No shortage of stars at Maui Film Festival

By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor

WAILEA, Maui — One Oscar winner filled in for another at last night's headline event of the Maui Film Festival.

When Sir Anthony Hopkins was unable to fly to Maui at the last minute to accept the festival's Silversword Award for his contribution to the "art and soul of filmmaking," Adrien Brody agreed to take the stage in his place at the Grand Wailea Resort ballroom.

At age 29, Brody became the youngest Best Actor winner in Academy Award history when he won in March for his role in the Holocaust drama "The Pianist." Hopkins won the Oscar for 1991's "Silence of the Lambs" in which he played the notorious Hannibal Lecter — recently named by the American Film Institute as the movies' top villain.

Brody, who attended last year's festival, said he kept his Oscar expectations low, and it wasn't until he had breakfast with his parents the morning of the awards show that it dawned on him that he might win. He then realized he didn't have a speech prepared and had no idea what to say. "The pressure kicked in," he said.

Later that evening, Brody was slow to respond when presenter Halle Berry read the Best Actor winner's name. "I didn't really recognize the name because I was waiting to hear another name. 'That really sounds familiar. Who is that?' ... It didn't really make sense," he said.

"A lot of that stuff was a blur and it was so intense. Then there she was," Brody said, referring to Berry, who received a lengthy, passionate kiss from the elated actor in what has become the night's signature moment.

Brody isn't the only Oscar-caliber actor who was drawn to the Maui Film Festival. Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis was honored Thursday night, along with director Rob Reiner. Today, Greg Kinnear, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role in "As Good As It Gets," will receive another award.

It's no secret why the stars want to come to the five-day event, said Maui Film Festival founder and master promoter Barry Rivers. "It's Maui, it's Maui, it's Maui," he said.

The festival's unique venues are a big draw for celebrities and regular folks alike. Crowds at film showings at the Celestial Cinema under the stars at Wailea's Gold and Emerald golf courses have easily topped 2,000.

"It's like going to a drive-in without your car," said Dr. Dan Schiessler of Kihei, who is a festival veteran.

Attending last night's Silversword Award Tribute was Donne Dawson of the Hawai'i Film Office and the Maui and Big Island film commissioners. Dawson said the festival allows Hawai'i officials to interact with Hollywood's creative minds and promote the local film industry.

"Normally we have to go to the Mainland to get a group like this together," she said.