and F(X) Dream Digital Award], and did extensive interviews with actual survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack. In addition, Mr. Hiatt has served as Director of Photography on several award-winning projects in Hawaii, including SAND ISLAND DRIVE-IN ANTHEM, directed by Ryan Kawamoto, and PELE O KA FOODMART.

MICHAEL WURTH has been as a writer, director and editor for ten years. After working as a script doctor in Los Angeles, he began directing his own films, including THE SYMPOSIUM and PELE O KA FOODMART. He was also the writer and director of SUNDAY WIND, which won the 2006 LVHIFF Cause and F(X) Dream Digital Award. Mr. Wurth is a winner of the Maui Writers' Conference Screenplay Competition and holds a M.A. from Indiana University in Comparative Literature.

2007 GUEST FILMMAKER PROGRAM - CLASSROOM VISITS

Students on Oahu will enjoy opportunities to meet eight successful professionals with films in this year's Festival. The filmmakers will visit students in classrooms and school auditoriums to share their knowledge and passion for cinema. Many of their visits will involve interactive activities such as participating in a news program produced by students or critiquing students' video projects.

GERARD ELMORE has a range of experience varying from television production, film and commercials. His short film, VALTOR THE GREAT VS THE UNIVERSE, won the Honolulu Magazine Best Short Film Award at the 2005 Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival. His previous film, AMASIAN: THE AMAZING ASIAN, was a fan favorite at the 2004 LVHIFF and later received much praise at the popular Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, Canada. Mr. Elmore recently wrapped up a yearlong stint for Crown Royal, producing video blogs as a field correspondent on the NASCAR circuit. He also just finished his first feature-length film, ALL FOR MELISSA, which is premiering at the 2007 LVHIFF. Mr. Elmore currently works for Shooters, a local production company, where he's made the successful transition into the 30-second commercial world.

Born in Vietnam and raised in Orange County, California, STEPHANE GAUGER received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre and French literature. His love of cinema moved him away from the stage and onto film sets, where he trained in film lighting under Matthew Libatique, ASC. Mr. Gauger subsequently worked in the camera and lighting departments on independent films in the U.S. and Southeast Asia (including Sundance winner THREE SEASONS), all while honing his writing and directing craft on short narrative and documentary films. THE OWL AND THE SPARROW is his first feature and will make its Hawaii premiere at LVHIFF 2007. Mr. Gauger is now working on POWDER BLUE, a screenplay he co-wrote with partner Timothy Bui, who is also the director. The film portrays dislocation in the urban landscape and stars Forrest Whitaker, Jessica Biel and Ray Liotta.

JUSTIN LIN is a Taiwanese-American film director who was born in Taipei and raised in Buena Park, California. He attended UCLA School of Film and Television where he earned a B.A. and M.F.A. in film directing. His solo directorial debut, BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, made a huge impact with critics and fans alike and was acquired by MTV Films. His second film was ANNAPOLIS, the Navy boxing drama starring James Franco and Tyrese. His next film presented a shift in directing. THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT was an action movie that revealed the world of Japanese "drift" racing and became a box office success. This fall, LVHIFF will present the Hawaii premiere of Mr. Lin's latest film, FINISHING THE GAME, which he wrote and directed.

ANNE MISAWA has worked in the film industry for over a decade as a producer, director, cinematographer and editor. She studied filmmaking at the University of Southern California's Graduate Film and Television Program with an emphasis on directing and cinematography. She also earned a Master's degree in Creative Writing from New York University. Her work has won prestigious awards at film festivals throughout the world. Ms. Misawa was the cinematographer on ALL FOR MELISSA (directed by Gerard Elmore), which is premiering at the 2007 LVHIFF. She is currently working on producing and directing a documentary on Hawaii Statehood, directing a narrative feature, WATERFALL (working title), and teaching film production at the University of Hawaii's Academy for Creative Media.

Born in Vietnam and now based in Orange County, California, director/producer CHARLIE NGUYEN created Cinema Pictures in 1992 and released his first feature, HUONG VUONG 18TH, in 1994. The film, which was entirely self-funded, combined history and drama with marital arts. Since then, Mr. Nguyen has produced and directed hundreds of music videos, short films, documentaries and live concerts in cities worldwide. His credits include CHANCES ARE (director, producer), FINDING MADISON (producer), and THE REBEL (director), which is making its Hawaii premiere at LVHIFF 2007. In THE REBEL, Mr. Nguyen recreates French Colonial Saigon during the 1920's as the backdrop for an epic filled with action, drama and romance.

After coming to the U.S. from Japan in the early 1990s, REIKO TAHARA attended the New School for Social Research in New York and studied alternative media in the Media Studies Graduate Program. In 1994, she and Max Uesugi founded Mrex Productions -- a collaborative filmmaking partnership based on a strong belief in the power of media to promote mutual understanding and learning among people. Their short film, REMNANTS (1995), was shown at many festivals including SXSW, the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival and the NY Asian American International Film Festival. The couple subsequently wrote, directed and produced their newest film, THE GATEKEEPER OF ENMYOIN: ACCORDING TO A 95-YEAR-OLD FEMALE BUDDHIST PRIEST, which will be presented at the 2007 LVHIFF.

