Pamela Young interviewed HIFF executive Chuck Boller as part of the pre-broadcast "Walk the Red Carpet" hoopla outside the party area. Boller also was working -- he emceed the party proceedings during commercial breaks.

Film fans filled the ballroom Feb. 24 for the Hawaii International Film Festival's "2008 Oscar Night America Party" at the Halekulani. Guests at the fundraiser, one of only 49 "Oscar Night" parties nationwide sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, saw an advance telecast of the 80th annual awards show, before the tape-delayed TV broadcast reached most Hawaii viewers. Party chairwoman Kimi Matar, fourth from left, and her husband, Ash Matar, fifth from left, were platinum-level sponsors and shared their table with Gerard Haeringer, left, his wife, Lisa Haeringer, and Patrick and Marisa Gey.

Erika Kauffman, left, Halekulani director of public relations, got to sit and enjoy the evening as she entertained Gina Fredico and Hawaii-born international entertainer JP Lam. Lam is based in Asia, working on music business projects (count yourself a local music trivia expert if you remember him as one of the standouts in the statewide Star Quest High School Talent Search in 2002).

HIFF exec Dick Oshima, second from left, a silver-level party sponsor, watched the broadcast with his wife, Chris, left, and Bonny and Nick Tinebra. The various "Oscar Martinis" served during the pre-show reception were popular. So was the Lobster "Popcorn" Chowder served with dinner.

Husband-and-wife attorneys Richard Turbin and Rai Saint Chu, fourth from left, chatted with Norwegian cancer researcher Dr. Inger Torhild Gram, left, her daughter, Ingvild Gram, and Jill Dorsten. Turbin is not a man to be taken in by show-biz sentiment. When Tilda Swinton won the supporting-actress award and said she was going to give the Oscar to her agent, he said in a stage whisper, "No, you won't!"