Fans of short films — and that includes the filmmakers, too — have reason to celebrate this week when the ‘Ohina Short Film Showcase screens at the Doris Duke Theatre.
Instead of a lineup that would typically include six films, the showcase will screen 16 films. For the first time since the event began in 1999, organizers have created separate eight-film collections for the three-day event, which starts Friday. Encore screenings will be held so audiences can take in both lineups.
Showcase judges considered nearly 40 films, a large amount for the event, said ‘Ohina executive director Gerard Elmore, who felt the normal route would leave out too many good films.
“We felt there was a good pool of work we couldn’t ignore,” Elmore said. “The judges felt the quality of work was very high, and it was really tough to decide.”
This year’s showcase includes a mix of films by students from the University of Hawaii film school, the Academy for Creative Media and local professionals, Elmore said. Their stories, told as narratives or documentaries, cover a range of topics.
“Every year at ‘Ohina it is always a big roller-coaster ride,” said Elmore, now in his fourth year at the helm of the volunteer organization. “No matter what, there is a wide range of films, and this year they are more mature and darker than usual.”
In “Sid,” by ACM graduate Josh Almario, a victimized high school student struggles with sanity and the advice of an imaginary friend. “High Rider,” from Bradley Tangonan, is an eerie tale about a skater girl. Kali Kasashima’s “N. King” focuses on a young man going on his first holdup and the disastrous consequences.
But ‘Ohina also has a pair of documentaries — “The Story of Robert Yokoyama,” about a man with cerebral palsy, and “Tony,” the tale of a chef recovering from a stroke — that will end each collection on a high note, Elmore said.
“They are the closers of each night because they really do feel like they celebrate life,” Elmore said. “There are no limitations and you can achieve anything. And that is what ‘Ohina is all about. No matter who you are, you can make a movie.”
Aspiring filmmaker Keiko Sugihara, who graduated from ACM in December and now works in the production office of “Hawaii Five-0,” took a school assignment and turned it into a film. Her “B9,” which she wrote, directed and acts in, will screen on the first night of the showcase.
“B9” is a quirky comedy about a misfit high school senior who develops an unlikely friendship with a grumpy cancer patient. When she first wrote the story in a screenwriting class, Sugihara knew more about her characters than anything else — and the story unfolded from there.
“I wanted my characters to be very different and to show that very different people can get along and that it’s not impossible to see them together on screen,” she said.
The ‘Ohina audience will be the first time the 22-year-old Sugihara has shown a film in public. She’s not sure whether she is feeling nerves or excitement.
“It’s weird to call myself a filmmaker, especially working here with ‘Hawaii Five-0,’ where you see all these people with so much experience and then there’s me, a young aspiring filmmaker,” she said. “It’s weird to think of my stuff actually getting out there.”
But ‘Ohina starts careers. Elmore credits it with starting his.
“I really hope people come and get inspired to make their own films,” Elmore said. “It’s how you learn to make films. They are easier to make than feature films. It’s your calling card as a filmmaker. It brands you, and it helps you start your career.”
For a complete schedule and ticket information, go to ohina.org.
And that’s a wrap …
Mike Gordon is the Star-Advertiser’s film and television writer. Read his Outtakes Online blog at honolulupulse.com. Reach him at 529-4803 or email mgordon@staradvertiser.com.
