Film festival celebrates many 'firsts'

ANALYSIS

A sold-out crowd filled the Hawaii Theatre for director Ang Lee's long-awaited "Brokeback Mountain," and Hawaii International Film Festival officials were gleeful about securing the feature almost two months before its domestic release.

Lee, through the urging of friend and HIFF board member Angie Laprete and others, leaned on distributor Focus Films to get the film for HIFF's 25th anniversary.

Though the film was disrupted for a short time by unfortunate sound problems -- a similar problem occurred at the Hawaii Theatre last festival -- "Brokeback" was so engrossing that none of the 1,400 attending left.

Most of HIFF's major films this year likely exacted the same fervor: They were simply that good. Even the HIFF trailer -- directed by James Serreno -- was so commanding that film critic Roger Ebert said he will show it at his own festival next year.

Just a few years ago the film festival was not quite on death's door, but was certainly losing its pulse. It is now fulfilling its own hype as being one of the most highly regarded festivals in the United States.

This year's festival featured 268 films from more than 40 countries, a record in both categories, and offered a record number of world and U.S. premieres. The number of "official" guests totaled 600, double the usual number, including movie distributors and studio executives, and the event lasted 23 days, also a record.

Though final numbers are still being tallied, HIFF executive director Chuck Boller and other officials say the event set records in attendance and revenue. A total of 48 shows sold out this year, compared to 15 last year, and attendance exceeded last year's 65,000.

"We had more name actors and directors than before, the first ever television series seminar with actors and producers, six first-time awards and with Samuel Jackson's attendance it all created the biggest buzz (HIFF) has ever had," Boller said.

Jackson received HIFF's first Achievement in Acting award at a standing-room-only, two-hour "conversation" at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Photos and details from the event will be published in Hollywood's Daily Variety.

Also attending were Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun, whose appearance at the Hawaii Theatre caused one fan to faint; Chinese actress Bai Ling, who kept photographers happy posing on Waikiki Beach in a mini-bikini; and legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou, who brought nine journalists from Beijing at his own expense.

Signature sponsor Louis Vuitton announced its support for another three years, with an annual cash gift of at least $150,000. The company also hosted an opening-night VIP party for the first time.

Another first: A public party at Gordon Biersch Restaurant at Aloha Tower Marketplace, where filmmakers and actors mingled with fans, signed autographs and posed for photographs. "We believed it was time to open the party up to other than just VIPs," Boller said. "And our guests were up for it.'

The closing-night event at the Hawaii Theatre featured a sold-out concert by the Yoshida Brothers.

"We have a nice, young, savvy, hip staff who made a lot of good suggestions, and they pretty much all worked," Boller said.

festival organizers have seemed reluctant in the past to stray from the organization's mission of being an Asian-Pacific showcase. Besides, inviting Hollywood celebrities meant spending a lot of money for entourages, limousines, first-class airfares and suites in five-star hotels.

But Jackson, Boller and company reasoned, had enough international star power to make the expense worthwhile.

While freelance publicist Blaise Noto contacted Jackson's management, board member Laprete, who was working with Jackson on Oahu during the brief filming of "Snakes on a Plane," brought up the possibility of his attending. Jackson is a big fan of Asian films.

Following his award ceremony Friday, Jackson said he is considering returning next year as one one of HIFF's three jurors.

Boller makes it clear that the festival rarely covers all of an attendee's expenses, although this year HIFF "sponsored" Jackson, Bai Ling, the three jurors, Byung-hun and Yimou. Ebert's plane fare and accommodations are covered, but he rents his own car and pays for his own meals, Boller said.

HIFF has six full-time year-round staff members and hires another 35 for two to three months before and during the festival, Boller said. That's supplemented with about 250 volunteers. The nonprofit festival's annual budget is $1.2 million.

A growing number of sponsors donate in-kind services totaling as much as $400,000, Boller said, including theater venues, airline tickets, hotel rooms and limousines.

Louis Vuitton is the biggest contributor, followed by the Hawaii Tourism Authority at $100,000 annually, the Sheraton Hotels, Regal Entertainment Group (owner of the Dole Cannery theaters, where most films are screened), Hawaiian Airlines and Commercial Data Systems, which provides more than $50,000 cash and several hundred thousands of dollars in computer assistance.

While HIFF lost some major sponsors this year, including Aloha Airlines and the Honolulu Advertiser, which used to print its catalog, the organization quickly connected with Hawaiian Airlines and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin/MidWeek. Honolulu magazine also became a sponsor with its own short-film award.

All of this adds up to the fact that HIFF's budget is double what it was three years ago, and the festival remains debt-free.