Hawai‘i Film The major cash donor to the Hawai'i International Film Festival, Dwight Damon, has withdrawn his funding, after resigning last week from the festival's board.
Festival’s top donor
withdraws his money
An annual $65,000 is lost over
management and fund-raising issuesBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comThe longtime board member criticized the "extremely poor management practices" of the executive editor and "casual attitude" of other HIFF executives in attracting sponsors.
Damon, who contributes about $65,000 a year to HIFF and served as chairman of the programming committee, resigned after learning the HIFF board was extending executive director Chuck Boller's tenure another year.
"Major (management) problems with the festival will not be addressed in the near future ... so I resigned; maybe that will clear the way for improvements without my influence," said Damon, who owns the Movie Museum in Kaimuki.
Damon has given HIFF board president Jeff Portnoy a list of 15 "serious problem areas" which Portnoy said are being addressed by a HIFF committee. The list was not provided to the Star-Bulletin.
Damon, who led the charge two years ago to have then-director Christian Gaines fired, is just as adamant about having Boller "removed." "Christian just lost interest (in HIFF), while Chuck quite simply is a poor manager," with poor fund-raising skills, Damon said.
Boller is returning from the Berlin Film Festival and was not available for comment. Gaines is now executive director of the American Film Institute's prestigious Los Angeles International Film Festival.
Problems between Damon and Boller began before last November's event, Portnoy said.
Damon said he was shocked that many delegates and visiting filmmakers were treated "in an unprofessional manner," volunteers were treated poorly, and "Chuck did nothing to correct the situation."
Withdrawing his funding should force HIFF executives to improve their fund-raising skills, Damon said.
Damon hopes to create a $25,000 cash award for filmmakers showing films at the festival as long as the money is not used for administration.
"This is a way to create recognition for the festival while guaranteeing my money won't be misused," he said. "I'm sure there's a good (film festival director) out there who can raise funds rather than just getting taking it from the government or me.
"My contribution helped create this dysfunctional thing. So I'm resigning to help, really."
The festival picked up a major sponsor last month in Louis Vuitton, which will contribute an undisclosed amount for two years. In turn, the festival will be renamed "Louis Vuitton Hawaii Presents the Hawai'i International Film Festival."
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