It’s time to mark your calendars for the LOUIS VUITTON HAWAII presents the 23rd Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), from Oct. 30th – Nov. 9th! We’re honored to give you an advanced sneak-peak of the amazing films that will be screened at this year’s festival! With over 12 world premieres and 31 U.S. premieres, the HIFF continues to be one of the best film festivals in the world! The festivities kick-off with the Opening Night Gala THE COMPANY, starring Neve Campbell, James Franco and Malcolm MacDowell. The festival is also honored to present JAPANESE STORY starring Toni Colette as our Centerpiece Gala and the Closing Night Gala, as well as recent Cannes winner, THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS. But first off, we have a gem of a film especially for HIFF Ohana members for the HIFF SNEAK PEAK on Oct. 22nd, Mina Shum’s LONG LIFE, HAPPINESS & PROSPERITY. Book your tickets early when the HIFF box-office (next to the Signature Dole Cannery 18) opens on Oct. 17th! For more information, check out our website at www.hiff.org for the latest info. See you at the movies!

HIFF SNEAK PREVIEW — LONG LIFE, HAPPINESS & PROSPERITY
Canada, 2002
The effects of magic, luck, and spirituality permeate Canadian filmmaker Mina Shum's (DOUBLE HAPPINESS) third feature: LONG LIFE, HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY. This Chinese-Canadian ensemble piece is about the intertwining lives of a twelve-year old Mindy Ho (Valerie Tian), her hardworking single-mother (Sandra Oh), a recently laid-off security guard (Chang Tseng), and the family of a local butcher (Ric Young).

Official website: http://www.thefilmmovement.com/upcoming_films/

Sneak Preview Screening:
Signature Dole Cannery 9 & 10 – Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6:30pm / 8:45pm
Festival Screenings:
Signature Dole Cannery 9 – Thursday, Nov. 6, 7:00pm
Doris Duke Theatre – Sunday, Nov. 9, 1:30pm

OPENING NIGHT FILM — THE COMPANY
USA, 2003
This ensemble drama, directed by Robert Altman, portrays the life of a company of ballet dancers, following several stories, but focusing on a young dancer (Neve Campbell) on the verge of becoming a principal dancer, who finds herself distracted from the grueling study and practice she must go through by other interests.

Official website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/comingsoon.php?page=2

Hawai'i Theatre Center – Thursday, Oct. 30, 6:30pm

CENTERPIECE GALA — JAPANESE STORY
Australia, 2003
Sandy (Toni Colette), a geologist, finds herself stuck on a field trip to the Pilbara desert with a Japanese man she finds inscrutable, annoying and decidedly arrogant. Hiromitsu's view of her is not much better. Things go from bad to worse when they become stranded in one of the remotest regions on earth. Japanese Story is a journey of change and discovery for its two lead characters.

Official website: http://www.japanesestory.com.au/

Hawai'i Theatre Center – Tuesday, Nov. 4, 6:30pm

CLOSING NIGHT GALA — THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
Canada, France, 2003
Rémy, divorced and in his early fifties, is hospitalized. His ex-wife, Louise, asks their son Sébastien to come home from London where he now lives. Sébastien hesitates; he and his father haven't had much to say to one another for years now. He relents, however, and flies to Montreal to help his mother and support his father. As soon as he arrives, Sébastien moves heaven and earth, brings his contacts into play and disrupts the system in every way possible to ease the ordeal that awaits Rémy. He also reunites the merry band that marked Rémy's past around his father's bedside: relatives, friends and former mistresses.

Official website: http://www.miramax.com/the_barbarian_invasions/index.html

Hawai'i Theatre Center – Friday, Nov. 7, 6:30pm

MAMBO ITALIANO
Canada, 2003
When a young aspiring Canadian TV show writer, Angelo, decides to move in with his cop boyfriend, Nino, whom he's known since they were kids, he's faced with the challenge of how to pull it off without his Italian immigrant parents discovering the truth about his sexuality, even as they're trying to set him up with a nice Italian-Canadian girl.

