Hawaii International Film Festival Partners with The Vilcek Foundation to Present American Immigrant Filmmakers on Profile

Honolulu, HI, September 26, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) is teaming up with The Vilcek Foundation to present five films in a program titled ‘American Immigrant Filmmakers On Profile’ (AIFP). The screenings will be held during the Festival from October 15-25 at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Theaters. Three of the AIFP films will highlight the talents of foreign-born directors: Bombay Summer by Joseph Mathew Varghese, A Village Called Versailles by S. Leo Chiang, and The People I’ve Slept With by Quentin Lee. The other two films, White On Rice and Prince of Broadway, will showcase the prowess of immigrant actors Hiroshi Watanabe and Karren Karagulian, respectively. These directors and actors will be available after the first screenings of their films to answer questions from the audience. Executive director of The Vilcek Foundation, Rick Kinsel, believes immigrants often face difficult transitions when moving to the United States, and adds ‘They have a unique perspective on life. These films allow talented filmmakers and actors to share their creativity, experiences and stories with the world, while heightening awareness about the enormous contributions immigrants make to arts and culture in this country.’ All of the AIFP delegates will be volunteering as guest speakers in HIFF¹s youth education programs while attending the Festival. Quentin Lee will meet with sixth-through-eighth graders at Hongwanji Mission School, S. Leo Chiang will visit with high school students at Assets School, Hiroshi Watanabe will talk to students at McKinley High School, Joseph Mathew Varghese will visit students at Waipahu High School, and Karren Karagulian will conduct a video conference that will be accessible to schools across the state. The Vilcek Foundation honors and supports foreign-born scientists and artists who have made outstanding contributions to society in the United States. For more information on The Vilcek Foundation please visit www.vilcek.org For more information on HIFF please visit www.hiff.org.

Festival information Established in 1981, the Hawaii International Film Festival is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. HIFF is the premier international film event in the Pacific and has won the praise of governments, filmmakers, scholars, educators, programmers and film industry leaders throughout the world. For the discovery and exhibition of Asian and Pacific features, documentaries and short films in the nation, it is a primary source. The Festival has premiered such movies as Once Were Warriors, The Piano, Shine, Shall We Dance, Y Tu Mama Tambien and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Further, Departures, a Japanese film, had its U.S. premiere at HIFF 2008, won the HIFF Audience Award, and then went on to win the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. HIFF’s major sponsors include: Regal Entertainment Group, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii, Halekulani, Hawaii Tourism Authority and The Vilcek Foundation. The 2009 Hawaii International Film Festival will be held October 15-25 at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 Theaters. For more information please visit their website at www.hiff.org

Media Contact:
Lincoln Jacobe, 808.237.3676
Chimaine Pouteau, 808.636.1512

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