COVID-delayed film fest debuts online Virtual cinema features about 70 international and local Hawai’i films
Instead of heading to Wailea to watch a film under the stars or be ensconced in the Castle Theater, movie lovers can feast on about 70 new films from the comfort of their own couches during the virtual Maui Film Festival that launches next week.
Postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic back in June, the annual festival is debuting its Speed-of-Light Virtual Cinema from Friday through Jan. 3, an international smorgasbord that includes films from Italy, China, Spain, Brazil, Taiwan, Germany, French Polynesia, the United States and Canada.
“It’s like a big video jukebox,” said Maui Film Festival founder Barry Rivers. “We have a spectacular aggregation, with 15 Hawaii-based short films. They span the spectrum. They are upbeat and funny and heartfelt, and challenging.”
