Brenton Thwaites named 'Rising Star' at EuroCinema Hawai'i

Nadine Kam photos
Australian actor Brenton Thwaites, dressed in Prada, arrived on the red carpet at the EuroCinema Hawaii Awards ceremony where he received the Rising Star Award.

The EuroCinema Hawai’i Film Festival Awards Gala took place Nov. 8 at the Moana Surfrider, with former Bond girl Barbara Carrera on hand to serve as Mistress of Ceremonies, the recognition of Hawaii’s best student film, and the presentation of the Rising Star Award to Australian actor Brenton Thwaites.

Thwaites, who starred in “Maleficient” and “The Giver,” is working on the adventure thriller “Gods of Egypt” with Gerard Butler, and has two more films, “Ride” and “Son of a Gun,” in post-production.

EuroCinema Hawai’i, a “festival within a festival” within the Hawai’i International Film Festival, aims to advance cultural understanding and exchange between the peoples of Europe and Hawaii through film, as well as support future filmmakers of Hawaii with a generous sponsorship of $5,000 from the Sunny Dupree Family Foundation.

This year’s winner, Kali Kasashima, who directed “N. King,” received a $1,000 cash prize and a matching cash award for his school, the University of Hawaii Academy for Creative Media. Additionally, ACM will receive a new $3,000 production scholarship to be awarded to students based on screenplays and budgets reviewed by members of the EuroCinema Hawaii Board and the Sunny Dupree Family Foundation.

Actress Barbara Carrera arrived with EuroCinema Hawai’i president Jefferson Finney, left, and Jon Staub.

Roger and Julie Corman of New World Pictures arrive on the red carpet.

The juried winner was determined by the Golden Globes’ Aida Takla-O’Reilly, editor and composer John Ottman, and producer Julie Corman.

The student nominees were:
>> Nicholas Bresnan: “Cadence,” Henry J. Kaiser High School; https://vimeo.com/105828364 (Password: hiff)
>> Erin Lau: “Day pass,” University of Hawaii at Manoa, ACM; https://vimeo.com/100621793 (Password: HIFF)
>> Kali Kasashima: “N. King,” UHM ACM; https://vimeo.com/93328291 (Password: nKing)
>> Paisley Mares (writer/director) and Kristin Briones (producer): “Winter for the May Queen,” UHM ACM; https://vimeo.com/87987761 (Password: tofu)
>> Jake Nowicki: “Bicycle,” UHM ACM; https://vimeo.com/100373999 (Password: acm)

The evening’s award winners were:
>> The Princess Dialta Alliata di Montereale Award for Best Film: “The Imitation Game,” (UK/USA)
>> Best Actor: Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
>> Best Actress: Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Italy’s “Human Capital”
>> Best Director: Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
>> Best Student Film: “N. King,” directed by Kali Kasashima
>> The Prince and Princess Kawananakoa Rising Star Award: Brenton Thwaites, “The Giver”
>> Lifetime Achievement Award”: Roger and Julie Corman, New Line Cinema (sponsored by Christina Hassell)

Kali Kasashima, director of “N. King,” picked up the Best Student Film from Sunny Dupree, whose Sunny Dupree Family Foundation sponsors the annual award.

From left, Barbara Carrera, Princess Dialta Alliata di Montereale and Jefferson Finney introduced the awards.

Thwaites gamely posed with fans en route to the lawn where the awards ceremony took place.

Prince and Princess Kawananakoa Rising Star Award was presented by Quentin and Elizabeth Kawananakoa to Brenton Thwaites, accepting the award with Make A Wish recipient Annabelle Roberts, wearing a dress by Ari South.

On the red carpet are “Hawaii Five-0″ executive producer Peter Lenkov, Angie Laprete and director Bryan Spicer.

Kristy Haskell, second from left, with husband Watters O. Martin, sponsored the award.

Producer Chris Lee in Dolce & Gabbana with Jimmy Choo shoes and Prada tie.

Wayne Yoshigai, left, and John Schamber mark the occasion in Prada.

More party-goers.

Some of the night’s edibles:

Chef Wayne Hirabayashi of Kahala Hotel and Resort was offering Hawaiian salt-spiced peanuts and popcorn in keeping with the movie theme, as s well as kataifi-wrapped Kauai shrimp, and below, Spanish paprika smoked tako poke in mini squid ink cones wrapped in metallic paper.

Chef John Matsubara, from the Hyatt Waikiki Resort & Spa’s Japengo restaurant, offered irresistable pork chicharróns and chicken skin topped with Japengo Estate Spiced Honey from the Hyatt’s rooftop apiary, Meyer lemon and Greek yogurt.

Chef Danny Chew, from Sheraton Waikiki’s Rum Fire, offered smoked kampachi with shio koji, watercress puree and roasted lemon gel, and below, beef tenderloin with smoked tomato sauce.

On Kalakaua, the curious were drawn to the red carpet and limo arrivals.