THE NIGHT STUFF
Movie buffs, set aside Fridays to geek out on films
By Kawehi Haug
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
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It's when you know a venue's gone hip.
The weekly party (think Mellow Mondays, Kaleidoscope Tuesdays or FUBAR Fridays) is a sort of rite of passage for Hono-lulu venues — a coming-of-age event that lets the rest of the scene know that there's one more after-dark option out there.
Add Friends of Film Fridays to the list.
The Honolulu Academy of Arts' coming-out party for its first attempt at a weekly nighttime gig went down last Friday in true Academy fashion: with inquisitive intellectuals doing most of the quote-unquote partying.
FRIENDS OF FILM FRIDAYS
What is it? Friends of Film Fridays — or FFF to those in the inner circle — is a thinkingperson's Friday night out. (Hold your accusations! That doesn't mean that, say, Foreplay Fridaze ISN'T intellectually stimulating. We're just saying ... )
The weekly gathering is designed to give cinephiles a place to geek out on film and all its intricacies, while being entertained by the thing they love most. Foreign films, old films, indie films, new films — it's all going down one film at a time every Friday night for 10 weeks at the Doris Duke Theatre.
Friends, as they will be known, can buy tickets to individual screenings or passes to see five films or all 10 films. The event will continue through April 11.
Where: The Honolulu Academy of Arts' Doris Duke Theatre, 900 S. Beretania St. (theater entrance on Kina'u Street).
Hours: Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for pre-screening refreshments; theater opens at 7 p.m.
Phone/Web site: 532-8700; www.friendsoffilmfriday.com
Price of admission:
Parking? Evening parking is free in the academy's 1035 Kina'u St. lot.
The appeal: It's a night out at the movies, with brainy perks. These titles don't make it to the cinemaplex at your local mall; these are, in many cases, rarely seen films that tend to be a tad more substantial than the usual Hollywood fare. The museum's film curator, Gina Caruso, handpicks the best international, independent and restored classic films for the audience, and opens the floor post-screening for questions and discussion.
Of course, the college classroomlike atmosphere could detract from the appeal for some people, but no one says you have to stay for the after-film banter. But we're not going to lie: Part of the fun is listening to a couple of strangers argue — though politely — about whether or not Zhang Yang's film "Sunflower" is an accurate depiction of Chinese family values.
Who are these intellectuals? This is just a guess, but 10 bucks says it's right on the money: film students, Asian studies professors and academy members who prefer their Friday nights on the quiet side.
Your DVD library includes "Swept Away," "Glitter" or "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians": Either stay far away from Doris Duke Theatre on Friday nights, or run like the wind to a place where a film education awaits you.
Tips for getting the most out of FFF:
1. Don't go hoping to grab a few snacks and settle in for a night of mindless movie watching. Unless you're OK with spending a couple of clueless hours in a movie theater, expect to have to think your way through the films.
2. Be prepared to settle in for the long haul. Last Friday's event didn't end until 10:30 p.m. That's four hours of out time — a bigger time commitment than going to see "Meet the Spartans" at Dole Cannery.
3. Don't expect to party like a rock star. There's no bar — snack or otherwise.
4. Learn from the audience. The post-show discussion is often insightful and clever. When was the last time you heard someone say: "I liked the movie. It was like reading an Edith Wharton novel" after watching a Hollywood flick?
Tonight at FFF: Watch this year's Oscar-nominated short films. Guest speaker Sean Shodahi, an independent film producer who's worked for New York's Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers, San Francisco's Center for Asian American Media and the Sundance Institute, will be on hand to mediate the question-andanswer portion of the evening.
