For love of film!

HIFF's 2007 season offers some tasty developments

Now in its 27th year, the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival forges onward, perhaps not the richest in financial resources, but still delighting movie lovers with its wide selection of films -- 150 this year.

Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival Dates: Thursday through Sunday Oct. 28 Venues: Dole Cannery Stadium 18 and the Hawaii Theatre Tickets: Dole events are $10; $9 military, students and seniors Hawaii Theatre events are $15; $12 military, students and seniors Call: 528-3456 or visit www.hiff.org Program guides: Available at festival information table at the Dole multiplex and across the street at the HIFF office

As always the festival will turn the spotlight on fare from Asia and the pan-Pacific region. But expect some new developments as well. Here are the Top 5:

1) The HIFF Café, upstairs above the Dole Cannery theaters, will offer festival-goers something besides movie theater popcorn for before-, after- and between-film dining. The cafe will be near the hospitality lounge for fest guests, so there's a good chance to meet and greet filmmakers. Also, "Café Chats" on various topics will be held there at 4 p.m. daily, starting Saturday.

2) Films in the "Eat, Drink, Film!" showcase will be paired up with special tastings at the cafe. These will include "All in This Tea" (Chinese, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 20 and noon Oct. 23), "Kamome Diner" (Japanese, 4 p.m. Oct. 21 and 5:30 p.m. Oct. 22), "How to Cook Your Life" (related to Zen Buddhism, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23 and 1:30 p.m. Oct. 24), "The Yakiniku Movie: Bulgogi" (Japanese, 1 p.m. Oct. 27) and "A Touch of Spice" (Greek, 4 p.m. Oct. 27).

3) Oceanic Time Warner digital cable subscribers can vote in the Video-on-Demand Viewer's Choice Award. Twelve shorts from local independent filmmakers and students from the University of Hawaii's Academy for Creative Media can be seen on digital channel 680. Viewers will be able to register their choices via their remotes, with the winner receiving a $1,000 cash prize.

4) The Fast Pass ($350), inaugurated at HIFF's Spring Showcase, offers the holder the chance to see any 26 films, with priority admission. Use the pass to secure a ticket, then enter the theater in advance of the masses. With a Star Pass package ($1,500), you don't need a ticket, and you get in even earlier. Both passes also provide admission to some special events, and a portion of each is tax-deductible.

5) The Closing Night party will be held Oct. 27 on board the Hawaii Superferry, which is a festival co-sponsor. The ferry, however, will remain docked. Admission to the gala is included with tickets to the final film, "August Rush."

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HIFF Highlights Opening night: "Flight of the Red Balloon," the latest feature from festival favorite Hou Hsiao-hsien, is a re-imagining of the classic 1957 French children's film, now infused with Asian philosophies. At 8 p.m. Thursday, Hawaii Theatre. Wayne Wang double feature: The Asian-American filmmaker made his reputation through the festival early in his career. His latest films, "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers" and "Princess of Nebraska," screen at 7 p.m. Oct. 23, Hawaii Theatre. Vietnamese cinema symposium: With Ngo Phuong Lan, author of "Modernity and Nationality in Vietnamese Cinema," and co-editor Philip Cheah, noon Friday at the Korean Center, UH-Manoa. At 4:15 p.m. "The Deserted Valley" will screen at the Dole Cannery multiplex, introduced by its creator, Pham Nhue Giang, followed by a conversation with Vietnamese film experts at Café Chat. Call 944-7111. Sunset on the Beach series: The big-screen premiere of the SciFi Channel creature feature "Tyrannosaurus Azteca," co-produced by the local TalkStory Productions shows on Saturday. On Sunday it's the latest documentary from Eddie and Myrna Kamae, "Lahaina: Waves of Change." Closing Night: The Hawaii premiere of "August Rush," 7 p.m. Oct. 27, Dole Cannery. The music drama tells of a musical prodigy (Freddie Highmore), who feels driven to reunited with his parents (Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers). Robin Williams also stars.

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How to buy your way into the Hawaii International Film Festival If you have a computer, use it! Go to www.hiff.org and use the B-Side service. It allows you to create your own personal calendar of films that are showing at the Dole Cannery multiplex, plus you can rate and review the films as you see them. The service provides links to buy tickets online. For faster service, choose e-ticketing and print out your own ticket for a $1 service fee. Will call: If you order and purchase tickets either by phone (550-8457) or fax (536-2707), your tickets will be available for pickup the following day at Will Call at the festival information table next to the Dole Cannery box office. If you must buy your tickets in person, line up across the street from the multiplex, at the festival office, 680 Iwilei Road, Suite 100. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Oct. 28. You can also go to the guest services counter in the multiplex's lobby, where tickets for that day's shows will be available starting Friday, one hour prior to the first screening.To really wing it (and save some cash), rush lines are formed one hour prior to each film's screening. Five minutes before any film starts, unsold tickets will become available on a first-come, first-served basis for $10 (cash only). Refunds will not be given for "undesirable" seats. Special events: Tickets for Hawaii Theatre events will be available at both the festival's Iwilei Road office and at the downtown theater's box office, and on their respective Web sites. Call Hawaii Theatre at 528-0506 or visit hawaiitheatre.com. E-tickets will not be issued, so you must pick up your tickets from HIFF or at Hawaii Theatre.