Rainbow festival commences

This year's Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival will branch out into a new venue, the Cupola Amphitheater at the Honolulu Design Center on Kapiolani Blvd. But before the screenings start there next week Saturday, a slate of films will screen at the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival Place: Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Academy of Arts (May 24, 25) and Cupola Amphitheater, Honolulu Design Center (May 26, 27) Tickets: $10 general and $8 Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation members Call: 381-1952 or online at HGLCF.org

May 24th's opening-night film there will be the Korean independent film "No Regret," the debut effort by director Leesong Hee-il. The melodrama boasts strong performances by Lee Young-hoon and Lee Han as lovers from different class backgrounds whose tension-filled relationship explodes with unexpected violence. It all starts when Su-min leaves his orphanage to try his luck in Seoul. After his firing from his mundane factory job -- where he remeets Jae-min, the young executive who earlier flirted with him on his other job as a service driver -- Su-min enters the underworld of prostitution.

Jae-min's passion for Su-min is such that he's willing to thwart his mother's plans to have him marry. And even though Su-min tries to turn back Jae-min's persistent advances, the two eventually become ardent lovers.

Here's the schedule for the Doris Duke screenings. (We'll publish the remainder of the festival schedule next week in HILife.)

May 24

7:30 p.m.: "No Regret"

May 25

4:00 p.m.: "The Year of Paper" with short "We Belong" (free screening)

6:00: "A Four Letter Word"

8:00: "Nina's Heavenly Delights"

10:00: "The Sex Movie"