HIFF44 HONOREES & AWARDS
Presented by Halekulani
Temuera Morrison
Stanley Nelson
Justin Marks
Rachel Kondo
Sandra Ng
Charles Yu
Jimmy O. Yang
Honoree Awards
STANLEY NELSON
Stanley Nelson is the foremost chronicler of the African American experience working in nonfiction film today. His documentary films, many of which have aired on PBS (POV and American Masters) and ESPN (30 For 30) combine compelling narratives with rich and deeply researched historical detail, shining new light on both familiar and under-explored aspects of the American past. A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Nelson was awarded a Peabody for his body of work in 2016. He has received numerous honors over the course of his career, including the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts Sciences. In 2013, President Barack Obama presented Nelson with the National Medal in the Humanities. Nelson founded Firelight Films, a production company and non-profit that produces documentary films, develops strategies, partnerships, and materials to reach and engage diverse audiences. Select filmography: WOUNDED KNEE (2009); THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION (2015); MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF COOL (2019); SAN JUAN HILL: MANHATTAN’S LOST NEIGHBORHOOD (2024).
Halekulani Vision in Film Award
The Halekulani Vision In Film Award is the apex of our honoree distinctions. It is given to a film professional who has consistently been at the top of their game, considered as one of the global cinema innovators of our time. Sometimes, the award is given to an organization for their incredible impact to cinema history. The Vision In Film has only been given seven times in HIFF’s forty-two year history. Past recipients include Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ang Lee, Zhang Yimou, and the American Film Institute (AFI).
TEMUERA MORRISON
New Zealand born Temuera Morrison, a multi-faceted entertainer, has long been an international cultural icon; not only as one of the nation’s foremost actors but as a leading proponent of Māori culture and performance. Born in Rotorua, of Te Arawa and Ngati Maniapoto Ngati Rarua descent, Temuera’s membership in a famous entertainment family ensured an early interest in performance art. At home and internationally, his career breakthrough came in 1994, playing Jake “The Muss” Heke in the groundbreaking movie ONCE WERE WARRIORS, and its follow-up WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED?, for which he earned a Best Actor award from the New Zealand Film Awards. Some of Temuera’s most iconic roles include Jango Fett and Boba Fett of the Star Wars Universe, Chief Tui in Disney’s MOANA and upcoming MOANA 2, and Tom Curry in the Aquaman movies. He co-starred in KA WHAWHAI TONU: STRUGGLE WITHOUT END, which broke box office records in New Zealand this past summer. His most upcoming projects are CHIEF OF WAR, THE WRECKING CREW, and THE BLUFF.
HIFF44 LEANNE K FERRER TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Presented by Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), the HIFF Leanne K. Ferrer Trailblazer Award is given to a cinema artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories onto the world stage, producing award winning work in independent and global cinema. This honoree is a true trailblazer, whose work aligns with PIC’s mission, which is to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges. Past recipients include Taika Waititi, Heperi Mita on behalf of Merata Mita, Keala Settle and Kerry Warkia.
JUSTIN MARKS & RACHEL KONDO
JUSTIN MARKS is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and television Creator and Executive Producer. In feature films, Justin was most recently a writer on the worldwide box-office hit film TOP GUN: MAVERICK for producers Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, and Paramount. The film has earned nearly $1.5 billion worldwide. He also wrote the Walt Disney Company’s hit film THE JUNGLE BOOK directed by Jon Favreau and earned nearly $1 billion in worldwide box office. In television, Justin is the Co-Creator and Showrunner of the FX epic series SHŌGUN based on the novel by James Clavell. Previously, Justin created the Starz drama COUNTERPART that starred JK Simmons and ran for two seasons.
RACHEL KONDO was born and raised on Maui. Her writing has appeared in Electric Literature, Ploughshares Solos and Indiana Review. In 2019, her story “Girl of Few Seasons” was included in The O. Henry Prize Stories and selected as a juror favorite by Elizabeth Strout. She co-created the FX television production of SHŌGUN, adapted from the novel by James Clavell. She is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers. Both Marks and Kondo currently reside on Maui.
