Up-and-comer ‘Shore’ brightens Big Isle fest film

A movie that opened the Big Island film festival yesterday has the potential to make waves with the general public when it's released in theaters this August. "Greetings From the Shore" stars Paul Sorvino and newcomer Kim Shaw, who won the part over more than 450 experienced young actresses who auditioned for the role. "She's really the reason to see this film," director Greg Chwerchak said from New York. Shaw's clout is skyrocketing with small parts in the "Sex and the City" movie, a "Gossip Girl" episode and a new DreamWorks feature.

The feel-good story (think "Dirty Dancing" or "Mystic Pizza" rather than typical edgy film festival fare) follows this young girl "and all of the crazy things that happen to her" during her final summer by the Jersey shore, after her father's death and before she begins college.

"I think there's a commonality that people tend to spend their summers near bodies of water," said the 34-year-old Chwerchak, who has directed 1,600 music videos. The movie's budget hovered around $500,000. It has traveled to more than 60 film festivals around the world, earning dozens of awards. Though Chwerchak's schedule prohibits a visit to the Big Island for this year's festival, he has traveled for weeks on end, hungry for the interaction with viewers. "It's far more satisfying to sit with an audience and affect people on an emotional rather than superficial level," he said. In other words, he much prefers this to his music-video days.

Another film making the festival rounds and landing on the Big Island this week is "Rabia," a story "based on Palestine's first female suicide bomber, Wafa Idris." Filmmaker Muhammad Ali Hasan insists the 23-minute short does not promote terrorism, but instead explores what leads people to become suicide bombers.

For more on the Big Island Film Festival at the Waikoloa Beach Resort, visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com.

"Get Me Bodied" is the one entry in the 19th Annual Rainbow Film Festival that features an all-local cast. Directed and produced by Hawaii filmmaker Brent Anbe, "Get Me Bodied" is a music video featuring 1997 Universal ShowQueen Keisha, who vamps (and lip-syncs to Beyoncé) for the camera with the help of an abbreviated, shimmery dress, thigh-high boots and fellow gender illusionists. It weaves together live performance footage -- including some entertaining dance routines -- with nightclub vignettes. Other entertainers in the video from Fusion Waikiki include Leikia Williams, Maddalynn Ashton and Kylee West Williams.

Watch the video at 5 p.m. May 25 at the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Academy of Arts before the Rainbow Film Festival's closing-night movie. It also plays at 7:30 p.m. May 31 at the Palace Theatre in Hilo.

The Rainbow Film Festival is sponsored by the Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation, and showcases 25 features, documentaries and shorts about transgender and gay and lesbian issues. It runs May 22 to 25. For those who want live entertainment, there's a party at 7 p.m. May 25 at Linekona Arts Center at the Academy of Arts. Get prices and details at www.hglcf.org.

"Screen Time" is an occasional feature in the Today section. E-mail knichols@starbulletin.com.