THE LEFT LANE
Search for film talent

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Budding Scorseses and Spielbergs can showcase their talents on the big screen at the fourth annual Hawai'i Student Film Festival, open to filmmakers at elementary, intermediate, high school and college levels. New this year is an open call to novice filmmakers, regardless of age, who took filmmaking classes via community access stations.

Categories include short films (no longer than 15 minutes), feature films and documentary films (both no longer than 30 minutes). The festival will take place in either April or May on O'ahu, Maui, Kaua'i and Moloka'i; there's discussion of adding the Big Island, too, said coordinator Paul Booth.

There's no charge for entries, which will be accepted Jan. 1 through March 15. To get an entry form, e-mail pkb_1@hotmail.com or call (808) 823-9208.

Lilo & Stitch ride on

In celebration of Disney's DVD and video release of "Lilo & Stitch" today, Hilo Hattie has developed merchandise, including five new Stitch T-shirt designs at $12.99 each in sizes for toddlers and children, as well as a large beach towel for $16.99 with the cartoon pair on their oceanside hammock swing.

The products are available now at all Hilo Hattie stores or through www.hilohattie.com. Call (800) 233-8912 for details.

Santa's still the man

While kids today may be more skeptical than generations before, 92 percent of 6-year-olds still believe in the jolly old man in the red suit, according to a KidzEyes holiday wish list and habits survey conducted nationally this fall by a Chicago research firm with a sampling of 1,221 boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 14.

The magic age when kids stop believing generally is between 9 and 10, when most (54 percent) says they don't believe, the survey says. It is not until age 11 that two-thirds of kids stop believing.