The Hawaiʻi International Film Festival is one of many arts organizations that has learned its federal grants have been canceled.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has proposed to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts.
HIFF has also received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Now the nonprofit is looking at a 20% deficit in its budget.
But organizers of HIFF say the festival is still on for this year.
“Donald Trump also announced that he now wants to tariff foreign films at 100%,” HIFF Executive Director Beckie Stocchetti said. “So we still have to wait and see how that all plays out as well to be able to, you know, show these types of movies that aren't accessible in other places, and to share culture and community in that way. We're gonna sort of have to go back to the drawing board, I think.”
HIFF is still accepting film entries until June 20th. The 45th Annual Hawaiʻi International Film Festival is scheduled for Oct. 16-26.
