First South Seas Cinema Festival begins Tuesday
Star-Bulletin staff
The first South Seas Cinema Festival, featuring feature films and documentaries dealing with Hawaii and other Pacific islands begins Tuesday in Honolulu at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Wallace Theatres at Restaurant Row, and the Waikiki IMAX Theatre.
Panel discussions also will be held focusing on "The South Pacific Genre"; "South Seas Musicals"; and "Movie Mutinies in the Pacific."
Organizers hope the festival stimulates appreciation about Pacific island pictures, and recognition for their contributions of islander actors and filmmakers.
Festival highlights include:
- A special discounted screening on Tuesday of Hollywood's newest Pacific picture, "Race the Sun," at the Wallace Theatres at Restaurant Row; for information call 526-4171;
- A private reception for Honolulu Academy of Arts and South Seas Cinema Society members in the Academy's Arts Cafe & Theatre on April 10 at 7 p.m.; for information call 254-5328;
- The Festival's keynote address "The Golden Age of South Seas Cinema" will be delivered at 10 a.m. April 13 at the Academy Theatre by Ed Rampell, cofounder of The South Seas Cinema Society;
- Festival organizers hope to present back-to-back-to back showings of three of the four "Mutiny on the Bounty" films April 14 at the Academy Theatre - the 1935 film starring Clark Gable; 1962s version starring Marlon Brando and the Mel Gibson version from 1984.
- Oceanic Cable will feature a 90-minute special showing of four locally produced shorts, "Legends of the Monarchy," "He Huakai i Ma Kaikai," "The Drum and the Mask," and an untitled film about the day in the life of two young brothers.
The South Seas Cinema Festival has documented more than 500 classic films and "B" movies produced by Hollywood alone.
More than a dozen films in four categories will be shown during the Festival. They are:
- Sharks and Polynesians, April 11: "Search for the Great Sharks," "Taputapua - Sharks of Polynesia," "Tiko & the Shark" and "Beyond the Reef;"
- Hawaiian Cowboy, on April 12: "Paniolo Documentary Work in Progress," "Hawaiian Buckaroo." and "Castaway Cowboy;"
- South Seas Musicals, April 13: "Pacific Sound Waves," "Waikiki Wedding," "Songs of the Islands," and "South Pacific."
The facts
What: South Seas Cinema Festival
When: Tuesday through April 14
Where: Honolulu Academy of Arts, Wallace Theatres at Restaurant Row and Waikiki IMAX Theatre
Tickets: Call each venue for availability and cost
Other information: 254-5328