The festival short circuit has been an electrifying live wire for Honolulu-based director Brett Wagner whose 21-minute film Chief continues to score accolades. The year kicked off with Chief becoming the first Hawaii-made short to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. And the latest kudo is Chief winning the Best Dramatic Short Award at last month’s Los Angeles International Short Film Festival.
The L.A. Shortsfest is an Academy Award-accredited film festival with its winners eligible to be nominated for an Oscar in the short film categories. Thirty of the fest’s past winners have garnered nominations and nine have won Oscars. Chief–both written and directed by Wagner, and produced by Dana Satler Hankins–was among thousands of shorts submitted for consideration at the L.A. Shortsfest competition.
“It’s no small feat, particularly when you look at the high profile nature of the other entries,” said Walea Constantinau who is Honolulu’s film commissioner. “The L.A. Shortsfest featured performers read like a Hollywood who’s who–Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Rainn Wilson, Whoopie Goldberg, Robert Redford. Just being selected was an honor, but to win…it’s truly outstanding.”
Wagner, whose filmmaking pedigree includes commercials which he continues to direct as a freelancer, noted that “winning L.A. Shortsfest and getting our Academy qualification is huge for us, and a victory for the dozens of Hawaii-based cast, crew and supporters who contributed their talent and resources to this film.”
Filmed in the jungles, waters and urban nightscapes of Oahu, Chief tells the story of a tribal chieftain from Samoa who flees his village after the drowning death of his young daughter, and winds up a taxi driver in Honolulu.
Chief has additionally been recognized with a certificate of excellence from the British Academy of Film and TV.
Spot background Wagner began his career in commercial production in New York, writing and directing for such clients as Deloitte, CS First Boston and AIG Insurance.
Eventually spot work drew him way west to Honolulu where he has directed for McDonald’s, Starwood Resorts, AT&T Wireless, KFC, Bank of America and Hawaiian Airlines, among others.
Wagner’s ad industry endeavors have scored a dozen regional ADDY Awards over the past five years, including 2007 Best of Show recognition for Detour, a 10-minute branded entertainment film for client Starwood Resorts.
