(Photo courtesy of Big Island Film Festival)

MEDIA RELEASE

What do a mysterious silver case, super-competitive Scrabble and a secret drug underground have in common? They’re some of the subjects of this year’s Official Selections for Big Island Film Festival, May 24-28.

Now in its seventh year, the Big Island Film Festival (BIFF) delivers unique entertainment for film lovers of all ages, with free family films at The Shops at Mauna Lani, daytime movies and nightly double features at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii and much more.

BIFF 2012 will showcase 57 films from around the world, including nine from Hawaii, four of those from the Big Island. Along with short and feature-length narrative films, BIFF will for the first time spotlight two documentary films: “Aunty Nona Beamer – Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love)” and “Family of the Wa‘a,” both near and dear to the hearts of Big Island fans.

“We think it’s important to show these two documentaries due to their cultural significance,” Executive Director Leo Sears said. “’Aunty Nona Beamer – Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love)’ shares the story and the music of the legendary Beamer ohana—Aunty Nona, Keola, and so many more talented musicians. It’s a beautiful film by Award Winning Film Producer Kenneth Burgmaier. The Beamer family is planning to attend, so we hope the community will come to The Shops at Mauna Lani, show their support and enjoy the film.”

The second documentary, “Family of the Waa,” chronicles a canoe voyage of over 1,750 miles across the Hawaiian archipelago.

“Chris Luedi, General Manager of The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, was one of the paddlers on that journey,” said Sears, “And it’s an honor for us to share their amazing story at BIFF 2012.”

Luedi is a committed student of Hawaiian language and culture, who opened last year’s BIFF alongside historian Danny Kaniela Akaka, with an authentic chant and blowing of the pū (conch shell).

“Aunty Nona Beamer – Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) screens Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at The Shops at Mauna Lani (free).

“The Family of the Waa” screens Sunday night (approximately 9:30 p.m., as the second feature at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii Plantation Estate (adults $15, kamaaina $10, late film only $7.50).

During BIFF 2012, a variety of narrative feature films full of surprises, action, romance and lots of laughs will be screened Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Just a sampling:

* “The Silver Case” is a complex thriller from Italy, starring Eric Roberts (“The Young and the Restless,” “Heroes,” “Crash”). It follows the trail of a silver attache case, as it passes hand-to-hand through murders and mysteries to its inevitable end.

* The moving Native American family drama “Shouting Secrets” is rich in tradition and redemption. It stars Chaske Spencer (“The Twilight Saga”), Qoriana Kilcher (“Princess Kaiulani”), and Tantoo Cardinal (“Blackstone,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”).

* “Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy” walks the dark and gritty path of a lovable drug-runner between Scotland and Amsterdam, starring Adam Sinclair (“The Day of the Triffids,” “Painkiller Jane,” Kristina Kreuk (“Chuck,” “Smallville”) and Billy Boyd (“Lord of the Rings”).

* Even the short cartoon “Cadaver” has voices the audience will recognize: Christopher Lloyd and Kathy Bates.

The 2012 Official Selections are:

“34”
“A Finger, Two Dots Then Me”
“Ad & Subtract”
“Anos Despues”
“Aunty Nona Beamer – Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love)”
“Beatrice”
“BLIND”
“Bunker 731”
“Buzkashi Boys”
“Byte-Sized”
“Cadaver”
“Children of the Air”
“Citizen Jia Li”
“Dancing Freak”
“Donkeys”
“Dissolving Destinies”
“Easy Street”
“Election Day”
“Faceless”
“Family of the Wa‘a”
“Flat”
“Found”
“French Immersion”
“Giant Monsters Attack Hawaii”
“Hi, Honey”
“Incest! The Musical”
“Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy”
“Just Like Her”
“Life Through A Lens”
“Love & Other Unstable States of Matter”
“Miss Minoes”
“Mr. Babbo”
“Nani”
“Nobody’s Child”
“Over the Line”
“PORK … a short film”
“Qwerty”
“Reflector”
“Scenen (Act 1, Scene 1)”
“Searching for Sonny”
“Shouting Secrets”
“Silver Case”
“Steve Phoenix-The Untold Story”
“Subjective Expressions”
“SWOOSH!”
“Technicality”
“The Ballad of Sandeep”
“The Darkest Game”
“The Glue King & His Castle”
“The Italian Key”
“The Potstickers”
“The Sea Is All I Know”
“Todd & the Book of Pure Evil, Episode: See You Later”
“Viewer Discretion Advised (Tape 96)”
“Viti”
“Waking Up”
“Welcoming Departure”

Major sponsors include The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii and The Shops at Mauna Lani and Hawaii Tourism Authority/Hawaii County CPEP.

For complete schedule information and tickets, visit www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com