Life is an Barry Rivers might seem a glutton for punishment. In a matter of a few months last year, the Maui filmmaker and entrepreneur began organizing an event fraught with logistical nightmares and uncertainties.
acquired taste
After wild success last year,
Tickets | Films | Schedule
Maui's Barry Rivers expands
his silver-screen extravaganza
By Tim Ryan
Star-BulletinRivers, who for years has presented esoteric and well-regarded nonmainstream motion pictures at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, decided a nontraditional approach was needed. Rivers' festival would take place primarily outdoors, and he would spend some $130,000 of his own money for the 50-by-20-foot screen, projector and trailer to hold it, then set it up on a golf course driving range in one of Maui's most exclusive neighborhoods, Wailea.
The Maui Film Festival, which cost about $300,000 to stage in three venues, was an enormous success, selling some 6,500 tickets.With the success of last year's event, this year's festival, June 13 to 17, will screen 38 films, add a venue -- the Maui Digital Theater at the Grand Wailea -- expand from four to five days, schedule two more nights for its popular SandDance Theater on the beach, and include an opening and closing night twilight buffet. The expansion means more than three times the cost and in-kind donations, about $1 million.
"There are so many film festivals in the world that we're competing against, even if we have Maui, Maui, Maui going for us, we have to be perceived as serious and established, and mature," Rivers said.
Films being shown this year include Santa Barbara Film Festival Audience Award winner "Amy's Orgasm"; "Bread and Tulips," winner of nine Donatello Awards, Italy's Oscar equivalent; "Bride of the Wind," directed by Bruce Beresford, director of the Academy Award-winning "Driving Miss Daisy"; and "Delivering Milo," starring Bridget Fonda and five-time Oscar nominee Albert Finney.The Maui Film Festival also will premiere "a major, major" film at 8 p.m. June 16 at the outdoor Celestial Theater, with some of the film's "well-known" actors attending.
"Although I've been sworn to secrecy by the studio and can't reveal anything about this film -- not the plot, director, players -- I can tell you it features actors who are household names in a remarkable story of star-crossed love and of how fate has its way with us all," said Rivers, who was told by the studio it would pull the picture if its name is leaked.
There's no reason to believe this is hype. Before the year 2000 festival, Rivers announced the event would attract a "major, major" celebrity who would be presented the Maui Film Festival's first annual Silversword Award for a body of work.Rivers got legendary director Tim Burton, in Hawaii scouting locations for his "Planet of the Apes" sequel, to attend to receive the Silversword Award. (The award hadn't been completed by the time Burton arrived, so in pure Rivers fashion, he handed the director an invisible award. Burton, feigning tears, said it was the most beautiful award he had ever seen. The award this year is crystal from Tiffany & Co.)
Several premieres this year will be held at Maui's Celestial Cinema on the slopes of Wailea Resort's Gold and Emerald Course driving range. There will also be filmmakers panels, an opening-night barbecue, an oceanside "toes-in-the-sand" SandDance Theater and a Silversword Award presentation. Day premieres will also be held at the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.
The grandest of events is the Taste of Wailea, running 5 to 7:30 p.m. June 16 and featuring some of Maui's finest chefs. Tickets for the Taste of Wailea are $95 per person and include attendance at the June 16 Celestial Cinema premiere.Visit the Web site www.maui filmfestival.com, or call the festival office at (808)-579-9244, where you can also purchase tickets.
On Maui, tickets are available at Wailea's Golf Club's Gold & Emerald Pro Shop, Destination Resorts Hawaii in Shops at Wailea, Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, Tropical Disc at Rainbow Mall (Kihei), Borders Books & Music (Kahului) and Celebrities in Shops (Wailea).
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Tickets for individual screenings at the Maui Film Festival are priced as follows: Passes and tickets available
>> SandDance Theater (Wailea Beach): Free for all Festival Pass holders.
>> Living Cinema, premieres and special screenings at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center Castle Theater are $10 general, $5 for kids ages 7 to 14, and free for kids 6 and under (G- and PG-rated films only).
>> Filmmakers panels at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, $10.
>> Maui Digital Cinema premieres and special screenings at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa: $10 general, $5 for kids ages 7 to 14, and free for kids 6 and under (G- and PG-rated films only).
>> Celestial Cinema film premieres on the Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course Driving Range: $20 general, $10 for kids ages 7 to 14, and free for kids 6 and under (G- and PG-rated films only).
>> June 15 Silversword Award Tribute at the MACC Castle Theater, $25.
Special event tickets
Note: Maui Film Festival Pass holders will receive special discounts on special events.>> June 13: Opening night Twilight Buffet plus Celestial Cinema premiere, $75.
