Cold Tea Collective is proud to be a community media partner of the 45th Annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival, taking place this fall in Honolulu and across the Hawaiian Islands.
With a rich program of global cinema, local storytelling, and Indigenous perspectives, HIFF45 offers a cinematic experience unlike any other that invites audiences to see Hawai‘i and the Pacific not as exotic backdrops, but as dynamic, lived-in homelands full of complexity, history, and resilience.
To help spotlight these powerful stories, we spoke with HIFF Artistic Director Anderson Le about this year’s most anticipated films and the deeper themes shaping this year’s programming.
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The 45th annual HIFF centers truth, resilience, and environmental justice
Based in Los Angeles and Honolulu, Anderson Le diligently works in the global promotion of independent and world cinema as Artistic Director for the Hawai‘i International Film Festival (HIFF), now in its 45th year.
“This year’s Hawai‘i International Film Festival highlights stories of resilience and cultural truth,” shares Le.
From local shorts to global premieres, HIFF45 challenges American imperialism and uplifts Native Hawaiian voices, the Māhū experience, and coming-of-age narratives rooted in lived realities, not tourist fantasies.
“Films confront sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice, with urgent reflections on the Lāhainā wildfires and the Mākua Valley struggle against military occupation.”
It’s a powerful cross-section of films that are both politically charged and deeply human, set against the vibrant backdrop of Hawai‘i’s multicultural community.
Eight must-watch films at 45th Annual Hawai‘i International Film Festival
Here are a few handpicked selections that speak to this year’s powerful themes of restoration, cultural…
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