HIFF HALEKULANI MAVERICK AWARD
The Halekulani Maverick Award is given to an international cinema artist who has a unique and eclectic career trajectory, contributing to international cinema arts in an innovative way. This maverick does things on their own terms, creating work that can have a rabid following to a mass appreciation in today’s pop culture. Like a trendsetter and tastemaker, their work may not have been appreciated early on, but has become an artistic benchmark. Past recipients include Awkwafina, Tadanobu Asano, Randall Park and Kevin Smith. This year, we are greatly honored to bestow the Maverick Award to breakout star Simu Liu.
CHARLES YU & JIMMY O. YANG
CHARLES YU is the author of four books, including his latest, “Interior Chinatown,” which won the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction, was shortlisted for the Le Prix Médicis étranger, and longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. He has received the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 Award, been nominated for two Writers Guild of America awards for his work on the HBO series WESTWORLD, and has also written for shows on FX, AMC, Facebook Watch, and Adult Swim. His fiction and non-fiction have appeared in a number of publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Wired, Time and Ploughshares. Hulu ordered the TV adaptation of INTERIOR CHINATOWN to series with Yu as executive producer alongside Taika Waititi (who directed the pilot); Rideback’s Dan Lin (now Netflix Head of Film), Lindsey Liberatore and Elsie Choi; Participant’s Jeff Skoll and Miura Kite; and Dive’s Garrett Basch. The entire series will be released November 19th on Hulu in North America
JIMMY O.YANG is an actor, comedian, writer and producer who is best known for his roles in LOVE HARD, SILICON VALLEY, CRAZY RICH ASIANS and SPACE FORCE, where he also served as a writer. He just wrapped filming Hulu’s INTERIOR CHINATOWN where he has the starring role of Winston Wu. As a standup comedian, Jimmy’s newest standup comedy special GUESS HOW MUCH? premiered on Amazon Prime to millions of views on the platform and socials. Jimmy’s debut standup comedy special GOOD DEAL, also on Amazon Prime, likewise quickly became some of the most viewed standup comedy clips on social media. Jimmy is also the author of HOW TO AMERICAN, a memoir where he shares his early experience of coming to America as an immigrant from Hong Kong, only to later disappoint his parents by becoming a standup comedian. Along with partners Jessica Gao and Ken Cheng, Jimmy is a founding member of Crab Club Inc., a production company dedicated to fostering original, authentic, and diverse voices in both TV and Film projects.
HIFF HALEKULANI MAVERICK AWARD
The Halekulani Maverick Award is given to an international cinema artist who has a unique and eclectic career trajectory, contributing to international cinema arts in an innovative way. This maverick does things on their own terms, creating work that can have a rabid following to a mass appreciation in today’s pop culture. Like a trendsetter and tastemaker, their work may not have been appreciated early on, but has become an artistic benchmark. Past recipients include Awkwafina, Tadanobu Asano, Randall Park and Kevin Smith. This year, we are greatly honored to bestow the Maverick Award to breakout star Simu Liu.
SANDRA NG
Award-winning actor Sandra Ng is a mainstay of Hong Kong cinema, from her iconic comedic performances reaching back to the 1980s through to more serious roles and recent work as a director and producer. A household name as Hong Kong’s ‘Queen of Comedy’, her films have been consistent box-office smashes throughout the decades, in both Hong Kong and China, and her versatility has also been recognized at the Golden Horse and Hong Kong film awards for her powerhouse dramatic performances. She both produced and starred in ZERO TO HERO (2021), Hong Kong’s submission to the 2021 Academy Awards, and was honored to be the Filmmaker In Focus at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2022 in recognition of her outstanding artistic and commercial contribution to her native film industry. In the same year, Ng made history as the first Hong Kong actress to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
HIFF44 SPOTLIGHT ON HONG KONG FILMMAKER IN PROFILE
In this year’s Spotlight, it showcase the glimmer of Hong Kong’s glory days of the late 20th century as it goes through growing pains in the marketplace—audience’s evolving viewing consumption, cultural and economic shifts as Hong Kong reintegrates with Mainland China’s policies, and the continuing post-pandemic after effects. What is encouraging is the new crop of filmmakers and established stars continuing the retain the unique, local flavors of what makes Hong Kong, “Hong Kong.”
