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BAHAMAS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS OFFICIAL 2012 PROGRAM
Dustin Hoffman Directorial Debut “QUARTET” and Motown Australian Comedy “THE SAPPHIRES” To Bookend Festival as Opening And Closing Night Films, Respectively
Nassau, Bahamas – November 8, 2012 – Festival Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool today announced the final program details for the 9th edition of the Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), which takes place December 6-9, 2012 in Nassau.
BIFF will begin with QUARTET and end with a quartet of four Australian aborigine Singers called THE SAPPHIRES.
Weinstein Company’ “QUARTET” starring, Maggie Smith, will open the festival with a red carpet screening at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island on Thursday, December 6thwhile Australian Comedy “ THE SAPPHIRES” starring Chris O’Dowd will close the festival with an evening screening on Sunday, December 9th– also at the Atlantis Theater.
This year, the Festival will showcase 78 films from 26 different countries, including 45 features and 33 short films of which several are international premieres and all are Bahamian premieres. The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom: Narrative & Documentary; New Visions; and Short Film. Special sections include Caribbean Spotlight and Self Discovery as well as a World Cinema showcase.
The official BIFF lineup is comprised of the following films:
| SPIRIT OF FREEDOM (NARRATIVE) |
A.L.F. (France) Director: Jerome Lescure
APARTMENT IN ATHENS, APPARTAMENTO AD ATENE (Italy) Director: Ruggero Dipaola
BETWEEN US (USA) Director: Dan Mirvish
CHANCE (USA) Director: Evan Kaufmann
GRASSROOTS (USA) Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal
HABIBI (Gaza) Director: Susan Youssef
MEHERJAAN (Bangladesh) Director: Rubaiyat Hossain
MR. SOPHISTICATION (USA) Director: Danny Green
THE DESTINY OF LESSER ANIMALS (Ghana) Director: Deron Albright
| SPIRIT OF FREEDOM (DOCUMENTARY) ARISE (USA) Director: Lori Joyce & Candice Orlando DOLPHIN BOY (Israel) Director: Dani Menkin GREEDY LYING BASTARDS (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Peru, Switzerland, Uganda, UK) Director: Craig Rosebraugh HAITI UNTOLD (Haiti, Canada) Director: Dan Shannon MULBERRY CHILD (USA) Director: Susan Morgan Cooper THE IRAN JOB (Iran, USA), Director: Till Schauder THIS AIN’T CALIFORNIA (Germany) Director: Marten Persiel UPRISING (Egypt, USA) Director: Fredrik Stanton RISING FROM ASHES (Rwanda, South Africa, United Kingdom) Director: T.C. Johnstone WOMANISH WAYS, FREEDOM, HUMAN RIGHTS & DEMOCRACY, (Bahamas) Marion Bethel & Maria Govan |
| NEW VISIONS BETWEEN FRIENDS (Trinidad & Tobago) Director: Omari Jackson BREAKFAST WITH CURTIS (USA) Director: Laura Colella DEAD DAD (USA) Director: Ken J. Adachi DEAD MAN’S BURDEN (USA) Director: Jared Moshe MAYBE TOMORROW (USA) Director: Michael Wolfe MY BROTHER JACK (USA) Director: Stephen Dest REDLEGS (USA) Director: Brandon Harris THE TAIWAN OYSTER (USA) Director: Mitchell Jarrett THE STORY OF LUKE (USA) Director: Alonso Mayo
SELF DISCOVERY ART MACHINE (USA) Director: Doug Karr INOCENTE (USA) Director: Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine I AM NOT A ROCK STAR (Canada) Director: Bobbi Jo Krals- Hart 25 YEARS OF JR. JUNKANOO (Bahamas) Director: Students Of The Bahamas
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| CARIBBEAN SPOTLIGHT BREATHE (Bahamas, USA) Director Martin Khodabakshian JACKSON (Bahamas, USA) Director: Karen Arthur & Thomas Neuwirth NORMAN SOLOMON (Bahamas) Director: Maria Govan SHE (Bahamas) Director: Kareem Mortimer
WORLD CINEMA |
| BEWARE OF MR. BAKER (USA) Director: Jay Bulger BITTERSWEET MONDAY (USA) Director: Jamie Lee CAN’T STAND LOSING YOU (USA) Director: Andy Grieve CITY MONKEY (China) Director: Kong Lingchen GO LALA GO (China) Director: Xu Jinglei IRVINE WELSH’S ECSTACY (Canada) Director: Rob Heydon REGIN OF THE ASSASSINS (China) Director: Su Chao, John Woo RULES OF THE GAME (UK) Director: Joanne Postlewaite THE PHANTOM FATHER (Germany)Director: Lucian Georgescu WITHOUT A NET (Brazil) Director: Kelly J. Richardson
GALA SCREENING |
QUARTET (USA, UK) Director: Dustin Hoffman
THE SAPPHIRES (Australia) Director: Wayne Blair
SHORTS
ALEKESAM (USA) Director: Jason Berg
AMOS (USA) Director: Taylor Maxwell
APOCRIFO (Mexico) Director: Ernesto Fundora
ATLANTIS (USA) Director: Matthew Ornstein
BASEBALL IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA (Haiti, USA) Director, David Drag & Bryn Mooser
BEACHED (Guyana) Director: Kojo McPherson
BLACK IRISH (USA) Director: Anika Poitier
BRIGIDY BRAM (Bahamas) Director: Toby Lunn
BURNING HEARTS (Japan) Director: James McFay
BUSTED IN BRINGHAM (USA) Director Talibah Newman
CADAVER (USA) Director: Jonah Ansell
CRESENDO (German) Director: Alonso Alvarez Barreda
DELIVERY (France) Director: Fabien – Mariano Ortiz
DOCKET # 32357 (USA) Director: Randy Wilkins
FIGHT SCENE (USA) Director: Jim Ford
HOMEBODY (USA) Director: Kate Marks