Official website: http://www.mamboitalianomovie.com/

Signature Dole Cannery 10 – Monday, Nov. 3, 7:15pm

THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE
Canada, France, 2003
Adopted by his grandmother, Madame Souza, Champion is a lonely little boy. Noticing that the lad is never happier than on a bicycle, Madame Souza puts him through a rigorous training process. Years go by and Champion becomes worthy of his name. Now he is ready to enter the world-famous cycling race, the Tour de France. However during this cycling contest two mysterious men in black kidnap Champion. Madame Souza and her faithful dog Bruno set out to rescue him.

Official website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/comingsoon.php?filmid=65&page=2

Signature Dole Cannery 10 – Thursday, Nov. 6, 7:15pm

RED TROUSERS - THE LIFE OF THE HONG KONG STUNTMEN
Hong Kong, 2003
RED TROUSERS gives a fascinating background to the art of (dangerous) action. Named after the term used for young acrobats in Beijing Opera, RED TROUSERS skillfully weaves its way through the history of martial arts, Beijing Opera and the world of Hong Kong stuntmen. Starring and directed by Robin Shou of MORTAL KOMBAT fame.

Official website: http://www.robinshou.com

Hawai'i Theatre Center – Tuesday, Nov. 4, 8:45pm

THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI
Japan, 2002
Based on three short stories written by novelist Fujisawa Syuhei and filmed by prolific director Yoji Yamada, comes an artistic drama about a 19th century samurai and family man who embodies the universal lesson that happiness can be had without numerous material possessions and in spite of enormous struggle.

Official website: http://www.unijapan.org/english/list/2003/2003_35.html

Signature Dole Cannery 9 – Sunday, Nov. 2, 7:00pm
Signature Dole Cannery 9 – Saturday, Nov. 8, 7:00pm

GOODBYE DRAGON INN
Taiwan, 2003
It is nighttime in Taipei. Half a dozen lonely souls are watching King Hu's DRAGON INN in a local revival theater. Or rather, some of them are watching, communing with the cinema. And some are just marking time, or looking for love. Tsai Ming-liang's new movie is his most minimal and cinematically, his most eloquent.

Signature Dole Cannery 7 – Tuesday, Nov. 4, 6:45pm
Signature Dole Cannery 9 – Thursday, Nov. 6, 3:30pm

DREAM CUISINE
Japan, 2003
The subject of Ying's touching film is Sato Hatsue, one of the last chefs of traditional Shandong cuisine - a culinary style that was lost during China's Cultural Revolution. At 78, Hatsue embarks on a quest to return to China and to teach young chefs about the traditional ways to prepare Shandong food, but finds that her values about Shandong cuisine is at odds with the progressivist attitude of the modern Shandong chefs.

Signature Dole Cannery 7 – Monday, Nov. 3, 6:45pm
Signature Dole Cannery 10 – Saturday, Nov. 8, 12:45pm

REFUGEE
United States, 2003
Mike Siv has a plan: go to Cambodia with his buddies Paul and David, see the sights, have fun and reunite with his father and younger brother, whom he hasn't seen in twenty-two years. Harsh reality sets in before the journey even begins, however, as Mike, Paul and David have never been out of the country, and are the first in their families to visit Cambodia since fleeing the bloody regime of Pol Pot in the late 1970s.

Official website: http://www.refugeethemovie.com/

Signature Dole Cannery 7 – Sunday, Nov. 2, 6:45pm
Signature Dole Cannery 9, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 11:00am
Signature Dole Cannery 10, Thursday, Nov. 6, 3:45pm

NOTICE FOR BRONZE, SILVER AND GOLD MEMBERS:
If you haven’t already, be sure to let the Membership office know which option you want: A FLASH PASS or TICKETS. To be sure you get your flash pass, respond by Oct 20th.

The Hawaii International Film Festival’s (HIFF) exceptional growth could not have been possible without the support of the people of Hawaii. Your membership enables HIFF to be a viable and essential resource to filmmakers, educators, community groups, students and audiences in Hawaii and through out the Pacific Rim. Become a HIFF member to receive the Program Guide and access to ticketing before the general public.

For more information about how to become a member, click on the link and download the PDF at the bottom of the page http://hiff.org/hiff_gen/genpages/frmset_membership.html