Eliza Dushku

The Maui Film Festival, which drew 20,000 last week at Wailea, has announced its award winners voted by the attendees.

"From the constellation of stars that were honored to the overwhelming attendance at films, this was one of our best film festivals yet," said festival director Barry Rivers. "Our screenings were more popular than ever and all of the solar panel venues ran like clock work, truly making this an event that supports the environment. We are enthusiastically looking forward to our 10 year anniversary next year."

The winners:

• Narrative Feature — "Choke." Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald, Brad William Henke and Clark Gregg bring the world of cult idol/author Chuck Palahniuk to life in this dramedy about sexual addiction, friendship, mothers and sons, the so much more.

• Documentary Feature — "The Human Experience." A band of brothers journeys from the streets of New York City to the Andes of Peru and the jungles of Ghana, Africa to both reveal the beauty of human beings and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.

• Comedy Feature — "Summerhood." Director Jacob Medjuck abandons all polite expectations writing for and directing his child actors, as if the characters of South Park and Charlie Brown staged a school play, in this summer camp caper.

• Narrative Feature, World Cinema — "Captain Abu Raed." A exploration of the wisdom and bravery of an aging airport janitor, who is mistaken for an airline pilot by a group of poor neighborhood children, in Amman, Jordan. Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

• Documentary Feature, World Cinema — "War Child." A chronicle of the tumultuous, inspiring, and ultimately hopeful life of Emmanuel Jal, a former child soldier of Sudan’s brutal civil war and now an emerging international hip-hop star.

• Best Cinematography — "The Fall." A love letter to cinema from director Tarsem, starring Lee Pace and shot in 24 countries around the world, delivers a spectacularly unforgettable fable for grown ups and children that will leave you mesmerized, hypnotized and deeply moved by its magical and mystical intelligence, humanity and style.

• Ensemble Cast ( tie) — "The Great Buck Howard" and "Bottle Shock." Colin Hanks, John Malkovich, Tom Hanks and Emily Blunt star in "Buck Howard," a dramedy about a law school dropout who becomes a personal assistant to a formerly nationally known mentalist and along the way finds romance with a whip-smart publicist and the path to his future; "Bottle" features Bill Pullman, Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Rachael Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez, Eliza Dushku and Dennis Farina co-star in this smart, funny, based-on-a-true story and easy-on-the-eyes dramedy that recreates the early days of California wine industry and the now infamous 1976 "Judgment of Paris," a "blind" wine tasting at which California wines trumped the French and shocked the world.

• Experimental Film — "Hawaiian Starlight." Seven years in the making, this awe-inspiring cinematic symphony reveals the magic of Mauna Kea and its connection to the Cosmos through striking time-lapse cinematography and a celestial musical score.

• Green Cinema (tie) —"The Humpback Code" and "Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai." "Code," by the Maui-based Whale Trust Research Team, provides the cornerstone for a breathtaking documentary that unravels some of the mysteries surrounding the mystical songs and social lives of humpback whales."Root" is the compelling story of the first environmentalist and first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize presents an awe-inspiring profile of Maathai’s thirty-year journey of courage to protect the environment, defend human rights, and promote democracy, all growing from the achievable act of planting trees.

• Narrative Short — "Chief,"

• Documentary Short — "Guardians of the Sea."

• Animation — "Hot Dog."

Four Hollywood stars, who attended, also earned awards:

• Pierce Brosnan ("Die Another Day," "Mamma Mia"), the Maverick Award, for his commitment to make films that matter and his work for environmental justice and a better Earth.

• Virginia Madsen ("Sideways," "The Astronaut Farmer"), the Navigator Award, for carving a path of distinction through turbulent waters of the entertainment industry without sacrificing fundamental commitment to excellence.

• Dennis Quaid ("Far From Heaven," "Vantage Point"), the Galaxy Award, for ongoing delivery of star-making performances to guarantee a spotlight in the constellation of cinematic stardom.

• Felicity Huffman ("Transamerica," "Desperate Housewives"), the Nova Award, for her stunningly original and seamless performances which infuse each character she plays with insight and wisdom.