"waikiki" premiered at the national geographic society and received the 2002 new york international independent film festival awards for best cinematography and best editing. its hawaii premiere was held on kuhio beach, the first open air public screening of a film in waikiki, which initiated the city and county of honolulu's successful tourism event that now attracts thousands to waikiki every month to the "sunset on the beach" film screening event. at the chicago international film festival it received an intercom gold plaque.