Competition Awards
Made In Hawaii Film Awards
Presented by FilmHawaii with cash prizes made possible by the Nichols Family Film Fund
Select fiction, non-fiction features and short films that are made by locally-based filmmakers or involve locally-based stories are eligible for one of two Best Made in Hawai‘i film awards with cash prizes totaling $10,000.
HIFF Best Short Film Award
PRESENTED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES
Short films help establish tone, style and a filmmaker’s creative vision to form the foundation of a budding career. These works can also be proof of concepts or progenitors to a feature film, but they must stand alone as their own succinct and unique work. It is always a welcome challenge by the HIFF team to sift through thousands of entries each year to curate these popular Shorts programs.
HIFF is one of a select few Academy Awards®-qualifying Festivals. The winning films in the HIFF Best Short Film and HIFF Best Made in Hawai‘i Short Film categories are eligible to qualify for the Oscars, provided that the films meet all the requirements set forth at www.oscars.org/rules.
HIFF Pasifika Award
PRESENTED BY PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN COMMUNICATIONS
HIFF in partnership with Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC) presents a Pasifika Award for Best Feature Film celebrating the authentic and high quality narrative and documentary features across the Pacific region. This competition jury, comprised of film professionals of Pacific Islander descent, selects the best of films by and about Pacific Islanders. The winning film receives a cash prize of $5,000.
HIFF Kau Ka Hōkū Award
PRESENTED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES
The prestigious HIFF KAU KA HŌKŪ (Shooting Star) Award presented by Hawaiian Airlines is the Festivals international award presented to the best emerging filmmaker (first or second feature film) at the Festival. Both fiction and non-fiction feature films are nominated and adjudicated by an esteemed international jury.
HIFF NETPAC Award
Presented by the US Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies OfficePresented by Pacific Islanders In Communications (PIC)
The Network for the Promotion of Asian-Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) is an international organization dedicated to promoting Asian and Pacific film throughout the world. The NETPAC award is given at select international Festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, Venice, Rotterdam, Busan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii – to promote Asian and Pacific cinema by spotlighting exceptional talent. HIFF is the only Film Festival in the USA given permission to present the NETPAC award.
HIFF Deep Blue Environmental Short Award
Presented by the US Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office
HIFF has a longstanding commitment to showcase film and conversation that shine a light on the climate crisis, and the innovative ways populations are making our world more sustainable. HIFF is honored to partner with the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office to present a Deep Blue Environmental Short award. A $5,000 cash prize is awarded to the best short film that covers ocean-or water-based environmental topics and/or a Powering the Blue Economy™ theme, which involves the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.eme, which involves the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.
HIFF BMW HAWAII DRIVEN STUDENT FILMMAKER AWARD
Presented by BMW of Honolulu
HIFF and BMW HAWAII are thrilled to announce a new award dedicated to celebrating and supporting a local university student filmmaker. At the 43rd Hawai’i International Film Festival presented by Halekulani, HIFF’s jury will select the ‘best short film’ from the HIFF University Shorts Program to be presented with the HIFFx BMW of HAWAI’I DRIVEN Student Filmmaker Award and cash prize meant to fund film scholarship, courtesy of BMW of Honolulu.
HIFF Audience Choice Award
Presented by Hawaii News Now
Your Vote Counts! Vote for your favorite Feature, Documentary, Short and Student films playing at HIFF44!