>> June 15: Starry, Starry Night Centerpiece Gala and Filmmakers Reception at the SeaWatch Restaurant, plus Celestial Cinema premiere, $75.
>> June 16: Taste of Wailea plus Celestial Cinema premiere on Wailea's Gold & Emerald Golf Course Private Function Terrace, $95.
>> June 17: Closing Night Twilight Buffet plus Celestial Cinema premiere, $75.
Passes
>> Evening Star: Admission to one Celestial Cinema premiere and all SandDance Theater special screenings, and the choice of four Living Cinema at the Castle Theater premieres, Maui Digital Cinema premieres or filmmakers panels; $50.>> Rising Star: Admission to all Celestial Cinema premieres, SandDance Theater special screenings and filmmakers panels, a choice of two Living Cinema at the Castle Theater premieres or Maui Digital Cinema premieres; $100.
>> Shooting Star: Admission to all Celestial Cinema, Living Cinema at the Castle Theater and Maui Digital Cinema premieres, all SandDance Theater special screenings and all filmmakers panels; $200.
>> Comet: All of the benefits of the Shooting Star Pass plus admission to Silversword Award Tribute; Taste of Wailea; Opening Night Twilight Buffet; Starry, Starry Night Centerpiece Gala; Closing Night Twilight Buffet and invitation to the Private VIP/Filmmaker/ Press Reception; $500.
>> Big Bang: All of the benefits of the Comet Pass plus access to the Maui Film Festival VIP Hospitality Suite; $1,000.
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The Maui Film Fest
serves up a rich menu
of human drama
Here is the list of films that will screen at the Maui Film Festival:>> "All Over the Guy": An unlikely twosome try not to fall for each other; that they happen to be gay is almost incidental.
>> "An American Rhapsody": A family escaping Hungary inadvertently leaves their youngest child. Five years later, after re-uniting in California during the 1950s, the young girl must choose which life she is meant to lead.
>> "Amy's Orgasm": A self-help author who advises her female readers to do without men finds herself attracted to a shock jock known for his sexist attitudes. Winner, 2001 Santa Barbara Film Festival Audience Award.
>> "The Big Animal": A bank clerk and his wife find a camel in their yard and are ostracized when they won't let the town profit from the beast.
>> "The Blue Diner": A film about food, family, memory, love, language ... and caskets.
>> "Born Romantic": Catherine McCormack ("Dangerous Beauty") and Jane Horrocks ("Little Voice") star in a dramatic comedy about looking for love in all the wrong places in a salsa club called El Corazon.
>> "Bread and Tulips": A neglected housewife hitchhikes to Venice and a new life inhabited by an eccentric array of characters. Winner of nine Donatello Awards (Italy's Oscars).
>> "Bride of the Wind": In turn-of-the-century Vienna, a brilliant young woman arouses the passions of Europe's greatest artists. A riveting, true tale of art and seduction by Bruce Beresford, director of the Academy Award-winning "Driving Miss Daisy."
>> "Brooklyn Babylon": "West Side Story" meets "The Harder They Come" in this hip-hop tale of love inspired by the biblical "Song of Songs." From Marc Levin, director of "Slam."
>> "The Cameraman": Buster Keaton is a wannabe newsreel cameraman who, filming a Chinese festival, finds himself in the middle of a tong war.
>> "Christmas in the Clouds": Shot at the Sundance Resort, this lighthearted mistaken-identity tale features a mostly American Indian cast, with supporting roles by Graham Green ("Dances with Wolves") and Rita Coolidge.
>> "County Kilburn": It's Mickey's last week tending bar. He's having a fight with his girl, and his boss has just had a heart attack, leaving him alone with a crew of eccentric regulars.
>> "Delivering Milo": An unborn child decides he'd rather not be born in this comic fantasy starring Bridget Fonda and five-time Oscar nominee Albert Finney.
>> "The Doe Boy": A half-Cherokee youth hopes to kill a buck and prove himself. When he kills a doe, what should have been a rite of passage becomes a crisis of manhood. Winner, 2000 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award.
>> "Everybody's Famous!": This charming Academy Award nominee from Belgium weighs in with a thoughtful and spunky take on fame and what people will do to get it.
>> "The Making of Extreme": Go behind the scenes as the creators of this IMAX film follow some of the world's best athletes, who put their lives on the line in rock climbing, snowboarding, tow-in surfing and other extreme sports.
>> "Here's to Life!": Three octogenarians kidnap their retirement home's director and go on one last fling. Starring Ossie Davis, Kim Hunter and Eric McCormack ("Will & Grace").