HOURGLASS (Norway) Director: Pedro Collantes
JOCYLEN & THE COYOTE (El Salvador) Director: Pilar Colome,
LE NID (France) Director: Aurelien Drach
LEGACY (USA) Director: Maya Anand
MISSION OF MERMAIDS (USA) Director: Susan Rockefeller
ONE NIGHT STAND (China) Director: Michael Thai
OYSTER ROCKEFELLER (USA) Director: Charles Rogers
PEARL (USA) Director: Dan Butler
PLAY THROUGH (USA) Director: Paul Wagner
PRIVATE SUN (Palestine) Director: Rami Alayan
RAISE YOUR HANDS, (USA) Director: Elliot Kotek
RED AMBER GREEN (Jamaica) Director: Christopher Byfield
SCENEN (ACT 1 SCENE 1) (Sweden) Director: Hans Montelius
SOLACE (USA) Director: Tchaiko Omawale
STRINGS (Bahamas) Director: Dominique Knowles
THUGZ THE MUSICAL (USA) Director: Liam Sullivan
TO MUSIC (USA) Director: Sophie Kohn
TRAVIS PORTER: RED ROCK (Bahamas, USA) Director: Ryan Lightbourn
TU & EU (Portugal, USA) Director: Edward Shieh
VALSE FAVORITE (France) Director: Deborah Helpert
VICTOR (Philippines) Director: Jarell M. Serencio
The festival is proud to announce the return of the Filmmaker’s Residency Program. For the eighth year BIFF has broadened the program to include filmmakers from around the world to submit screenplays that are based in The Bahamas or Caribbean region. The Filmmakers’ Residency Program nurtures screenwriters by providing them with an unrivaled opportunity to spend a week with accomplished professionals who make a living working in the industry from Los Angeles and New York.
BIFF 2012 begins Thursday, December 6thin Nassau and runs through Sunday, December 9th and for the first time expands to Harbour Island and Governor’s Harbour “Island Hopping” December 10 – 14.
About the Opening and Closing Night Films:
QUARTET, directed by Dustin Hoffman, Cecily, Reggie and Wilfred are in a home for retired opera singers. Every year, on October 10, there is a concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday and they take part. Jean, who used to be married to Reggie, arrives at the home and disrupts their equilibrium. She still acts like a diva, but she refuses to sing. Still, the show must go on... and it does.
THE SAPPHIRES, directed by Wayne Blair, 1968 was the year that changed the world. And for four young Aboriginal sisters from a remote mission this is the year that would change their lives forever. Around the globe, there was protest and revolution in the streets. Indigenous Australians finally secured the right to vote. There were drugs and the shock of a brutal assassination. And there was Vietnam. The sisters, Cynthia, Gail, Julie and Kay are discovered by Dave, a talent scout with a kind heart, very little rhythm but a great knowledge of soul music. Billed as Australia's answer to 'The Supremes', Dave secures the sisters their first true gig, and fly's them to Vietnam to sing for the American troops. Based on a true story, THE SAPPHIRES is a triumphant celebration of youthful emotion, family and music.
BIFF Goes Island Hopping with the BIFF Best of Fest Eleuthera, December 10 - 14 2012: The Best of the Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) goes island hopping to Harbour Island & Governor’s Harbour, December 10 - 14 2012 and will be open to the public. Hotel Partners Coral Sands, Harbour Island, The Landings and Pineapple Fields Govenor’s Harbour, Eleuthera, Global Princess Theater, Governors Harbour Eleuthera, The Haynes Public Library and many more.
About the Bahamas International Film Festival
The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the local community and international festivalgoers with a diverse presentation of films from the Bahamas and around the world. In addition to showcasing films that might not otherwise be released theatrically, BIFF provides unique cultural experiences, educational programs, and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema. BIFF aims to raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout the Bahamas and the world.
BIFF 2012 Sponsors:
Atlantis, RBC Royal Bank, Esso, BTC powered by Lime, Coldwell Banker / Lightbourne Realty, Carrousel Yacht Enterprises, Ministry Of Tourism, Bahamas Ferries, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, Bahamas Air, Majestic Tours, Bahamas Tourism Channel, Bahamas Airport Advertising Ltd., Bahamas Sol, Dermalogica Bahamas & Caribbean, Bahama Hand Print, Kings Realty, Orico, SandyToes, Bahama Divers, The Sign Post, IDYA Studio, Coles Of Nassau, Breezes Resort & Spa, Lilo Studios, Paintball Arena, Best Buy Furniture, Master Technicians, Self Drive Boat Adventures, Sheraton, Breezes, Coral Sands Resort in Harbour Island, Pineapple Fields Hotel in Governor's Harbour, Moet & Chandon, Caribbean Bottling Company, Sir Speedy, Heineken, Jolly Roger, The Bahamas Weekly, Alumaworx, Jim Whitehead Nassau Florist, Sherman Williams and many more. Among the Friends of the Festival are: Dr. & Mrs. Vanderpool, Mr. & Mrs Gregory Cleare, Mr. Raymond Winder, Mr. & Mrs. Paul King, Mr. James Lyle, Mrs. Meta Gail Charles and Dr. Lorne Charles, The Nassau Guardian, Tribune.