The best movies are journeys–trips to places and times we may never visit in our own lives. Movies take us on two-hour jaunts into deep space, show us battles from a century ago and put us in the middle of worlds that only exist on an animator’s drawing board. Movies offer both escape from our terrestrial, contemporary lives as well as moments of emotional and intellectual stimulation (well, unless the movie credits include the words “Adam Sandler,” in which case, all bets are off).
“What I love most about movies is that they begin before they start and they don’t end when they’re over,” the blogger Nitrate Diva has written. “I believe that movies should be dangerous, fun, and incendiary, at once familiar and mysterious–even when being analyzed.”
Every year, Barry and Stella Rivers and their army of volunteers have brought us their Maui Film Festival–an annual celebration of all things cinema that takes place in the summer. Like previous years, this year’s festival includes dozens of movies–comedies, dramas, surfing documentaries and a host of others–as well filmmaker panels and elaborate parties (see more on those on page 13).
The festival, which runs from Wednesday, June 15 to Sunday, June 19, will also honor a few big-time actors for their exemplary work. This year’s honorees are Bryan Cranston (Walter White from Breaking Bad), Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark in The Help), Kelly Rohrbach (CJ in the upcoming Baywatch movie), Wyatt Russell (Zook in 22 Jump Street) and Michael B. Jordan (Adonis Creed in Creed).
The movies will take place at two venues–the famous Celestial Cinema in Wailea, where people sit on blankets under the stars, and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater in Kahului. As far as tickets go, the festival has its usual system of passes that are far too numerous and complex to explain here (check out Mauifilmfestival.com for complete details).
So here’s the Maui Film Festival run-down, organized for your viewing pleasure by date and venue. Enjoy!
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CASTLE THEATER
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15
6pm – SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU – NR – Biography/Drama/Romance – The story of the first date between Barack Obama (Parker Sawyers) and Michelle Robinson (Tika Sumpter) back in 1989. 81 min.
8pm – HISTORY OF NOW – NR – Drama/Romance – A young couple–Eli, a nurse and Maya, a sous chef–who’ve been apart for a year finally reunite. Set in Austria and Morocco. 93 min.
THURSDAY, JUNE 16
4pm -MY BLIND BROTHER – NR – Comedy/Drama/Romance – The rivalry between two brothers heats up during a charity swim meet. 90 min.
6pm – IT HAD TO BE YOU – NR – Comedy/Romance – Neurotic jingle writer Sonia suddenly has to deal with a proposal from her boyfriend. 85 min.
8pm – ALIVE AND KICKING – NR – Documentary/Music – Here’s an insider’s view of the world of contemporary swing dancing. 88 min.
FRIDAY, JUNE 17
4pm – THE SEER – NR – Documentary/Biography – A profile of the poet and activist Wendell Berry. Running time unknown
6pm – SEED: THE UNTOLD STORY – NR – Documentary/Agriculture – A look at humanity’s 12,000-year relationship with seeds, and the biotech companies that seek to control them. Running time unknown.
8pm – STEREO TYPICALLY YOU – NR – Comedy/Romance – A young man goes nuts trying to find a new love after a bad break-up. Running time unknown
9:30pm – STRIKE A POSE – NR – Documentary/Music – The male dancers from Madonna’s 1990 Blonde Ambition tour reunite 25 years later. 83 min.
SATURDAY, JUNE 18
1pm – BOY & THE WORLD – PG – Animation/Adventure/Family – A boy goes on a wild quest in search of his father. 80 min.
3pm – SWEET BEAN – NR – Drama – An unusual elderly woman asks the owner of a pancake stall for a job. 113 min.
5pm – SONIC SEA – NR – Documentary/Science – A look at the impact industrial and military noise has on marine mammals. 56 min.
6:30pm – IN SEARCH OF BALANCE – NR – Documentary – This examination of the connections between humanity and nature offers new thoughts on health and medicine. 74 min.
8pm – GOING FURTHER – NR – Documentary – Zane Kesey, son of Ken Kesey, recreates his father’s trip across America in a school bus. 96 min.
SUNDAY, JUNE 19
2pm – SHORT FILM SHOWCASE
4:30pm – THE GREAT TRANSMISSION – NR – Documentary/History – A look at those who try to keep ancient Buddhist knowledge and traditions alive. 56 min.
6pm – THE LAST DALAI LAMA? – NR – Documentary – Mickey Lemle profiles the 14th Dalai Lama. Running time unknown.
8pm – ORANGE SUNSHINE – NR – Documentary/Biography – The story of hippie surfers in 1960s Orange County, California who took to smuggling acid. 105 min.
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CELESTIAL CINEMA
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15
8pm – CAPTAIN FANTASTIC – R – Drama – Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella and Kathryn Hahn star in this story of a father who rigorously home-schools his six kids in the Pacific Northwest, then suddenly has to reenter the modern world. 118 min.
10pm – FOLK HERO & FUNNY GUY – NR – Comedy – A successful singer tries to help his downtrodden comedian friend by hiring him to be his opening act on tour. 88 min.
THURSDAY, JUNE 16
8pm – SALTWATER BUDDHA – NR – Documentary – The story of Jaimal Yogi and the wondrous power of the ocean. Running time unknown.
8pm – MAD DOGS: THE CONQUEST OF JAWS – NR – Documentary/Surfing – The story of three Brazilians–Danilo Cuoto, Marcio Freire and Yuri Soledade–who surfed Jaws without the tow-ins or support craft. Running time unknown.
10pm – IT AIN’T PRETTY – NR – Documentary/Surfing – A look at female big wave surfers in Northern California. 74 min.
10pm – ONE WAY – NR – Documentary – A woman lives her life through the beauty of the ocean, her family’s love and the moment itself. Running time unknown.
FRIDAY, JUNE 17
8pm – RIO, I LOVE YOU – R – Comedy/Drama/Fantasy – A series of 10 short films on life and love in Rio de Janeiro. 110 min.
10pm – TANNA – NR – Drama/Romance – A story of a sister’s loyalty and a forbidden affair on a remote Pacific island. 100 min.
SATURDAY, JUNE 18
8pm – ALEX & EVE – NR – Comedy/Romance – A Greek Orthodox teacher (that would be Alex) falls in love with a Muslim attorney (Eve). Hilarity ensues. 131 min.
10pm – NOBODY WALKS IN LA – NR – Comedy/Drama/Romance – Two old friends, who are facing life-changing decisions, decide to ditch their cars and phones for a day and just walk around Los Angeles. 93 min.
SUNDAY, JUNE 19
8pm – HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE – PG13 – Comedy/Drama – When a kid and his foster uncle go missing in the New Zealand backcountry, authorities start a national search. Stars Sam Neil. 101 min.
10pm – VOYAGE: INTO THE DEPTHS OF KANALOA – NR – Documentary – Fifteen students train for months to prepare themselves for a 10-day sailing voyage to Papahanaumokuakea. Running time unknown.
10pm – THE MORE THINGS CHANGE – NR – Documentary/Surfing – Gerry Lopez returns to Uluwatu 40 years after first surfing there, but finds the place completely modernized. Running time unknown.
Cover Design: Darris Hurst
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