Voting is accessible to all audiences via QR codes at screenings. Winning films are announced in a special Hawaii News Now broadcast following the completion of the full HIFF44 Festival.
NOMINATED FILMS: ALL HIFF44 Films, features and shorts, are eligible for HIFFxHawaii News Now Audience Choice Award!
HIFF44 JURIES
KAU KA HOKU JURY
Adam Piron
Adam Piron is from the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and Mohawk. He is a Southern California-based filmmaker, writer, and curator. He currently is the Director of Sundance Institute's Indigenous Program where he oversees the organization's support for Indigenous filmmakers globally and a co-founder of COUSIN: a film collective dedicated to supporting Indigenous artists experimenting with and pushing the boundaries of the moving image. As a film programmer, he has served as a member of the Sundance Film Festival’s Short Film Programming Team since 2013 and was previously the Film Curator for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). His films have screened at the New York Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, MoMA Doc Fortnight, The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, and various other festivals and programs. His writing has appeared in The Criterion Collection's Current, MUBI Notebook, Cinema Scope Magazine, the Metrograph Journal, and CNN.
Brian Newman
Brian Newman, founder of Sub-Genre, consults on film and media content strategy, distribution and marketing for some of the top brands in the world. His company guides companies through the process of leveraging entertainment to showcase their values, have greater impact, and to stand out from the crowd. Current and former clients include: The Climate Pledge (Amazon), Hilton, Indeed, John Deere, Lowe’s, Oatly, Patagonia, Purina, REI, SmugMug, Stripe, Sundance, WeTransfer, and Yeti Coolers. Brian has served as CEO of the Tribeca Film Institute, produces independent films, and writes a popular weekly newsletter on film.
Chilin Kwon
Graduated from the Korean Academy of Film Arts, he made his feature debut in 1995 with A Good Day to Fall in Love. Unusually for a male director, he has focused on women's stories in films like Singles (2003), about 29-year-old single women; HELLCATS (2007), about three women from the same family; and LOVEHOLIC (2009), about a woman in her 30s facing difficult choices.He has served as Chairman of the Directors Guild of Korea, a member of the Korea Media Rating Board, an Adjunct Professor at Dong-Ah Institute of Media and Arts, and a Board Member of the Incheon Foundation for Arts and Culture. From 2011 to 2016, he was the Executive Director at the Incheon Film Commission and is currently serving as Acting Executive Director.
PASIFIKA JURY
Luciane Buchanan
New Zealand-Tongan actor Luciane Buchanan started acting as a teen in Aotearoa, landing roles on local TV series. 2022 was a breakout year internationally for Luciane when she was cast in THE NIGHT AGENT, playing the lead role of Rose in Netflix's political conspiracy thriller, which went on to break records as Netflix's most watched series of 2023. This catapulted Luciane as one of IMDb's Top Stars of 2023. In 2020, Luciane's first screenplay, LEA TUPU‘ANGA/MOTHER TONGUE funded by the New Zealand Film Commission, premiered at the Sundance 2024 International Fiction Short Film competition. With a passion for elevating Pasifika stories, Luciane worked alongside Tavake Productions as an associate producer on the hit local show PANTHERS, based on the Polynesian Panther movement in Aotearoa during the 1970s. Luciane's latest lead role as Queen Ka'ahumanu in the Apple TV+ series CHIEF OF WAR is set to release in 2025.
Bryson Chun
Bryson Chun is a Kanaka Maoli screenwriter whose credits include DOOGIE KAMEALOHA MD and the upcoming MOANA 2.He previously served as a consultant on projects for Mattel, Disney, and Ubisoft and is a proud mentor of the Sundance Indigenous Program, the PEAK Writer Fellowship, the NAMA Native Writers Seminar, the Dr. Barbara Seniors Harkins Foundation, the HIFF Education Program, ‘Ohina Labs, and the Institute of American Indian Arts where he received his MFA in Creative Writing.He was a writing fellow for Sundance, CAPE, LA Skins, imagineNATIVE, and ‘Ohina and is repped by Verve Talent and Literary Agency.