KATSUHITO ISHII is returning to LVHIFF with a new, anime release, HOKURO BROTHERS. Three years ago, he accepted LVHIFF's Golden Maile Award for TASTE OF TEA, a feature that he wrote and directed and which served as the Opening Night Screening at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to directing feature films, Mr. Ishii is a screen-writer, a prolific director of award-winning commercials, and an anime character designer. He is probably best known for designing the animation sequences in KILL BILL, VOL. I. Mr. Ishii's first short film was THE PROMISE OF AUGUST (1996) and his first feature film was SHARK SKIN MAN & PEACH HIP GIRL (2003), which was inspired by Minetaro Mochizuki's manga novel.

2007 Guest Filmmaker Program - STUDENT SEMINAR

Actor and director DAMING CHEN attended the prestigious Beijing Film Academy, where he completed a four-year Bachelor program and stayed on as an Assistant Professor for two more years. During this time, he landed a lead acting role in PEERING FROM THE MOON, which was screened at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival. Mr. Chen visited the U.S. for the first time to attend his screening at Sundance, and ultimately decided to stay in the U.S. to write and direct his own films. After 7 years in the U.S., he returned to China to live and work in Beijing. He still occasionally takes acting roles, but his passion is writing and directing. MANHOLE, released in 2004, was his directorial debut. His latest film, ONE FOOT OFF THE GROUND, will premiere at the 2007 LVHIFF.

MICHAEL KANG is a Korean American filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His feature film directorial debut, THE MOTEL, which was produced by indie veteran director Miguel Arteta, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and internationally premiered at the Pusan Film Festival. THE MOTEL was the recipient of the Humanitas Prize as well as three top jury prizes from the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, The San Diego Asian Film Festival and The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The film was also nominated for "Best First Feature" at the Independent Spirit Awards. Mr. Kang's new film, WEST 32ND, will be making its Hawaii premiere at the 2007 LVHIFF.

HELEN HOOD SCHEER is the director, producer, co-writer and cinematographer of JUMP!, which is making its Hawaii premiere at the 2007 LVHIFF. A former television producer, Ms. Scheer was inspired to create JUMP! when she saw the 2005 U.S. National Amateur Jump Rope Championship. Since that time, she has been following six jump-roping teams from around the country as well as some of the individual competitors on each team to create this energetic, fun and mesmerizing documentary. The Festival will present two screenings of JUMP!: one screening for the general public, and another screening exclusively for schools as part of the Cultural & Visual Literacy Program.

2007 Cultural and Visual Literacy PROGRAM (CVLP)

October 23 – 25, 2007 - REGAL DOLE CANNERY STADIUM 18

KALAUPAPA HEAVEN Q + A with director Dir. Paul Cox Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 9:45 AM 2007, Australia, 90 min.
KALAUPAPA HEAVEN is a documentary focusing on the personal stories of the remaining leprosy patients of the island of Molokai, illustrated through interviews, archival footage, photographs, home movies and some re-enactments. A few of the stories of these remarkable people have been written down, yet most will go with them to the grave. They will share the fate of thousands of Hawaiians who, from 1866-1969 were ostracized, shunned and quarantined until a cure was found which rendered leprosy sufferers non-infectious. Since then, most of the remaining patients have chosen to stay on Kalaupapa, no longer able to accept or adapt to the outside world. The stories of these marvelous people, who suffered so terribly as individuals yet today eschew bitterness for warmth, generosity, and a wonderful sense of humour - are proof that even in the darkest night, there is light.
	OWL AND THE SPARROW Q + A with director Dir. Stephane Gauger Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 9:45 AM 2007, USA / Vietnam Vietnamese w/ English subtitles, 97 min.
Thuy, a young orphan who lives with her demanding uncle, runs away from her rural home for the streets of Saigon, where she meets Lan, a flight attendant in a doomed relationship, and Hai, a zoo employee who-after being jilted by his fiancee-has little contact with anyone except for his beloved elephants. When she's not hitting the streets trying to persuade tourists to buy roses, Thuy evades officers who round up derelict children for the local orphanages and balances her time between her two new friends. Constantly scolded for "asking too many questions," Thuy learns of Lan's and Hai's personal lives and sets out to unite them, despite their class differences. Gauger's film, full of rich, compelling, compassionate characters, does not shy away from romance; it's most remarkable, however, for its peek at the children who populate Saigon's streets. Though supposedly alone, they form a network that thrives on mutual support and respect.
JUMP! Q + A with director Dir. Helen Hood Scheer Thursday, Oct. 25 at 9:45 AM 2007, USA, 99 min.
In the tradition of the widely popular "Spellbound," "JUMP!" looks into a corner of teenage competition that few realize exists: jump rope. Enthusiastic youths train harder than Rocky and Apollo combined to battle alongside comrades then band together as a posse. Their efforts focus on one goal, a National Championship. Director Helen Hood Scheer finds among her cast of passionate athletes a few standout personalities: Emily, a previous national champion, featured in the glorious pages of Sports Illustrated, Tori, a speed jumping jack rabbit who pushes herself beyond the limit in spite of debilitating asthma, and Marcus, whose intense determination to win could prove detrimental to the unity of his team. All these skippers have three things in common…the ability to entertain, the need to jump and a burning desire in their hearts to be the best. Maybe you think that rope jumping is for the kids who can't actively participate in an orthodox Physical Education program. Perhaps you believe Rugby, Ice Hockey and Lacrosse are the epitome of hardcore. Let it be known that rope jumping is hardcore-er. Be assured young jumpers, the sweet sweat from your brow will not go un-noticed.

Questions? More Information?

Information and applications for all of the Festival's 2008 educational programs will be available on this page soon. Please e-mail us with any additional questions!