Maui Film Festival's founding Director Barry Rivers is an ocean-loving guy, so it's no accident that a strong current of the sea runs through the 12th annual festival opening Wednesday and continuing through June 12 in Wailea and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
Along with honoring legendary surf filmmaker Jack McCoy, the festival will present its new Iris Award to fan magnet Megan Fox at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Best known for her role in the action hits "Transformers" and its sequel, "Revenge of the Fallen," Fox will also be honored with a screening of "Na Nai'a: Legend of the The Dolphins," a documentary in which she shares the narrating duties with a stellar list of Hollywood stars. The film will screen at 9:30 p.m.
Article Photos
Megan Fox will accept the Maui Film Festival’s Iris Award Wednesday.
Paramount Pictures photo
The ocean isn't the only natural element in Rivers' vision of this unique festival, whose screenings, panels and other events are part of a more sweeping philosophy about living on the planet that provides an alternative to Hollywood's usual version of escapist entertainment.
It's the first full moon we've had since 'Whale Rider' a few years ago," said Rivers about opening night. "We decided to feature films about the feature the moon most affects on Earth - the ocean. More than ever, the festival this year has the intention of opening skylights - not only to trust the future, but to create the future."
Along with Fox and McCoy (see story at left), the festival will also honor actors Andrew Garfield, Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund in Celestial Cinema tributes next week. For details, visit the Maui Film Festival website, www.mauifilmfestival.com, and pick up next week's Maui Scene for complete coverage.
Rick Chatenever