Lisette Marie Flanary
Independent filmmaker, educator, and hula dancer, Lisette Marie Flanary creates films that celebrate a modern renaissance of the hula dance and Hawaiian culture. She is the writer, producer and director of Lehua Films and her award-winning documentaries, AMERICAN ALOHA: HULA BEYOND HAWAI‘I (P.O.V. series 2003-2004), NĀ KAMALEI: THE MEN OF HULA (Independent Lens series 2006-2007), and ONE VOICE (NPT 2010-2011) have broadcast nationally on public television and shown in film festivals around the world. Her latest film, TOKYO HULA, the final film in a trilogy of hula documentaries exploring the explosive popularity of hula in Japan, was awarded the Best Moana Whārahi Films from the Pacific Award at the Doc Edge Film Festival in New Zealand in 2020. All three documentaries in the Hula Trilogy were broadcast on the Pacific Heartbeat Season 10 from Pacific Islanders in Communications in 2021. Lisette is also a Professor at the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
MADE IN HAWAI‘I JURY
Chris Kekaniokalani Bright
Chris Kekaniokalani Bright is a screenwriter born and raised on Oʻahu, Hawaii. After attending Kamehameha Schools for thirteen years, Chris went on to study film and music at Chapman University. He worked in production at Walt Disney Animation Studios from 2014-2017, and has been writing several film projects since, to include CONVICTION, which made the 2018 Black List and has been sold to Warner Brothers, and the live-action version of LILO & STITCH, which will be released in 2025.
Vea Mafile’o
Vea Mafile’o is an accomplished producer-director with over 20 years of experience in TV and film. Her recent short film, LEA TUPU’ANGA, won Audience Favorite at Maorilands and premiered at Sundance this year. Vea’s feature documentary, FOR MY FATHER'S KINGDOM, premiered at Berlinale in 2019, alongside her short film documentary TOA’IPUAPUAGA and drama LIULU (which she production designed). She made NZ history as the first Pacific female director to helm a prime-time TV drama. Her direction on THE PANTHERS earned her a nomination for Best Drama Director at the NZ Film & Television Awards 2022. PANTHERS won numerous awards, including Best NZ Drama and Best Pasifika Show. Vea co-founded PISA (Pacific Island Screen Artists), The Nuku’alofa Film Festival, and the Okalani Film Festival. Her newest venture, Taro Patch Creative, is a vibrant studio and creative hub in South Auckland dedicated to promoting brown storytelling.
Keoni DeFranco
Keoni DeFranco is the Managing Director of Mālama Studios at Purple Maiʻa Foundation. Mālama Studios empowers a coalition of Native Hawaiian-led organizations through training and accelerators to promote self-reliance and economic independence in Hawaiʻi. He serves as the Minister of Interior for the Nation of Hawaiʻi where he helps develop educational curriculum and programming around Native Hawaiian rights to self determination. He is a board member with Hui Mālama O Ke Kai Foundation, a Waimānalo based non-profit organization that advocates stewardship by connecting youth to outdoor & ocean education, community service & academic assistance with programming rooted in Native Hawaiian culture & values. Keoni previously served as Founder & CEO of Lua Technologies from 2010-2020 in NYC, a technology company in the Healthcare IT space. Keoniʻs greatest joy is kalo farming at Puʻuhonua O Waimānalo and being in the kai restoring the fishpond walls at Pāhonu.
SHORTS JURY
Kainoa Rudolfo
Kainoa Rudolfo is a distinguished filmmaker, writer, producer, and Program Manager for Pacific Islanders in Communications, with over a decade of experience in the film industry. As a Kānaka Maoli, his passion for storytelling is deeply rooted in his cultural heritage and his commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices. He co-founded the Hawaii Filmmakers Collective, fostering an inclusive and supportive community for local filmmakers. As a cinephile, he has a keen eye for innovative storytelling and cinematic excellence. His extensive knowledge and dedication to nurturing emerging talent have made him a respected figure in Hawaii's film community. Kainoa holds a Master’s in Communications from the University of Hawaii. He is honored to serve as a Short Film Juror at this year’s festival and looks forward to celebrating the creativity and vision of filmmakers from Hawaii, nationally and internationally.
