"We've grown from a one-island festival to four islands, and from having no sponsors, we have eight this year for the first time," Booth said about acceptance, awareness and aloha for Hawai'i's young filmmakers.

Talk about Steven Spielberg wannabes: The event this year drew 230 entries from 35 schools on five islands — compared with 75 last year — and 27 were selected for a 2 1/2-hour program.#034;I would say that, mainly, it's the teachers who've helped in the growth," said Booth, a student at Kaua'i Community College. "They're keeping the video production program alive, inspiring kids to go out and do films. We've had entries, for instance, from Kamehameha and Kalaheo every year since we started."

Further, more and more campuses are embracing the technology of video production, enabling youths to aim, shoot and edit.

The festival takes entries from grade school, middle school, high school and colleges. "We've even opened the festival to access channels that give classes, so there's one submission from 'Olelo," said Booth.

Running time ranges from a short 30 seconds to 22 minutes.

The event, launched in April 2000, remained a Kaua'i-based festival for two years (true to its roots, this year's festival opened last weekend on the Garden Isle). Then last year, the Hawai'i Student Film Festival was sponsored by the Hawai'i International Film Festival, with screenings at Signature Dole Cannery Theatres.

The leap from one island to Honolulu helped widen the appeal and exposure of the student films, said Booth.

"The growth has been good for us and good for the Islands, and, of course, every age group involved," he said.

This year's Honolulu sponsor is the Associated Students of the University of Hawai'i, which paid for rental of the venue (Hemenway Hall on the Manoa campus) and a closing-night reception with a related awards ceremony.

"It's really become a team effort of guests, industry professionals, and students," said Booth.

The film themes run all over the map, said Booth.

Some examples:

• "Procrastination," by UH student Kevin Yoza. "This great film is about a student who wakes up, forgets he has a paper due that day, and it's quirky but very understandable for any student who's been there," said Booth.

• "Anti-Smoke," by Aaron Higa, another UH student. "It's a cool little film about a girl walking down the street, who gets into a kung-fu fight with smokers."

• "Our Silent Movie," by Michelle Fridley, from 'Olelo. "This is a spoof of silent films."

• "Not Just Another Farm," by a fourth-grade class at Pearlridge Elementary. "It's a documentary about the watercress farm near Pearlridge. This same class earlier won a documentary award in New York for a film on Pearl Harbor."

• "Wise Words," by Nahulu Maioho of Moloka'i. "It's a short about the importance of the kukui-nut tree in our culture."

"Essentially, our festival is about showing stuff you wouldn't see anywhere else," said Booth. "With a variety of films, there are wide implications of island culture."

What's showing at the Hawai'i Student Film Festival

• "Get Moving," Hanalei School, Kaua'i.

• "Not Just Another Farm" and "History of Kindness," Pearlridge Elementary.

• "Remembering 9/11" and "Girls and Gossip," Lahaina Intermediate, Maui.

• "Not Just a One Time Thing," 'Ilima Middle School.

• "Introduced Plants" and "Litter on Kaua'i," Chiefess Kamakaheli Intermediate, Kaua'i.

• "Invisible Boy," Moloka'i Intermediate, Moloka'i.

• "Anakala's Wise Words About the Kukui Tree," Moloka'i Intermediate, Moloka'i.

• "X-Biking," Moloka'i High, Moloka'i.

• "Chris Lee From Hawai'i to Hollywood," Kamehameha Schools.

• "Brother Wards," Kamehameha Schools.

• "Abuse" and "Queen of Makaha," Wai'anae High.

• "Freedom Through Our Eyes," Kalaheo High.

• "Memoirs of Kalaupapa," Kamehameha Schools, Big Island.

• "Last Ride In," Maui High, Maui.

• "Our Land, Our Legacy," Kamehameha Schools.

• "The 100th Battalion," Moanalua High.

• "Our Children's Rights," Moanalua High.

• "Reconstruction (1865-1877)," Moanalua High.

• "Snooze Button," Radford High.

• "Assassin," University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

• "Procrastination," University of Hawai'i-Manoa

• "Anti-Smoke," University of Hawai'i-Manoa.