Wailea’s Favorite Week
Annually, for an exciting week in June, the Wailea Resort is honored to host the Maui Film Festival at Wailea or as it’s more affectionately known, the Wailea Film Festival. The festival is always a nice way to kick off summer and the perfect way to take advantage of cool Wailea nights under a sea of stars. The movies throughout the festival are a combination of short films, feature films, animated films, new releases, sneak previews, locally produced pieces, and internationally acclaimed award winners.
The week long event was initially started in the 2000 by Barry Rivers, as a way to recognize and celebrate the craft of storytelling. As the event took on a life of its own, the film festival grew into what we know it as today, a star-studded event honoring cinema’s brightest and most unique talents. The film festival schedules events across multiple venues around the island, thus allowing easy access to the film festival for various festival goers. However, my favorite locale has to be The Celestial Cinema in Wailea; some of the year’s best gala parties/festivities are held in Wailea.
Trevor Groth, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming, was blown away by what the festival has to offer, “The Maui Film Festival exceeded my expectations. The Celestial Cinema is mind-blowing! It’s also one of the best places anywhere in the world to launch a movie.”
Across the 5 day festival, there are three special events in particular I recommend checking out: Taste of Summer, Taste of Chocolate, and Taste of Wailea.
To start off the film festival, on Wednesday, June 15th, Taste of Summer will be the opening party held at the Grand Wailea – A Waldord Astoria Resort, just across the street from the exclusive Ho’olei at Grand Wailea Villas. The event will be held on the oceanside lawn offering culinary delights with the perect backdrop of palm trees, sand, and ocean waves. Each ticket includes admission to Wednesday Night’s Celestial Cinema Double Feature.*This event is for 21+* Menu/Tickets
Taste of Chocolate (a chocoholic’s dream), Friday, June 17th will be held at the Four Seasons Maui. The event showcases Maui’s best pastry chefs offering their most delectable sweet sensations. The extraordinary flavors and sensual experience always draw a crowd as this is one of the festival’s most loved special events. There will be live music by Cool Steel Band. Each Taste of Chocolate ticket includes admission to any Celestial Cinema Double Feature of your choosing. *This event is 21+* Menu/Ticekts
Taste of Wailea is known as the festival’s crown jewel of culinary arts, held on Saturday, June 18, at the Leadbetter Private Golf Academy Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course. This year’s event includes a “Best of The Best of Wailea’s Best Chefs” with live music by Bita and Klaudia of ManaBrasil. Each Taste of Wailea ticket includes admission to Saturday Night’s Celestial Cinema Double Feature. *This event is 21+*. Menu/Tickets
The Celestial Cinema held Wailea Gold Golf course’s driving range is by far the main draw of the film festival. Perched at the foot of Mount Haleakala, the location highlights the romance of beautiful South Maui. This spectacular outdoor venue projects onto a 50 foot screen which is powered by the sun. Solar energy runs the venue; everything from the lights on the pathways to the showing of the films. The festival is entirely an open-air evening theatre, the Celestial Cinema is located under the pretty Wailea stars lit by the moon and powered by the Sun!
Toes in the Sand Cinema, is free and open to the public (no ticket required), and held on Saturday, June 18th at Wailea Beach below the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. The event will present four heartfelt, not-to-be-missed, culturally important and just plain fun films shot in Hawai’i. The short fils will touch subjects of interest to Hawai’i and are all made by filmmakers who call Hawai’i home. The four films are: God Is a Dog-a story about the love and connectedness between a man and a dog; ʻĀina: That Which Feeds Us-the film highlights a simple yet effective path for addressing some of the most pressing environmental and health crises facing the island of Kauaʻi; The Roots of ‘Ulu-the film will demonstrate to the mythological origins of ulu, or breadfruit, and then will show how ulu has progressed to today; Sam Choy’s Poke to da Max-Former Food Network Chef and Godfather of Poké, Chef Sam Choy, will share how Poké is a true taste of Hawaii and how this distinctly Hawaiian dish has spread the Spirit of Aloha from the islands to around the world.
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Ho’olei villas, we are also currently the in house “Sayles” team at Ho’olei Grand Wailea
Please interview me to be your trusted Maui Real Estate and Lifestyle Advisor. I was born and raised on the island, and spend a considerable amount of time to inform my clients about the best deals currently on the market. Please do not hesitate to call me for your Maui real estate needs. I am more than happy to assist you in your home search.
Aloha,
Anthony Sayles R(S) 808-280-6532 Anthony@DanoSayles.com