Consider this your ticket out of here — for a couple of hours, a day, 10 days.

A virtual getaway to places that are only reachable by way of others' — and your — imaginative faculties. Places that include the dark recesses of people's twisted minds, the brightly washed air castles of people's less-than-realistic realities and the complexities of real people's real-life realities.

Anderson Le, director of programming for the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival, which opened last night and continues through Oct. 19, says he can take you there.

(And the skeptics squirm with disbelief, but to them, a challenge: We dare you to leave the theater after watching "Cafe Isobe" or "Rain of the Children" without leaving at least some part of your heart in a too-cute Tokyo cafe or broken for the pain of a cursed Maori woman.)

"We're telling people to think of the festival as a staycation," said Le. "You can stay here and let the films transport you to 36 different countries — think of it as a cheap alternative to travel."

This year's festival, which has been Hawai'i's premiere annual film event for almost three decades and has debuted such notable films as "The Piano," "Y Tu Mama Tambien" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," this year comprises 150 films.

Its emphasis is, at it has always been, on Asian and Pan-Pacific cinema, but much of the rest of the world gets fair representation with films from Europe, Middle East, South America and the United States included in the lineup.

What has changed is the number of films on the program, which this year is smaller than in years past. While earlier festivals had sometimes been packed with more than 200 films, this year's streamlined schedule is designed to allow people to see more and miss less, which is welcome news for film freaks (freaks, in a good way) who want to take it all in.

Some of the more obscurely artsy entries have been eliminated to make room for more accessible films that appeal to a wider audience. But fear not, dear lovers of the obscure: There is plenty for you, too.

"HIFF is really a populist festival. We want to show something for everyone, and we try to include in the program films for all walks of life," said Le. "But on the other hand, I can't show only romantic comedies. We're not only about simply promoting film."

No, indeed.

"For the Love of Film" is this year's official HIFF slogan and it's the other thing that HIFF organizers are hoping viewers come away with, because even more than its entertainment value, it's the love of film that keeps people coming back.

That's the plan, anyway.

So, the question now is, how to HIFF? Here's how.

BEST BETS

With 150 films scheduled at all times of the day and night for 10 days, there's no choice but to be choosy.

If we could only see one film per day, these would be our picks (these films screen more than once; check the schedule for additional showtimes):

"Cape. No. 7" (Taiwan, 2008; U.S. premiere)

A musician, whose dream of being famous is still just a dream, is serendipitously recruited by a model with the task of forming a band to open for a big concert. Both get it right when the band turns out to be better than anyone had imagined it could.

In Mandarin, Taiwanese and Japanese with English subtitles.

Today at 5 p.m.

"The Chicken, The Fish and the King Crab" (Spain, 2007; Hawai'i premiere)

In this documentary about the Bocuse d'Or competition — also known as the Olympics of haute cuisine — 24 chefs compete for the coveted cooking award, but it's Spain we're really interested in. The country whose San Sebastian region boasts more Michelin-starred restaurants per square kilometer than any other place in the world just can't bring home the Bocuse d'Or. Watch as filmmakers follow Spanish chef Jesus Almagro on his quest to break Spain's 20-year losing streak.

In French and Spanish with English subtitles.

Saturday at 2 p.m.

"Cafe Isobe" (Japan, 2008; U.S. premiere)

An awkward man uses his inheritance to open a trendy coffee shop, to the embarrassment of his much cooler daughter who thinks he has no business being in business. Things look grim until awkward dad hires cute waitress. Romance and comedy ensue.

In Japanese with English subtitles.

Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

"Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe" (U.S., 2008; Hawai'i premiere)

Graffiti artist David Choe gets himself into all kinds trouble — and he's proud of it — until he lands in a solitary confinement prison in Tokyo. While in prison, he reassesses his life and emerges with a will to change.

Monday at 9 p.m.

"The Wrecking Crew" (U.S., 2008; Hawai'i premiere)

This documentary introduces us — for the first time — to The Wrecking Crew, a band of musicians who made the music of some of the most notable acts of the '60s popular. The band, whose members were virtually unknown, played the music for hit songs for popular singers such as the Beach Boys, the

Mamas and the Papas, Phil Spector, the Monkees, Sonny & Cher and Frank and Nancy Sinatra. Here, they finally get the chance to tell us who they are.

Tuesday at 6:15 p.m.

"Rain of the Children" (New Zealand, 2008; U.S. premiere)

Here, filmmaker Vincent Ward sets out to uncover the truth about an old Maori woman named Puhi who believes her life has been cursed. Ward was allowed into Puhi's home and now he tells the story of her life, her tragedy (she lost 10 children) and her legacy as told through interviews with those who knew her.

Wednesday at 8:15 p.m.

"Jamaica For Sale" (Jamaica, 2008; world premiere)

This documentary counters the widely accepted notion that tourism is Jamaica's saving grace. With development on the rise and tourism affecting the social, cultural and environmental face ts of the island nation, is Jamaica being irreversibly transformed? Viewers will see undeniable similarities between Jamaica and Hawai'i's ongoing transformation as a result of tourism.

