Maui Film Festival attendance up 22%

Advertiser Staff

Attendance at last weekend's Maui Film Festival was up 22 percent from the previous year.

Director Barry Rivers said he hasn't gotten around to picking up all the festival bills and receipts, but as of Thursday had calculated the "number of clicks," or attendance at events, which hit 10,625. Last year's clicks hit 8,335.

Festival representatives count people as they walk into the five screening spots, using a handheld clicker, Rivers explained. While the clicker doesn't distinguish between attendees who paid full-fare and those who obtained discounted or free tickets, it does give a picture of the 3-year-old festival's overall popularity.

By other measures, too, this year's festival was a success. Rivers pointed to coverage by national media and the number of celebrities attending as signs of the growing prominence of the festival held in Wailea.

Among the luminaries in attendance were Clint Eastwood, picking up the Piper-Heidsieck Silversword Award in a special tribute; "Austin Powers" star Mike Myers, rocker Alice Cooper, CNN interviewer Larry King, actors Adrien Brody, John Corbett, Bo Derek and Jeremy London, and "Good Morning America" entertainment editor Joel Siegel, who interviewed Eastwood after the "Unforgiven" director picked up his award.

Also on hand was Rosanna Arquette, who presented the U.S. premiere of her film, "Searching for Debra Winger." And director Miguel Arteta introduced his film, "The Good Girl," starring Jennifer Aniston (though the "Friends" star was not in attendance).

All in all, Rivers said, he was pleased with the attendance gain: "I'll take it," he said. "Sept. 11 had just an adverse effect on travel."