Today marks the start of the 14th Annual Maui Film Festival. The Festival is a celebration of all manor of films with a heavy flavor of independent, documentary, and Ocean oriented titles. It draws island residents, visitors and Hollywood industry types for five great days on Maui. Events include screenings of movies, film maker panels and some great parties. Here are some tips if you are planning to attend the Maui Film Festival for the first time.
- The Celestial Cinema is the heart and soul of the film festival experience. It is tough to beat watching a movie under the stars in Wailea. If you are planning on going to the Celestial Cinema, arrive early. The event doesn’t start until eight, but it makes sense to arrive well in advance of that time. Good places to put your blanket or beach chairs go quickly. You can pack a picnic or enjoy the food offered for sale at the venue. Watching the sunset while you wait for the movie to start is no hardship. Make sure you bring a light jacket, sweat shirt or sweater. It may be June on Maui, but it gets cool when the sun goes down.
- Indulge yourself. If they aren’t sold out already, get a ticket to one of the parties like the Taste of Wailea or the Taste of Chocolate. Both events offer a treat for your taste buds.
- Take in a film at one of the other venues. There are more options than just the Celestial Cinema. The Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center offers a great selection of movies. There is also the “Seaside Cinema” on Saturday night. There are two free movies showing down on Wailea Beach. Crashing waves enhance any movie soundtrack.
For a full schedule of Maui Film Festival events is available online. We hope everyone who attends has a great time.
