TCFF 2024 Spotlight: The Donn of Tiki

2024 marks 15 years of the Twin Cities Film Fest, which runs October 17-26 at the Marcus West End Cinema at the Shops at West End in St. Louis Park.

Nearly 150 films – including features, shorts, animation, and documentaries – will screen over the course of the festival, both in-person and online (through TCFF’s Streams platform). Additionally, directors, producers, and actors will walk the red carpet, present their films, and take part in Q&As and discussions about their work.

Over the course of TCFF 2024, we’ll be chatting with some of those filmmakers and stars to find out more about what they’re bringing to the TCFF screens.

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Film:                                              The Donn of Tiki (tickets/info)

In-person screening:                   6:30 p.m., Saturday, October 19

Filmmaker in attendance:           Yes    

Streams Pass:                               No

One thing I look for when perusing a film festival schedule is something that jumps off the screen and says, “WATCH ME!” One film that did just that was “The Donn of Tiki.” 1) they had me at “tiki.” 2) if they didn’t already have me at “tiki,” they did as soon as I saw the documentary included animation. Busy making the festival rounds, directors Alex Lamb and Max Well talked about their film and what makes it stand out.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your film.

“The Donn of Tiki” tells the life story of Donn Beach, better known as Don the Beachcomber, creator of the Tiki Bar. Using a mix of interviews, archival footage and photos, and impressive 2D and stop-motion animation, the film unravels a complex and rich life lived by an eccentric and influential person.

Q: Now tell us something about it that we might not be able to glean from the trailer or description.

Many people are familiar with Don the Beachcomber restaurants, but this documentary digs into aspects of Donn’s life that most people don’t know about, like the fact that he created over 60 different cocktails, shaped the Hawaiian tourism industry, and the role the Chicago mob played in the expansion of Don the Beachcomber restaurants across the United States.

Q: If someone is only going to see one film at the Twin Cities Film Fest, why should it be this one?

“The Donn of Tiki” utilizes animation to great effect, including traditional animation, which changes style based on the time period of the story. In fact, the film showcases four different styles of 2D animation, as well as stop-motion. For example, animated sequences depicting events in the 1920s and 1930s are created in the “rubber hose” style, similar to early Walt Disney “Steamboat Willie” cartoons.

Q: Prior to TCFF, where has the film screened, and what has the response been so far?

The film has sold out screenings at the Florida Film Festival, San Francisco DocFest, Dances with Films Festival in Los Angeles, and Chagrin Documentary Film Festival in Ohio. We were even invited to screen the film at Pixar Animation studios. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, and we expect to screen in many more cities in the coming months. 

Q: What was it that drew you to submit your film for the Twin Cities Film Fest?

One of the programmers from Twin Cities Film Fest was aware of our film and encouraged us to submit. We’re very excited to connect with the local community.

Q: What’s next for your film after this festival?

The film will be playing at Newport Beach Film Festival shortly after our Twin Cities screening, followed by a screening at Calgary Underground Documentary Film Festival in November. We are currently working with our sales agent, Submarine Entertainment, to make sure the film gets out to a wider audience after our film festival run.