>> "The Last Stand": Ancient redwoods and the bottom line: A tale of junk bonds and corporate takeovers and how we value our relationship to the environment.
>> "Mr. Rice's Secret": Owen has just lost his friend, the enigmatic Mr. Rice, but finds clues to an uncanny treasure. David Bowie stars in this award-winning film for young and old.
>> "The Most Fertile Man in Ireland": A shy 24-year-old virgin learns he has the highest sperm count in Ireland. Winner, Best Director Award, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival.
>> "On the Q.T.": James Earl Jones and Sam Ball star in this tale of a struggling violinist who must choose between art or the life of a studio musician.
>> "Pursuit of Happiness": Alan's boss has booted him off his main account, and his girlfriend doesn't want him. Could hope lie in his old kindergarten love?
>> "Song of Tibet": An epic love story that spans decades of Tibet's turbulent history through breathtakingly photographed flashbacks.
>> "Songcatcher": A musicologist researching the songs of Appalachia is caught in the struggle between mountain folk and a greedy coal company. Sundance Film Festival's Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting.
>> "Sun Alley": Stuck on the wrong side of the iron curtain, 17-year-old Michael is smitten by love in this lively coming-of-age story. Best Feature Film, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Aspen.
>> "The Trumpet of the Swan": The children's classic by E.B. White ("Charlottes Web," "Stuart Little") is an animated fable of Louie, the voiceless swan, searching for love.
>> "Underestimating Jake": Stranded in the desert when her car breaks down, a woman becomes intrigued with the taciturn mechanic whose voice is his guitar.
>> "Woman in the Moon": The last film by director Fritz Lang ("Metropolis") was a science-fiction fantasy with spectacular special effects for its time, 1929.
>> "Woodstock for Capitalists": How did Warren Buffet, a 69-year-old investor from Middle America, gain rock-star status?
Short Film Showcase
>> "The Beating Heart": Four strangers share a moment in a train station. Directed by E. Shain, 15 minutes.>> "BigLove": Two loving but neurotic parents perform heroic feats in order to deal with the fact that their kids have to leave for school. Directed by Leif Tidlen, 10 minutes.
>> "Elvis Has Left the Building": When Lily Ann accidentally takes two hits of ecstasy, she has the night of her life, while her daughter, Kate, fresh out of rehab, struggles to keep Mom out of trouble. Directed by Elizabeth Massie, 21 minutes.
>> "Ethel's Sofa": A wickedly funny look at an old woman and the unscrupulous young man who comes to purchase her sofa and thinks he has her conned. Directed by Deborah Baxtrom, 7 minutes.
>> "Gulp": Francis must race to save his pet saltwater fish from drowning in tap water. Directed by Jason Reitman. 7 minutes.
>> "Horses on Mars": Blasted off his home planet by a meteor, a microbe embarks on a 3 billion-year journey to get home, only to head in the wrong direction. Directed by Eric Anderson, 7.5 minutes.
>> "The Kiss": An innocent seduction is not so innocent. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, 6 minutes.
>> "Little Man": Archie's all-American parents wanted an athlete for a son. Instead they got Archie. Directed by Morgan Lawley, 10 minutes.
>> "The Old Man and the Sea": Hemingway's classic tale of courage in the face of defeat is transformed into an Academy Award-winning animated film, 21 minutes.
>> "Roadside Assistance": A retired B-movie actress turned Las Vegas magician and an ex-March of Dimes poster child teach a reluctant bridesmaid about love and the true nature of beauty. Directed by Jennifer Derwingson, 20 minutes.
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Here is the schedule for the Maui Film Festival. For ticket prices, see page B12. Festival schedule
June 13
>> Celestial Cinema at Wailea's Outdoor Venue
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. -- Opening Night Twilight Buffet.>> Celestial Cinema at Wailea
7 p.m. -- Doors open for 8 p.m. screenings of "Horses on Mars" and "An American Rhapsody."
June 14
>> CenterStage premiere at Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theater, Kahului
2 p.m. -- "County Kilburn"
5 p.m. -- "Born Romantic"
7:30 p.m. -- "Amy's Orgasm" preceded by "The Kiss"
9:30 p.m. -- "Sun Alley"
>> Maui Digital Theater at the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa Plumeria Room
2 p.m. -- "Woodstock for Capitalists" and "The Last Stand"
5 p.m. -- "On The QT"
7:30 p.m. -- "EXTREME: The Making of an IMAX Film"
9:30 p.m. -- "The Doe Boy">> Celestial Cinema premiere on the Gold & Emerald Golf Course Driving Range
7:15 p.m. -- Doors open for 8 p.m. screenings of "The Old Man and the Sea" and "Here's to Life.">> SandDance Theater, on Wailea Beach, fronting the Four Seasons Resort
11 p.m. -- Screening of "The Cameraman." Free with any Maui Film Festival at Wailea ticket stub.
