Hawaii filmmakers flourish winning a record 6 awards

1. First Hawaiian Bank Golden Maile Awards
CAVITE [PHILIPPINES] - Golden Maile: Best Feature Film
SISTERS IN LAW [CAMEROON] – Golden Maile: Best Documentary Film

2. Russell Boyd [MASTER AND COMMANDER] wins the Eastman Kodak Award for
Excellence in Cinematography

3. Film in Hawaii Award presented to the late Kayo Hatta [PICTURE BRIDE].

4. The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award goes to SEASON OF THE HORSE [CHINA].

5. Inaugural LVHIFF Maverick Award goes to Sonny Chiba, the anti-hero of Asian martial arts.

6. LVHIFF Outstanding Studio Award to Toei Film Studios for its contribution to shaping this culture.

7. Two-time Academy Award® nominee, Zhang Yimou received LVHIFF’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on October 19th.

8. The Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival will present Samuel L. Jackson with the LVHIFF Award for International Achievement in Acting Award at date to be announced soon.

9. Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Hawaii Film & Videomaker Award goes to the late Kayo Hatta film FISHBOWL [HAWAII] and honorable mention to WAHINE O KE KAI [HAWAII].

Honolulu Magazine Award for Best Short Film goes to CRICKETS [ISRAEL] and VALTOR THE GREAT VS. THE UNIVERSE [HAWAII]
11. Cause & f(x) Dream Digital Award goes to LATE BLOOMER [JAPAN].

12. Special award for Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking to THE SHANGHAI FILM

GROUP.

13. The Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice Awards

· AMERICAN FUSION [USA] - Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice for Best Feature Film

· KEEPERS OF THE FLAME [HAWAII] - Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice for Best Documentary Film

· SAND ISLAND DRIVE INN ANTHEM [HAWAII] - Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice for Best Short Film.

25th Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival ceremony and reception honored films, filmmakers and sponsors from across the globe tonight at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Roger Ebert and Elizabeth Lindsey hosted the evening to a packed house of filmmakers, stars and film fans.

The First Hawaiian Bank Golden Maile Award for Best Feature Film goes to CAVITE by director Ian Gamazon & Neill Dela Llana is a taut thriller that brings our worst fears about terrorism to the forefront. While SISTERS IN LAW [CAMEROON] by Kim Longinotto receives the First Hawaiian Bank Golden Maile for Best Documentary Film is a pleasing look at the work of a small courthouse in Cameroon.

Russell Boyd, award-winning AUSTRALIAN cinematographer, receives the prestigious Eastman Kodak Award for Excellence in Cinematography. Russell Boyd is associated with many of Australia’s great films such as MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, TIN CUP, GALLIPOLI and PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK. The 25th Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival is greatly honored to present Russell Boyd, ASC, with the 2005 Eastman Kodak Award for Excellence in Cinematography. Russell Boyd has defined Australian cinematography for over 25 years.

The State of Hawai’i will be presenting a Film in Hawai’i Award to the late Kayo Hatta. The Film in Hawai’i Award is presented by the State of Hawai‘i to the film or television entity that has significantly contributed to promoting the local film industry. The recipient may be a filmmaker, actor or a production company that has helped develop the reputation of Hawai‘i as the world’s premiere tropical film location. This year’s Film in Hawai’I Award recipient the late Director Kayo Hatta, will be honored at the Awards Ceremony and Reception.

The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award goes to director Ning Cai for SEASON OF THE HORSE [CHINA]. SEASON OF THE HORSE marks the passing of the noble horse culture of Mongolia. Founded in 1990 by Cinemaya (Asia’s finest journal of cinema) and UNESCO, the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting Asian film throughout the world. The prestigious NETPAC Award is given at select international film festivals to promote Asian cinema by spotlighting exceptional works and discovering new talent. The NETPAC Award is presented annually at international film festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii. LVHIFF is the only film festival in North America given permission to present the NETPAC Award. The 2005 Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival NETPAC Award winner will be selected from all 1st and 2nd directorial efforts of Asian feature films playing at this year’s festival.

LVHIFF is proud to honor Sonny Chiba with the first LVHIFF Maverick Award. Sonny Chiba, the anti-hero of Asian martial arts, starred in more than 125 films at Toei Studios. Sonny Chiba has been a major influence in martial arts movies for over thirty years. The Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival has in 2005 inaugurated a MAVERICK AWARD, to be given to individuals with unique and varied careers in international cinema; individuals with edge and grit. The MAVERICK Award takes the form of a Hawaiian dagger, also known as a lei-o-mano or shark’s lei. The dagger is crafted from the wood of the Hawaiian koa tree and laced with razor-sharp teeth from the fierce tiger shark.

25TH Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival honors Toei Film Studios with focus on Toei Films. A special FOCUS ON TOEI FILM STUDIOS N HAWAII section this year included seven definitive Toei films. The LVHIFF is proud to honor Toei for its contribution to shaping this culture. The festival will be presenting a LVHIFF Outstanding Studio Award to Toei Films Studio this year.

Zhang Yimou, director of 'HERO', attended the 25th Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival. Two-time Academy Award® nominee, Zhang Yimou received LVHIFF’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on a special evening this past October 19th.

The Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival will present Samuel L. Jackson with the LVHIFF Award for International Achievement in Acting Award at date to be announced in early November.

Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Hawaii Film & Videomaker Award goes to the late director Kayo Hatta for the film FISHBOWL [HAWAII]. FISHBOWL is a comical coming-of-age tale based on Lois-Ann Yamanaka's novel WILD MEAT AND THE BULLY BURGERS. An honorable mention goes to director Vince Keala for WAHINE O KE KAI [HAWAII].

Honolulu Magazine Award for Best Short Film goes to two short films; CRICKETS [ISRAEL] director Rafael Del Toro and to Gerard Elmore for VALTOR THE GREAT VS. THE UNIVERSE [HAWAII]. In CRICKETS, Ido is forced to deal with his trauma in unconventional ways as he fights to maintain his sanity in a world closing in on him after his parents are killed in a terrorist attack. VALTOR THE GREAT VS. THE UNIVERSE is short about a galactic hero. Short filmmaking is a laboratory for innovation in storytelling and a school for directors to develop their technique and art. The medium allows filmmakers to tell untold stories in creative ways. In honor of our 25th anniversary, and to encourage excellence in filmmaking, the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival, Honolulu Magazine, and an anonymous donor are pleased to inaugurate a special $5,000 cash award for BEST SHORT FILM. Each film will receive a prize of $2,500.

Cause & f(x) Dream Digital Award goes to LATE BLOOMER [JAPAN] by the director Go Shibata. LATE BLOOMER is a unique take on the handicapped hero genre. Given to an emerging feature film director for creativity and imaginative vision, the DREAM DIGITAL Award offers $10,000 of pre- and post-production services from cause & f(x) pictures, LLC, an accredited digital effects boutique based in Honolulu. It includes access to animation suites with accredited digital effects artists, feature filmmakers, 3D animators and more!

Special award for Achievement in Documentary Filmmaking goes to THE SHANGHAI FILM GROUP.

The Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice Awards are the fan’s favorite feature film, short film and documentary playing at the 2005 Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival. This year the

Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice for Best Feature Film goes to newcomer Frank Lin for AMERICAN FUSION [USA]. KEEPERS OF THE FLAME [HAWAII] by director Eddie Kamae wins the Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice for Best Documentary Film. The local film director, Ryan Kawamoto, wins the Hawaiian Airlines Audience Choice Best Short Film for SAND ISLAND DRIVE INN ANTHEM [HAWAII].