Editorial
Hawai'i Film Festival: Boost at right time

Sometimes it seems hard in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to focus on anything that makes us feel good.

As air strikes pound Afghanistan daily and we brace ourselves for the next terrorist attack, it seems unpatriotic to travel, go to movies, eat out, enjoy life.

But getting back to normal is more than just soldiering on, it is picking up our routines, our plans, going on with our lives.

So, it is one ray of hope in mostly grim news that the Hawai'i International Film Festival is looking forward to a blockbuster film fest next month.

More than 150 titles from 26 countries will be shown on 16 screens on four islands. Chuck Boller, executive director of the 21st Hawai'i International Film Festival, says they are "being pelted with requests to come here, and the hotels are empty."

The festival is important on two fronts. As a cultural exchange it provides a forum for understanding and appreciation for different ways of life and attitudes. As a commercial venture, it brings to Hawai'i film festival organizers, reviewers, film buffs and — importantly these days — major national media. Indeed, the festival is expecting to garner wider media interest this year ranging from "Entertainment Tonight" to the New York Times and from the Hollywood Reporter to Vanity Fair.

That kind of exposure is in the state's best interests, and the payoff could be huge. We hope the state and the tourist industry are paying attention. It would be foolish to squander this opportunity.

Whether it's in dollars or in-kind help, it would be a sign of creative thinking on the part of the public and private sectors to do all they they can to assure the success of the film festival.