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–Courtesy photo
SATURDAY, MAY 18-THURSDAY, MAY 30
The fifth annual Filipino Film Festival showcases six movies
The Filipino Film Festival returns to the Honolulu Museum of Art this week with six films that portray Filipino culture from the traditional to avant-garde.
The fifth annual festival opens Saturday with a reception and a screening of “Harana,” a documentary about the dying art of traditional Filipino serenading. The film follows classical guitarist Florante Aguilar, returning to the Philippines after 12 years away, as he takes three “harana” masters on a concert tour throughout the country, from village stages to large concert halls. The film has been acclaimed at several film festivals, including the Hawaii International Film Festival. Screen times are 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Music is also the focus of “Rise and Dream,” a documentary about 13 teenagers who learn the indigenous music of their country and put on a once-in-a-lifetime concert for their community, getting the help of some notable Filipino folk musicians along the way. Singer-songwriter Barclay Martin, who composed the music and appears in the film, will be on hand for screenings at 4 p.m. Sunday and 1 p.m. Tuesday. The film also shows at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Filipino martial arts also gets their due in “The Bladed Hand,” pictured, a documentary about the fighting technique popularized by Bruce Lee and later featured in the “Bourne” films. Director Jay Ignacio will discuss the film at all three screenings of the film: 7:30 p.m. May 29 and 1 and 7:30 p.m. May 30.
More films include “Ang Nawawala” (What Isn’t There), a feature film about a young man suffering the trauma of his twin brother’s death; “Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings,” the Philippine contribution to the latest zombie film resurrection, which features drag queens and a gay-stalking serial killer; and “Sta. Nina,” which centers on the potentially miraculous powers of a dead child.
In addition to the films, the Honolulu Museum of Art will showcase contemporary Filipino culture at its May 31 ARTafterDARK party.
Where: Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Museum of Art, 900 S. Beretania St.
When: Various times, starting 6 p.m. Saturday, through May 30
Cost: $12-15 opening; $8-10 regular screenings; “flashpass” $50, $40 members
Info: honolulumuseum.org or 532-3033
SATURDAY, MAY 18
Block party in Kailua to honor armed forces
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Celebrate Armed Forces Day by paying tribute to military personnel who have placed themselves in harm’s way in service to our country at the Kailua Town Pub and Grill’s annual block party Saturday evening.
The third annual event, in the parking lot in front of the pub, is a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Foundation, which will receive proceeds from the $10 admission.
“We want to do something to give back to our military,” said Debbie Van Emmerik of Kailua Town Pub and Grill. “It’s nice to be outside. It just accommodates people better.”
Entertainment will be all-American, with country music provided by Dita Holifield, pictured, of 97.5 Country KHCM and rockers Master of OZ playing inside the pub.
“We’re going to have a dunk tank, a mechanical bull-riding contest, a hot-dog eating contest,” said Brian Gray of Kickin Country Entertainment, a country music-oriented music promotion company that is organizing the event.
There will be beer and liquor tents and prize giveaways, and patrons can enter a lottery for a stand-up paddleboard.
Where: Kailua Town Pub and Grill parking lot, 26 Hoolai St., Kailua
When: 6 p.m.-midnight Saturday
Cost: $10 donation
– Steven Mark
FRIDAY, MAY 17-SUNDAY, MAY 19
Catch final days of the Beatles tribute band Rain
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–Courtesy photo
Get your fill of the Fab Four at “Experience the Beatles with Rain,” which concludes its run at the Blaisdell this weekend.
The band performs the full range of the Beatles’ oeuvre live onstage, including songs that were recorded in the studio but never performed live for an audience. Rain founder Mark Lewis calls the show “a high-caliber musical of a band that never really toured that much.”
Band members Steve Landes (John Lennon), Joey Curatolo (Paul McCartney), Joe Bithorn (George Harrison) and Ralph Castelli (Ringo Starr) have the look of the original band, from the hair to the clothes to the stage gestures, all while re-creating the music note for note and line for line.
They’ve had practice, all being members of the Broadway musical “Beatlemania.”
“Looks aside, the quartet’s musicianship is never an actors’ illusion,” wrote Star-Advertiser pop music critic John Berger in his review of the opening night performance. “The faux Fab Four do justice to the Beatles’ music throughout.”
Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave.
When: 8 p.m. today, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $30-$75
Info: www.ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
Celebrate Maoli Arts Month with fashion show and sale
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Maoli Arts Month, or MAMo, moves into high gear this week when its annual “Wearable Art” show and sale takes the stage at the Hawaii Theatre.
The annual event has evolved into a slick production, with Robert Cazimero kicking things off from the piano and directing the show, and local celebrities appearing as models. Hawaiian music and chant often accompany a designer’s presentation.
Featured designers include Maile Andrade, pictured, who creates velvet scarves and tapa designs; Marques Marzan, known for his extravagant designs; Puamana Crabbe; Nita Pilago; sisters Hina, Lauwa’e and Kini Zamora; and single-monikered designer Manuheali’i. Many of the clothing items modeled are for women, but Manuheali’i and Crabbe have featured men’s aloha shirts in the past.
The show has also become a somewhat hectic scene for fashionistas, who rush out the door as the show ends to peruse the following trunk show at theVenue.
Andrade, a professor at Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, will also be honored at Bishop Museum as this year’s MAMo Award winner. The museum holds an awards ceremony for her at 6 p.m. today to celebrate the opening of an exhibit of her work, “Ike Loloa: A Long Insightful Journey,” on display through Oct. 7. Regular admission of $14.95-$19.95 ($8.95-$12.95 kamaaina) will be charged.
On May 25-26, Bishop Museum will offer many of Andrade’s scarves and glasswork for sale at its Native Hawaiian Arts Market, along with many island artists’ creations.
Where: Hawaii Theatre
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Cost: $17-$47
Info: hawaiitheatre.com or 528-0506
Also: For more information about Maoli Arts Month events, go to maoliartsmonth.org.