The Wailea Resort and the Maui & Arts & Cultural Center will play host to the 2008 Maui Film Festival, scheduled for June 11 – 15 in Kahului.
Five venues for film screenings will be available, including outdoor venues such as SandDance Theatre on Wailea Beach below the Four Seasons Resort and the SkyDome which is on the rooftop of the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.
The dramedy “Bottle Shock” (starring Bill Pullman, Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Rachael Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez, Eliza Dushku and Dennis Farina) will open the festival, giving the audience a funny yet smart look inside the early days of the California wine industry.
“Down the Barrel” will close the exciting festival on Sunday, June 15th. Kelly Slater’s pursuit of an unprecedented eighth World Championship Tour title is documented in this film, as well as Australia’s obsession with surfing, the Zen approach that Rob Machado has towards the sea from North Short Oahu to Tahiti, Australia, California and France and Kalani Robb’s insight into the North Shore’s miracles.
Honorees Pierce Brosnan, Virginia Madsen, Felicity Huffman and Dennis Quaid are set to attend this year’s festival.
A tribute and intimate conversation will be held on June 12th, where Brosnan, Madsen and Quaid will each receive their awards.
Brosnan will receive the Maverick Award, which honors a film artist for their commitment to making movies that matter and their efforts to work for both environmental justice and the triumph for all Life on Earth.
Madsen will be receiving the Navigator Award, of which Greg Kinnear and William Hurt are past recipients. This award honors a film artist who carves a path of distinction through tough waters of the entertainment industry without having to sacrifice their own commitment to excellence in order to do so.
The Galaxy award will be given to Quaid. Joan Allen is a previous recipient of this award, which honors a film artist whose ongoing delivery of star-making performances “guarantees a spotlight in the constellation of cinematic stardom.”
On June 13th, Huffman will be receiving the Nova Award, an award previously given to Claire Danes, which honors a film artist who’s consistent in infusing each character they play with a unique insight and wisdom, thereby delivering original and seamless performances. In addition, Huffman’s film, “Phoebe in Wonderland” (co-starring Elle Fanning, Bill Pullman and Patricia Clarkson) will also be screened at this festival.
Festival Director Barry Rivers said, “All of us on Maui are greatly honored to have this year’s ‘ohana (family) of luminaries, Pierce Brosnan, Felicity Huffman, Virginia Madsen and Dennis Quaid grace the Maui Film Festival at Wailea’s Intimate Conversations and Tributes. Their combined talent, energy and charisma will truly be a night to remember.”
The festival will kick off with a Taste of the Islands Opening Night Twilight Reception at The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui. The Tommy Bahama Tropical Café at the Shops at Wailea will host a Starry Night MoonDance on June 12th. June 13th will be the Taste of Chocolate night at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Culinary artists show off their skills on June 14th at the Taste of Wailea, taking place at the Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Courses overlooking the Celestial Cinema. The weekend will come to a close with a Father’s Day concert by Makana at the Celestial Cinema.
Other films being screened at this festival include:
• “The Great Buck Howard” (June 14th at 8:00 p.m.) starring John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Tom Hanks and Emily Blunt. This dramedy revolves around a law school dropout who ends up becoming the personal assistant to a formally nationally known mentalist, while finding romance with a publicist along the way.
• “Water Man” (June 12th at 8:00 p.m.) which takes you on an intimate boat trip with surfing legends Gerry Lopez, Dave Kalama, Laird Hamilton, Rob Machado and the Malloy Brothers.
• “Super High Me” (June 12th at 8:00 p.m.) a unique film in which comedians Sarah Silverman, Bob Odenkirk, Patton Oswalt and Doug Benson make an effort to find out what marijuana does to people and how it affects them.
The 2008 Maui Film Festival sponsors are PREMIER SPONSOR: Starz; OFFICIAL SPONSORS: Hawaii Tourism Authority, Heineken, Ameriprise; MAJOR SPONSORS: Wailea Golf LLC, The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, The Hollywood Reporter, Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Figi Water, Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Variety, Baccarat Wailea Resort & Residences,Destination Resorts Hawaii, The Shops at Wailea, and Alexander & Baldwin; INDUSTRY SPONSORS: Maui Film Office, Hawaii Film Office, Picture Mill, FotoKem, Dolby; SPONSORSHIP ‘OHANA: Tommy Bahama, Capische?, Mana Foods, Hawaii Organic Ocean Vodka and SeaWatch Restaurant; KAMA’AINA ‘OHANA: Hawaii Style Magazine, Modern Luxury Hawaii, Roberts Hawaii, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, The Friedman Group and Netflix; Rising Sun Solar, HILuxury, Wailea Beach Villas, Maui Economic Development Board, Spectracolor, Diamond Resort Hawaii, 101 Things to Do, This Week Maui and Roots.
For a complete list of films and more information, visit www.mauifilmfestival.com or call
