The Made in Hawaii Film Festival showcases the best of Hawaii-made independent films.

MIHFF's mission is to spotlight cinema being made in and about the Hawaiian islands in an effort to support Hawaii’s independent arts, foster community engagement, and perpetuate the importance of Hawaiian culture on and off the screen.

Our core team of executives are also filmmakers. Together we create a unique space that not only celebrates Hawai'i on screen, but is built FOR filmmakers, BY filmmakers.

Best Cinematography, Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, and Best Native Hawaiian Film

All films MUST have at least 50 percent of principal photography completed in the state of Hawai'i.

General Eligibility

1. Submissions must be accompanied by the applicable submission fee PER ENTRY and a completed online entry form.

2. All films must be in English or have English subtitles at the time submitted.

3. Films must be submitted as an online streaming video via FilmFreeway.

4. Your film must have had at least fifty percent of principal photography captured on the Hawaiian islands.

5. Your film must be completed no earlier than January, 2019.

6. We do not accept rough cuts or work in progress cuts.

7. Films must be available for screening during the festival, May 6 - 8, 2022.

8. No revisions of materials will be accepted once entry has been submitted.

Ownership, Originality and Permissions; INDEMNITY

1. All submitted films MUST be the original work of the applicants, with all rights secured. Neither the Festival nor its jurists investigates or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By submitting your work, you represent that you have secured all necessary rights.

2. Applicants are solely responsible for securing all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials displayed in their films, including but not limited to music, trademarks, logos, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights. MIHFF disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • The communication, responsiveness and quality of this festival really impressed me. I am so happy they added a Short/Experimental category to the festival this year - it really opened up the experience to many more budding filmmakers. Amazing work Zoe and team! Thank you for screening my microshort film "Gaze", and I hope to attend in person some day.

    May 2022
  • Olga Kalashnikova

    We were excited to screen our short comedy "Anton Chekhov's The Proposal" at Made In Hawaii Film Festival 2022. We really enjoyed the Hilo Palace, a truly historic spot with character where the festival took place, and enjoyed seeing lots of familiar and new faces. The audience was super generous. We received so many laughs and so much amazing feedback on our film. It was an honor. We would like to thank festival organizers for this wonderful opportunity to screen our film for Hawaii audience, to share our filmmaking story during the Q&A, and the beautiful leis you presented our filmmakers with. Mahalo and a hui hou!

    May 2022
  • Brain In A Cat

    such a fantastic experience. I have been involved 2 years in a row and hoping for a 3rd. Zoe does an amazing job of running the thing and really has what it takes to make a festival a success. I would highly recommend going to any filmmaker or cinema lover.

    December 2021
  • Selket Kaufman

    Wonderful event! Looking forward to next year!

    June 2021
  • Ellard Resignato

    The Made in Hawai'i Film Festival is the best festival we have been apart of and attended. We're always blown away by the caliber of the selections. If you want to understand the authentic culture of Hawai'i today, MIHFF is the place to do it.

    As film makers themselves, the producers of the festival are committed to treating film makers with respect and aloha. They have a deep commitment to helping spotlight our local Hawaiian culture in historic island venues. This festival is a must for Hawaiian film makers and creators.

    April 2021