Bahamas International Film Festival draws thousands annually
WHAT-TO-DO NASSAU, CABLE BEACH, PARADISE ISLAND - JULY 2006 EDITION
For more than 90 years, filmmakers have travelled to The Bahamas to make movies, taking advantage of the archipelago’s crystal-clear water, beautiful beaches and lush tropical settings.
They’re still coming in droves, not only to make films but to display them, talk about them and rub shoulders with other filmmakers and fans at the annual four-day Bahamas International Film Festival.
For a young venture – 2006 will be only its third year – the festival has created a major buzz in the biz. More than 7000 people attended the first year’s offerings and the numbers have only gone up since then.
BIFF, as it’s known, is an important step up for The Bahamas for several reasons, says festival founder and executive director Leslie Vanderpool.
First of all, it helps to solidify the nation’s reputation as a premier location for making films. As well, it helps to draw visitors to Nassau during the month of December that is traditionally slow for tourism, the nation’s number one industry.
More importantly, in Vanderpool’s view, the festival gives up-and-coming filmmakers, including local ones, a venue to display their work, and at the same time, encourages young Bahamians to consider careers in movie making.
Festival goers are exposed to the work of independent producers and directors from around the world, ranging from artistic features to off-the-wall shorts and hard-hitting documentaries.
Vanderpool says BIFF receives some 500 film submissions for the festival, of which only a fraction are chosen. “Last year we showed 70 films,” Vanderpool told What-to-do. “It was great that we were able to select that many... new films.”
At BIFF, as at other festivals, films fall into one or another of several categories.
The Spirit of Freedom category, presented by Versace, highlights the overall theme of the festival, combining narrative and documentary features giving insights into world cultures and the quest for freedom.
New Visions, presented by Hard Rock Café, features films made by emerging international filmmakers covering a range of genres from comedy and romance to drama and suspense. In this category, filmmakers compete for the Grand Jury prize. Last year, about a dozen first-time filmmakers participated.
Another category, Panorama World Cinema, explores films continent by continent: Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America. Each year there is a sidebar that touches upon the stories and social issues from a specific continent.
“Last year we had Touching Africa Spotlight to showcase how some people on the continent of Africa are oppressed or how some people in Africa rejoice and celebrate their lives,” says Vanderpool.
In this year’s festival, scheduled for December 7-10, the sidebar theme will be East Meets West, with an emphasis on Asian cinema and the Bollywood phenomenon – Hindi language films from India.
“Bollywood is exploding on the independent cinema scene,” says Vanderpool, adding that China also makes more than 100 films a year. She thinks independent filmmakers here can learn a lot from these films. “I’m really excited about involving that side of the world.”
Other categories are Short World Films, Family films and the popular Caribbean Spotlight series, highlighting films, documentaries and dramas made in the region.
“I feel it’s important to create a positive message in showing quality films in order to change the social fabric of the world,” says Vanderpool. “Even with some of the issues we deal with in The Bahamas – film is a very tangible way to learn about these issues.”
LEARNING FROM THE PROS
While the festival gives viewers an opportunity to see a wide range of independent world cinema, it’s especially useful to budding filmmakers and scriptwriters who want to hone their skills.
Throughout the festival there are a series of panel discussions that give participants a behind-the-scenes look into the business of filmmaking.
Last year panelists discussed topics such as incorporating music into film, how to produce short films, marketing and distribution, and film financing and producing, the last one hosted by well-known Roger Corman.
Corman, aka The King of B-movies, has produced more than 300 films and directed many sci-fi and horror classics, including The Pit and the Pendulum and the 1960 classic, The Little Shop of Horrors. He has also acted in films such as The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia and Apollo 13.
“We honoured him in the festival’s first year, he came back the second year and will return this year,” says Vanderpool, who noted that Corman was impressed with the festival.
“He had never been to a festival as well-organized in its first and second year,” she says. “That says a lot because it (shows) how much we can achieve in the next 15 to 20 years.” In her view, BIFF will be able to “hold its own” with other major festivals around the world.
Another element designed to help emerging filmmakers is BIFF’s Filmmaker Residency programme, in which six Bahamian first-time filmmakers are given the opportunity to be mentored by professionals from around the world.
“I’m very proud of this,” says Vanderpool. “There are a lot of local filmmakers who still keep in touch with their mentors who are helping them get exposure with production companies around the world – it’s quite exciting how we’re able to help these talented filmmakers’ careers.”
BIFF 2006
With the third festival just around the corner, Vanderpool and other BIFF members were preparing for another successful year.
Atlantis resort will be the setting for much of the festival and other locations will be used, including the Hard Rock Café and local movie house Galleria 6 on John F Kennedy Dr.
“Filmmakers have an opportunity to see a variety of other venues throughout the island,” says Vanderpool, who noted that the Caves Village development, Graycliff restaurant and hotel, Nassau’s much-acclaimed zoo, Ardastra Gardens, and Albany House also hosted events in last year’s festival.
While staff and volunteers have been essential in making the film festival a success, Vanderpool also credits the support of sponsors such as Versace, Hard Rock Café, Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch and the Ministry of Tourism.
“Festivals are important as far as tourism goes but it also impacts a community,” she emphasizes. “I don’t know of any other event that is as grand as the Bahamas International Film Festival in terms of bringing all sorts of people together... everybody has a win-win experience.”
For further information, visit the Bahamas International Film Festival website at www.bintlfilmfest.com.
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