Stars will shine at Maui film fest
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
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Movie stars Pierce Brosnan, Virginia Madsen and Dennis Quaid will be honored June 12 at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, bringing stardust to the 2008 Maui Film Festival, June 11-15 at the Wailea Resort and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.
Actress Felicity Huffman also will be honored in a separate event on June 13.
Brosnan, widely known for his James Bond roles ("Golden Eye," "Tomorrow Never Dies," "The World Is Not Enough" and "Die Another Day") and starring in the forthcoming "Mamma Mia," will receive the festival's Maverick Award, which honors a film artist committed to making movies that matter and who embraces environmental concerns to promote a better life on Earth.
Madsen, an Oscar nominee for "Sideways" and also known for "The Astronaut Farmer," will receive the Navigator Award for carving a path of distinction through the turbulent seas of the entertainment industry without sacrificing fundamental commitment to excellence.
And Quaid, whose credits include "Far From Heaven" and "Vantage Point," will earn the Galaxy Award for his ongoing delivery of star-making performances in the constellation of cinematic stardom.
Huffman, an Oscar nominee for "Transamerica" and a cast member on "Desperate Housewives," will receive the Nova Award. It rewards the actor who creates an original and seamless performance with unique insight and wisdom. Her film, "Phoebe in Wonderland," will be screened during the festival.
All Hollywood figures will be present to receive their awards.
The festival will open with the movie "Bottle Shock," a dramedy recreating the early era of the California wine industry and the infamous 1976 "blind" wine tasting where California wines trumped the French and shocked the world, and wind up with "Down the Barrel," a surfing documentary with the likes of Kelly Slater, Kalani Robb, Joel Parkinson and Rob Machado.
Both screenings are part of the popular "Celestial Cinema" series, presented in an open-air screening with a Dolby Digital-equipped outdoor theater featuring a 50-foot-wide screen, on the Wailea Gold & Emerald golf courses.
Among the scheduled highlights:
In addition to films and film events, the Maui Film Festival also features food and music, including a Taste of the Islands opening-night twilight reception at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui on June 11, Starry Night Moon Dance at Tommy Bahama Tropical Cafe at The Shops at Wailea on June 12, Taste of Chocolate at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea on June 13, the Taste of Wailea overlooking the Celestial Cinema June 14, and a Father's Day concert with Makana at the Celestial Cinema on June 15.
Information: 808-572-3456, www.mauifilmfestival.com.
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.
