#barry rivers

20 Years of the Maui Film Festival: Critic Barry Wurst II reflects on the greatest movies to play at the world’s finest film festival

As the annual Maui Film Festival enters its 20th year, the high points are easy to cite. Let’s start with the various “Tastes”: the Oceanside Taste of Summer, the “crown jewel” Taste of Wailea, and for serious choco-holics, the granddaddy of them all, the Taste of Chocolate. There’s the glorious outdoor bonding experience of the Celestial Cinema, the cool and intimate Castle Theater screenings,…

Maui Film Festival Brings the Talent

Every year, film buffs eagerly await the details of the annual Maui Film Festival in Wailea – wanting to know what movies are being screened; but more than that, we all anticipate which major celebrity will be honored at that year’s event. Wait no longer.

Paul Rudd will receive the Nova Award at the 2019 Maui Film Festival, which will celebrate its 20th annual event from June 12-16, 2019, at the…

FIRSTLIGHT: 20 Years of Barry Rivers’ Special Screenings

Catch a screening of Roma on the MACC’s big screen at FirstLight

In a typical Maui movie year, film buffs get a full course buffet of film choices for the first and second quarter of the year.  Our local theaters and Barry Rivers’ beloved Maui Film Festival provide a wide range of films, including locally made indies, a few under-the-radar studio gems, and the onslaught of big studio offerings.…

Chocolate, Diamonds and Stars: The Film Festival’s other features

Many years ago, recognizing a need in the community, Barry Rivers started a film event at the Maui Arts and Cutural Center called Candlelight Cafe & Cinema. Since then, that Wednesday “weekend in the middle of the week” event has blossomed into a full-fledged, multiple-location festival where the community gathers on the grass under the stars to watch hand-picked films they wouldn’t otherwise…

‘Passionately Created, Intelligently Designed and Endlessly Inspiring’ – Talking story with Maui Film Festival’s Founder, Barry Rivers

Explaining the appeal of the Maui Film Festival is as easy as selling a double scoop chocolate ice cream cone to a child.

It’s all about that first night at the Celestial Cinema: the audience sits outside on a warm night, surrounded by hundreds of filmgoers, taking part in a cinematic Woodstock. Although the event is on a golf course at the Grand Wailea, the setting feels more akin to a rolling…

The Maui Film Festival is presenting its 18th annual First Light: Academy Screenings on Maui, as part of their holiday celebration of cinema. Barry Rivers, the founder and director of First Light said, “This year’s First Light is a return to the First Light’s roots,” when the festival would showcase films from New York, LA and Aspen, that were not yet available here on Maui. “For all to enjoy,…

Maui Film Festival Opening Night

It’s been many years since I’ve attended the Maui Film Festival, and I’m supremely thankful for the opportunity to check it out this year! So the pressure is on. But honestly, I feel a smidge out-of-practice. And my navigation skills are sub-par. After getting lost by the koi ponds of the Grand Wailea’s immense property (seriously, did it get bigger?), my partner Andrew DeAngelo and I followed a…

‘Kuleana’ filmmaker Brian Kohne talks about his film’s Maui Film Festival premiere

When I met up with filmmaker Brian Kohne for lunch in the conference room of Tasty Crust in Wailuku, he admitted it was his first time ever being in that room. “Kathy Collins and I come here for lunch to talk story, but I’ve never been in here,” he said. It filled me with pride to show him one of the few spots on Maui he’s never encountered. Since Kohne specializes in capturing and depicting…