'The Land Has Eyes' by native filmmaker also has Hawai'i ties

CINEMASCOOP: Fiji has nominated the feature film "The Land Has Eyes" for consideration as a best foreign film candidate in next year's Academy Awards. The movie, written and directed by University of Hawai'i professor Vilsoni Hereniko, a native son of Fiji, will be that nation's first Oscar contender.

Jo Mar, chairman of the Fiji Audio Visual Commission, made the announcement before the Sept. 8 launch of "Eyes" at the Village 6 Cinemas in Suva. FAVC is sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to name a feature to represent Fiji in the Oscars. While there are preliminary hurdles, this is the first time a Fiji-born filmmaker and movie are in Oscar contention — and the first feature by an indie Hawai'i company. ...

Local boy Albert Pyun, an indie filmmaker, won the sixth Estepona Film Festival's Golden Unicorn Award for best film, as well as Silver Unicorn for best direction, for his "Infection" feature. The film was shot in one night in one take in real time — a project the jury described as "challenging, fascinating (and a) hypnotic plunge in suspense waters." ...

ON THE ROAD: Andy Bumatai has taken his stand-up comedy on the road, appearing this week at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. Bumatai is a longtime buddy of Hispanic comedian Paul Rodriguez, at whose home Bumatai has been staying; and Rodriguez invited Bumatai to do a few shows with him. The first is tomorrow at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas; others are in New Jersey Sept. 21, Victoria, Texas, Sept. 22 and Odessa, Texas, Sept. 23. ...

Singer Mihana Souza is on the road with Bill Tapia, the 97-year-old 'ukulele master, and ki-hoalu master Ledward Ka'apana in a challenging nine-concert, 10-day gig, traveling via RV from such stops as Santa Cruz, Calif., to Seattle and Olympia, Wash., to Portland, Ore. Tapia is documenting the journey for the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest professional musician hitting the road. Tapia already is a winner; his "To You Sweetheart, Aloha" documentary, zooming in on his Hawaiian jazz style and charismatic strumming, won a prize at the VC Filmfest 2005/Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. At their Olympia stop (KAOS Radio), Souza discovered a deejay there was a Kailua High classmate, so they had a blast reminiscing. ...

Dale Payson is back in the saddle as host of KITV-4's "Ohana Road," the automotive info-tainment show. Payson and producer Bill Maloney (and crew) have been on the road this summer, capturing footage for this season's shows (airing at 6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 p.m. Sundays). Comedy interludes by Augie T are new, though Anita Hall still provides vocals. ...

Duane "Dog" Chapman and Beth Smith, the stars of A&E's "Dog, the Bounty Hunter," are off to Denver to be with her father, Garry L. Smith, whose health is failing because of complications of diabetes plus a heart condition. The family has been praying at a bedside vigil. ...

AROUND TOWN: John Cruz, a Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning artist, is featured on "Tropicalize II," a Pony Canyon Records CD, which also boasts a track by Jack Johnson. Cruz's is "Island Style," Johnson's is "Constellation." ...

Reminder: Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday (at the box office and Ticketmaster locations) for the Nov. 29 and 30 concerts by The Eagles at Blaisdell Arena. For those who love extras (and have deep pockets), iloveallaccess.com will post high-end packages. ...

Cecilio Rodriguez performs at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Macy's Ala Moana (third level). His C&Kompany group will precede a fashion show of Iolani garments. The Kompany includes Lloyd Kawakami on guitar; he was an original member of the Cecilio & Kapono group of the 1970s, but he's now president of Iolani Sportswear Ltd. And to keep it all in the 'ohana, Kawakami's mother, Edith, and older sister Patty will be among the models. ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Gene Allen, one-half of the Beach Glass Bingo team (with partner Rex Nockengust), has undergone ear surgery in Los Angeles to remove a benign tumor. Though he's lost the hearing in one ear (quite a loss, since he's also a sometimes stage performer), he was in good spirits at St. Vincent's Hospital, where he gave nurses silver and beach glass jewelry as a mahalo for good care. Allen also does volunteer photography for Army Community Theatre and is usually at opening night of a play. He missed "Guys and Dolls" because of the surgery. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.