June 15
>> CenterStage premiere
2 p.m. -- Short Film Showcase: "Little Man, Ethel's Sofa," "The Beating Heart," "Roadside Assistance," "Horses on Mars," "Big Love," "Gulp," "The Kiss," "Elvis Has Left the Building," and "The Old Man and the Sea."
7:30 p.m. -- "Gulp" and "Brooklyn Babylon."
9:30 p.m. -- "Pursuit of Happiness">> Maui Digital Theater
2 p.m. -- "The Doe Boy"
5 p.m. -- "Woodstock for Capitalists" and "The Land Stand"
7:30 p.m. -- "On the QT"
9:30 p.m. -- "EXTREME: The Making of an IMAX Film">> MACC Castle Theater
"Song of Tibet" or Silversword Award Tribute, both at 5 p.m., co-presented by the Maui Film Festival and the American Film Institute. Admission is: $10 for "Song of Tibet"; $25 for Silversword tribute.>> Celestial Cinema at Wailea
7 p.m. -- Doors open for 8 p.m. screening of "The Beating Heart" and "Delivering Milo."
10 p.m. -- Starry, Starry Night Centerpiece Gala at SeaWatch Restaurant.>> SandDance Theater
11 p.m. -- "The Woman in the Moon" (Part 1). Free to all festival ticket and passport holders.
June 16
>> Maui Digital Theater10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. -- Filmmakers Panel. Film critics weigh in on the role of contemporary film criticism, and the influence of marketing schmoozefests. Rick Chatenever, entertainment editor for the Maui News moderates.
>> CenterStage Premiere
10 a.m. -- "Surprise Screening"
Noon -- "Mr. Rice's Secret"
2 p.m. -- "Big Animal" and "Old Man and the Sea"
5 p.m. -- "Everybody's Famous"
7:30 p.m. -- "Ethel's Sofa" and "Bread and Tulips"
9:30 p.m. -- "Blue Diner">> Maui Digital Theater
2 p.m. -- "Woodstock for Capitalists" and "The Land Stand"
5 p.m. -- "The Doe Boy"
7:30 p.m. -- "EXTREME: The Making of an IMAX Film"
9:30 p.m. -- "On the QT">> Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course Private Function Terrace
5 to 7:30 p.m. -- Taste of Wailea, with cuisine by Hawaii chefs, wine tastings, and live music.>> Celestial Cinema at Wailea
7 p.m. -- Doors open for 8 p.m. screening of "Big Love" and special film premiere TBA.>> SandDance Theater
11 p.m. -- "Woman in the Moon" (Part 2); free with any Maui Film Festival at Wailea ticket stub.
June 17
>> Wailea Beach
9 a.m. to noon -- Sand sculpture contest. Admission free.>> Maui Digital Theater
10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. -- Filmmakers' panel on the "State of the State: Film Production in Hawaii.
11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Filmmakers' panels on Traveling Down the Imagination Highway: Adventures in Independent Filmmaking, featuring panelists Julie Davis, writer/director of "Amy's Orgasm" and "All Over the Guy"; Leander Haussmann, writer/director of "Sonneallee" or "Sun Alley"; Rob Merilees, producer of "Here's to Life"; Marc Levin, writer/director of "Brooklyn Babylon" and "Slam"; and Kate Montgomery, writer/ director of "Christmas in the Clouds.">> CenterStage Premiere
10 a.m. -- "Trumpet of the Swan"
Noon -- Short Film Showcase: "Little Man," "Ethel's Sofa," "The Beating Heart," "Roadside Assistance," "Horses on Mars," "Big Love," "Gulp," "The Kiss," "Elvis Has Left the Building" and "The Old Man and the Sea"
2 p.m. -- "The Most Fertile Man in Ireland"
5 p.m. -- "Songcatcher"
7:30 p.m. -- "Christmas in the Clouds" preceded by "Roadside Assistance"
9:30 p.m. -- "All Over the Guy">> Maui Digital Theater
2 p.m. -- "Underestimating Jake" preceded by "Me By Myself and I: 40 Years in the Photobooth"
5 p.m. -- "The Doe Boy"
7:30 p.m. -- "EXTREME: The Making of an IMAX Film"
9:30 p.m. -- "On The QT">> Celestial Cinema at Wailea
5:30 to 7:30 p.m. -- Closing Night Twilight Buffet.
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