Thursday at 9 p.m.

"Let the Right One In" (Sweden, 2008; Hawai'i premiere)

Young Oskar can't keep the bullies away ... until he meets Eli, the new girl next door who coaches him in courage. But Eli isn't the typical girl next door — in fact, she's not a girl at all — and when her appetite for blood (yes, the warm, red stuff pulsing through humans) starts to grow, the friendship takes an eerie turn, while remaining a true (and tried) friendship.

In Swedish with English subtitles.

Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.

"Tokyo!" (Japan, France, South Korea, Germany, 2008; Hawai'i premiere)

Three internationally acclaimed directors — Michel Gondry, Leos Carax, Bong

Joon-ho — tell three different stories, each set in Tokyo, mixing fantasy and reality, which results in a whimsical, yet profound, view of the world. "Tokyo!" is part drama, part monster flick, part action.

In Japanese with English subtitles.

Oct. 18 at 8 p.m.

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" (United Kingdom, 2008; Hawai'i premiere)

Based on John Boyne's best-selling novel, "Striped Pajamas" is the story of the friendship between two boys, one the son of a Nazi, the other a Jewish boy in a concentration camp. Though the two only know each other by communicating through a barbed wire fence, they become inseparable friends.

Oct. 19 at 7:15 p.m.

DOS AND DON'TS

A few tips to make the most of HIFF:

Do pick up an official HIFF program at Starbucks locations, and visit www.hiff.org for additional information on the festival.

Do buy tickets in advance. Shows tend to sell out quickly, especially the ones scheduled in the evenings and on weekends.

Do go to a matinee if you can. Naturally, the shows scheduled during traditional work hours are less likely to sell out.

Do see more than one film per day, if you can sit still for that long.

Do make an effort to see the films that have been nominated for awards or that have been deemed notable by HIFF officials (they are marked as such in the program).

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Don't give up on seeing a film just because you missed a screening. Most of the films are scheduled to screen more than once.

Don't leave the theater too early — this year's late-night program includes all the stuff that wee-hour movie watching is about: gore, violence and exploitation.

Don't take the keiki to the late-night shows. They're not exactly family viewing. Though HIFF films are not rated, the film synopses that appear in the program are explicit in their descriptions of the films. A careful read of the synopses is as good as a rating.

Don't forget about the short films. There are seven shorts programs scheduled to screen over the course of the festival. Check the schedule at www.hiff.org for film titles, synopses and showtimes.

Don't forget to vote! Two viewers' choice awards will be given away this year — the audience choice award and the viewers' choice award.

Ballots for the audience choice award will be distributed during the first screening of every eligible film.

Viewers who subscribe to Time-Warner digital cable can vote for their favorite Hawai'i-made short film to receive the viewers' choice award by tuning to channel 680 and following the screen prompts.

MADE IN HAWAI'I

These locally made films get silver screen time at HIFF:

"Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority" (2008; world premiere)

Director Kimberlee Bassford commits to film the story of our own Patsy Mink, who, in 1965, became the first woman of color to serve in Congress.

Sunday at 7 p.m.; Oct. 18 at 3 p.m.

"Noho Hewa: The Wrongful Occupation of Hawai'i" (2008; Hawai'i premiere)

Director Anne Keala Kelly provides in this documentary a contemporary look at the impact of militarism, tourism and development on Hawai'i.

Monday at 6:15 p.m.; Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m.

"Finding Aloha — The Movie" (2008; Hawai'i premiere)

A surf movie that intertwines raw athleticism with natural harmony. Big-wave surfer Dan Moore stars.

Today at 5:30 p.m.

"Living Pono with Jason Scott Lee" (2008; world premiere)

Local Hollywood actor Jason Scott Lee's story of finding happiness — and living pono, or responsibly — on his secluded taro farm on the Big Island.

Sunday at 1 p.m.

"Academy for Creative Media Shorts Program"

Film students from the University of Hawai'i's Academy for Creative Media get filmic representation for 10 films by 10 filmmakers that cover everything from forbidden night surfing to homelessness to a short-and-scary story based on T.S. Eliot's poem "The Hollow Men."

Tuesday at 6 p.m.

SHORT FILMS

There are a number of other locally made short films that made it into this year's festival. Among them is Brett Wagner's "Chief," the 21-minute story of a Samoan chief running from his past, who ends up finding himself (in the soul-searching kind of way) in Honolulu.

The Advertiser has been following Wagner's success with "Chief" since he debuted the film to critical acclaim at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Since then, "Chief" has won a number of film festival awards, among them, the award for best dramatic film at the LA Shorts Fest, a win that qualifies "Chief" to be nominated for an Academy Award.

"Chief" finally makes its hometown debut this weekend at HIFF.

Saturday at Sunset on the Beach; Sunday, 8:45 p.m., Dole.

TRAILERS

HIFF trailer: 'Finding Aloha'

HIFF trailer: 'Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe'

HIFF trailer: 'Living Pono with Jason Scott Lee'

HIFF trailer: 'Ping Pong Playa'

HIFF trailer: 'Upstream Battle'

HIFF trailer: 'Cyborg She'