It is based at Grand Wailea Resort[1] and includes film premieres, filmmaker panels, special screenings, tributes, award ceremonies, culinary arts celebrations, and private soirees.
[citation needed] Past attendees include Bryan Cranston,[2] Freida Pinto,[3] Connie Britton,[4] and Pierce Brosnan.
[11] After the 2023 Hawaii wildfires badly affected Maui and destroyed the village of Lahaina, Rivers and his family donated to and participated in the recovery efforts.
[6] The festival consists of filmmakers submitting features and shorts which the programmers choose 50 to be screened over the five-day program.
[13] The festival is nicknamed “Cinema-Under-the-Stars," because it's predominantly held at the open-air[13] Stardust Cinema at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's A&B Amphitheater.
[11] Films are also projected onto a 50-foot screen set on the slopes of Haleakala at the Wailea Gold and Emerald Golf Courses.
[14] On June 14, 2018, a special "Toes in the Sand Cinema" event took place at Wailea Beach in front of the Four Seasons Resort Maui, during which short films were screened.
Past winners include: Shooting Star Award: Honors an actor in a Maui Film Festival Hawaii Premiere.