HIFF started as a project of the East-West Center, an educational and research institution created by U.S. Congress and located on the University of Hawai’i Manoa campus in Honolulu. Jeannette Paulson Hereniko was HIFF’s Founding Director, from 1981 to 1996. In 1981, HIFF’s inaugural year, the program consisted of seven films from six countries which were viewed by an audience of 5,000.

HIFF has become a premiere cinematic event in the Pacific and annually attracts more than 50,000 film enthusiasts from around the state, the nation and throughout the world. It is one of the premier film festivals in the United States and the only festival spread across an archipelago.

HIFF annually presents a series of prizes for established and emerging filmmakers at its annual Awards Gala. In addition to its main competitions, the festival also honors filmmakers for special accomplishments and contributions to cinema culture. >>> See a list of past HIFF Award Winners and Honorees

Hawaii International Film Festival

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