Jason Ishikawa
Jason Ishikawa is a Senior Executive and Co-Head of Sales at Cinetic Media where he oversees worldwide distribution strategies for the company. Since joining in 2015, his responsibilities include working across Cinetic’s financing, corporate and project consultation, and domestic sales arm for feature narrative and documentary films. Recent films Jason has been involved with include: HIT MAN, LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, and SUMMER OF SOUL. Prior to joining Cinetic, Jason worked at The Film Sales Company where he was the Senior Director of Acquisitions, Financing and Sales. Jason graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and holds a BA in Cinema Studies and attended Punahou School (‘05).
Huang Yi-Yu
Huang Yin-Yu is a director and producer based in Okinawa. He began documentary filmmaking in 2010, and he founded Moolin Films, Ltd. (Taiwan) in 2015, later Moolin Production Co., Ltd. (Japan) in 2019. His films include AFTER SPRING, THE TAMAKI FAMILY... (2016) and GREEN JAIL (2021) which were theatrically released in Japan and Taiwan, and his films were selected in Visions du Réel, DOK.fest München, Taipei Film Festival, Kinema Junpo Best 10 Documentaries and others. He is an Emerging Producers 2020 and Rotterdam Lab 2023 alumni and one of the mentors of ASIADOC 2021. As producer, he focuses on international projects with Asian perspectives and aesthetics. In 2023, he became the founder and executive director of Cinema at Sea - Okinawa Pan-Pacific International Film Festival.
NETPAC JURY
Crystal Kwok
Crystal Kwok holds a PhD in Performance Studies and an advanced Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is an award winning filmmaker who established her career in Hong Kong as an actress, writer, director, and controversial talk show host. Her debut feature film, THE MISTRESS, won the Audience Choice Awards at the Deauville Asiatic Film Festival. Blurring the Color Line screened at HIFF 2022 and streamed nationally on PBS under America ReFramed. It won multiple awards including Best Documentary at the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival, Courage Award at DisOrient Film Festival, and the Mira Nair Rising Female Filmmaker Award at the Harlem International Film Festival. Kwok teaches courses in gender and film at the University of Hong Kong and is committed to amplifying voices of women and marginal communities.
Jeannette Paulson Hereniko
Jeannette Paulson Hereniko is the founding director of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival, a position she held from 1981 to 1996. She was the first director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (1990); founding international board member of NETPAC, the Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema (1988 to 2015); an inaugural member of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards’ International Nomination Council in Brisbane Australia (2007-2010), and started a film distribution company, Asia Pacific Films.com (2010). She was awarded the Korean Cinema Award by the Busan International Film Festival, given to individuals making outstanding contributions in promoting Korean cinema (2009). She’s produced many films, including the Fiji award-winning 2004 narrative feature film, THE LAND HAS EYES. Currently she is the President/Producer of Te Maka Productions, Inc, a film and theatre production company.
Mark Schilling
Mark Schilling has been reviewing Japanese films for “The Japan Times,” Japan’s oldest English-language newspaper, since 1989 and has served as a program advisor for the Udine Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy since 2000. He has curated Udine FEFF retrospectives on Nikkatsu Action films (2005), the Shintoho studio (2010) and Japanese SF/fantasy films (2016). Book publications include “The Yakuza Movie Book – A Guide to Japanese Gangster Films” (2003), “No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema” (2007) and “Art, Cult and Commerce: Japanese Cinema Since 2000.” He also wrote the original story for CONVENIENCE STORY, a film directed by Miki Satoshi that opened in Japan in August, 2022 and screened at HIFF that same year.
