Maui Film Festival

The Maui Film Festival is a film festival held annually on the island of Maui, Hawaii. It is based at Grand Wailea Resort and includes film premieres, filmmaker panels, special screenings, tributes, award ceremonies, culinary arts celebrations, and private soirees.

Past attendees include Bryan Cranston, Freida Pinto, Connie Britton, and Pierce Brosnan.

History
The festival was created by current festival director Barry Rivers, who studied Film & Media Arts at University of Massachusetts Amherst. The festival originated from a weekly screening series that Rivers began in 1997. The website has been archived beginning in 1999 and the organization programed film screenings of independent film and world cinema year-round at the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului.

The festival was first officially held in 2000. In 2001, the festival was held from June 13 through June 17 in Wailea, Hawaii. The festival continued to screen films outside official festival dates.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Maui Film Festival was delayed. The 70 participating films were made available online as the "Speed-of-Light Virtual Cinema" between January 1 through 3rd, 2021. Despite the film festival normally being held outdoors, Rivers explained to The Maui News that the festival had lost all its venues during the summer. A few films were given in-person, limited screenings. The festival donated all money received in film submissions to the Maui Food Bank, resulting in a donation of over $7,000.

In 2023 the festival was held on June 28 - July 2. After the 2023 Hawaii wildfires badly affected Maui and destroyed the village of Lahaina, Rivers and his family donated to and participated in the recovery efforts.

Program
The festival consists of filmmakers submitting features and shorts which the programmers choose 50 to be screened over the five-day program. Certain filmmakers, actors, and actresses receive awards based on who the programmers think best fits the award criteria for that year.

The festival begins with an Opening Night Twilight Reception at Grand Wailea Resort.

During the 2023 festival, there were 11 local and international film premieres. From July 3 to 30, 50 short and feature films were made available to stream online.

Venues
The festival is nicknamed “Cinema-Under-the-Stars," because it's predominantly held at the open-air Stardust Cinema at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's A&B Amphitheater. Films are also projected onto a 50-foot screen set on the slopes of Haleakala at the Wailea Gold and Emerald Golf Courses.

On June 14, 2018, a special "Toes in the Sand Cinema" event took place at Wailea Beach in front of the Four Seasons Resort Maui, during which short films were screened.

Awards and honors
'''Lights! Camera! Action! Award''': Honors directors. Winners include Olivia Wilde.

Maverick Award: Honors actors and actresses who promote activism in protecting the Earth.

Navigator Award: Honors film actors and actresses. Winners include Gina Rodriguez.

Nova Award: Honors film actors/actresses. Recipients include:
 * Jessica Chastain in 2013
 * Paul Rudd in 2019

Pathfinder Award: Honors actors and actresses. Pierce Brosnan received this award, making him the first two-time honoree at the Maui Film Festival after also winning the Maverick Award.

Rainmaker Award: Honors actors/actresses. Michael B. Jordan received the award in 2016 for his powerful and emotional lead roles in Fruitvale Station and Creed.

Rising Star Award: Honors young actors and actresses. Winners include:
 * Garrett Hedlund
 * Karen Gillan
 * Nick Robinson
 * Maya Erskine
 * Annie Gonzalez

Shining Star Award: Honors film actors and actresses. Past winners include:
 * Zac Efron
 * Andrew Garfield
 * Olivia Wilde
 * Emma Roberts
 * Amber Heard
 * Awkwafina
 * Yara Shahidi in 2023

Shooting Star Award: Honors an actor in a Maui Film Festival Hawaii Premiere. Winners include Joe Manganiello.

Visionary Award: Honors actors and actresses. Winners include Louie Schwartzberg.