Hawaii International Film Festival presented by Halekulani turns 46 this October, and the 2026 edition may be its most homegrown yet. HIFF46 opens Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at the historic Hawai'i Theatre Center in downtown Honolulu and runs on Oahu through November 5, with screenings also at Consolidated Theatres Kahala and in Kapolei before the festival continues on Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island November 6-15.

The lineup is substantial: 84 features and 86 shorts, including 34 world premieres, six North American premieres, twelve U.S. premieres and three international premieres, alongside 30 Made in Hawai'i films. For anyone planning a film-focused trip to Oahu, that adds up to sixteen days of premieres, Q&As and conversations that start on screen and continue in the lobby.

Opening night: The Navigator, a world premiere with deep local roots

HIFF46 opens with the world premiere of The Navigator, directed by Jordan Manley, a Made in Hawai'i documentary about Nainoa Thompson, the Native Hawaiian voyager who nearly 50 years ago became the first in six centuries to sail from Hawai'i to Tahiti without modern instruments. The film follows Thompson's return to open water for a final 2,400-mile voyage with a crew of student navigators, guided by stars, ocean signs and the teachings of master navigator Mau Piailug. Thompson, Manley and figures from Hawai'i's cultural community are expected at the premiere.

Opening Night also marks a homecoming of its own: HIFF returns to the Hawai'i Theatre Center for its opening celebration for the first time since before the pandemic. The 1899 theatre on Bishop Street, with its cast-iron balconies and Victorian detail, is one of the finest rooms in Honolulu to see a film in.

Centerpiece: Drifter, and a program built on premieres

The Centerpiece Presentation is the Hawai'i premiere of Drifter, the feature directorial debut of actor and filmmaker Sung Kang, who writes, produces and stars as a solitary racetrack janitor haunted by his past whose talent behind the wheel earns him one last chance to compete — if he can learn to trust the people around him.

Beyond those two titles, HIFF46 is engineered around discovery. Fifty-five films across the program are world, North American, U.S. or international premieres, drawing from Cannes, Sundance, Berlin and Busan alongside emerging filmmakers, Indigenous storytellers and Asian and Pacific Islander voices. The second annual HIFILM Industry Conference runs alongside the screenings for those working in — or simply curious about — the business of filmmaking in the Pacific.

Where HIFF46 screens across Oahu

Festival venues spread across the island, which shapes how you plan a day:

  • Hawai'i Theatre Center, downtown Honolulu — opening night and the festival's ceremonial heart, walking distance from Chinatown restaurants and the waterfront.
  • Consolidated Theatres Kahala — east side, convenient for screenings after a morning on Waikiki Beach or a drive around Koko Head.
  • Consolidated Theatres Kapolei — leeward side, the natural base if you are staying on the west coast near Ko Olina.

The neighbor-island leg, November 6-15, moves the festival to Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island — a good reason to extend an island-hopping trip rather than cut it short.

Turning sixteen festival days into a proper Oahu stay

Honolulu hotels put you near the action but rarely give a group much room to breathe. A private villa on Oahu changes the shape of a festival trip: coffee on the lanai before the first matinee, an afternoon of premieres, an evening Q&A, then a quiet house instead of a lobby crowd and a taxi queue. West-side villas near Kapolei put you minutes from the leeward screenings, while Honolulu properties keep the Hawai'i Theatre Center and Chinatown within easy reach.

For families or groups of friends travelling together, a villa also solves the logistics problem that a sixteen-day festival creates — everyone under one roof, with kitchens for early breakfasts and living rooms for debriefs about which film to catch next.

Explore luxury villa rentals in Honolulu and across Oahu with The Maruca Group and build the stay around the screenings, not the other way around.

Questions attendees ask before booking HIFF46

When and where does HIFF46 take place?

HIFF46 runs October 21 through November 5, 2026 on Oahu, with opening night at the Hawai'i Theatre Center in downtown Honolulu. Additional Oahu screenings are held at Consolidated Theatres Kahala and Consolidated Theatres Kapolei. The festival continues on Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island November 6-15.

How many films are in the 2026 lineup?

The 2026 program includes 84 features and 86 shorts. Highlights include 34 world premieres, six North American premieres, twelve U.S. premieres, three international premieres and 30 Made in Hawai'i films. The full lineup is published on the official HIFF site.

What are the opening and centerpiece films?

HIFF46 opens with the world premiere of The Navigator, Jordan Manley's documentary about Native Hawaiian voyager Nainoa Thompson, at the Hawai'i Theatre Center. The Centerpiece Presentation is the Hawai'i premiere of Drifter, the directorial debut of Sung Kang.

Where should I stay during the festival?

Central Honolulu keeps the Hawai'i Theatre Center and Chinatown within walking distance, while Kapolei and the Ko Olina area put you close to the west-side screenings at Consolidated Theatres Kapolei. A private villa suits groups who want space, a kitchen and a quiet base between screenings across Oahu.

Is the festival only on Oahu?

No. Oahu screenings run October 21-November 5, then the festival moves to Maui, Molokai, Lanai and the Big Island for the neighbor-island leg, November 6-15.

How do I get tickets and the full schedule?

The complete HIFF46 lineup and box office are available through the festival's official site at hiff.org and its box office. Screening times and venue details are listed there as the schedule is confirmed.