Lights, Camera, Action! The Bermuda International Film Festival is a show that's not to be missed
By Duncan Hall
Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF)
Friday, March 27th, 2009 through April 11th, 2009
BIFF will premier Lucinda Spurling's film, The Lion & The Mouse. An epic tale of two countries, The United States of America, the Lion and the tiny island nation, Bermuda, the Mouse. This film will chart the landmark moments, relationships, conflicts and characters, that all played a part in the first four centuries of settlement in America and Bermuda.
The Bermuda International Film Festival long has captured the hearts and imaginations of cinema lovers in the islands and around the world. The festival, in fact, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007, firmly entrenched on both the Bermuda arts calendar and the world film festival circuit.
Begun in 1997 by a group of film enthusiasts, the 22-film festival made its debut in two Hamilton theatres to sold-out crowds. Young actors Renée Zellweger and Vincent D'Onofrio, talented but not then widely known, starred in the festival opening-night film, Whole Wide World.
The festival has grown steadily ever since, now screening a wide variety of films from around the world. The 2007 festival featured 85 films from 34 countries in a cinematic feast that has earned recognition both on the island and overseas.
In Bermuda, the festival is a perennial favourite in the Best of Bermuda Gold Awards organised by The Bermudian magazine. Three times, BIFF has earned "Best Cultural Award" in Bermuda and has earned the magazine's "Award of Excellence," which is bestowed on just four of the more than 100 Gold Award category winners.
Also in 2004, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognised BIFF as a Qualifying Festival for the Short Film Academy Award. Just 50 festivals around the world share this designation with BIFF.
"Those awards tell the story of the progress made by us since our festival began 10 years ago," says festival director and co-founder Aideen Ratteray Pryse. "We are pleased to receive recognition both here and abroad — but what is equally pleasing is the support we receive from the film-going community and Bermuda's public and private sectors as well. We have built a reputation as one of the world's leading small film festivals, and we could not have done so without the support of a great many people, businesses and, of course, the Bermuda Department of Tourism."
BIFF showcases winning films from the world's leading festivals, turns the spotlight on one of the world's top directors, features a sidebar of films from a particular filmmaking country and invites some of the finest young directors to show their work before appreciative audiences. The festival also screens films suitable for children, and features some 25 short films by emerging filmmakers.
During the past three years, the festival lineup has screened films that later won Academy Awards in the documentary and short film categories, and has screened winners from the Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto festivals, as well as winners of the European Film of the Year.
"If you can't make it to Cannes or Toronto, or any of the world's leading festivals, don't fret," says programming director David O'Beirne. "Come to Bermuda and we'll have top films from those festivals, as well as many more that are sure to please every taste."
The festival's host hotels offer special BIFF rates for visitors. Click on the Travel to Bermuda button on the website (biff.bm) to access those rates, or speak to your travel agent about a customised air and hotel package to the festival.
Duncan Hall is deputy director of the Bermuda International Film Festival. He can be reached at tel: (441) 293-3456, fax: (441) 293-7769 or by mail at: Bermuda International Film Festival, Broadway House, P.O. Box HM2963, Hamilton, HM MX Bermuda.
Book now and celebrate with hotel credits of up to $400 for travel through March 31, 2009. Plus get a 400 Anniversary Passport for additional savings of up to $1000 on island.
Make your Bermuda trip even more memorable with dolphins! Dolphin Quest offers fun, interactive dolphin encounter programs for all. Book your adventure today!
Have a fun-filled vacation with a cycle from Oleander. If you can ride a bicycle, you can easily ride an Oleander scooter. See all of Bermuda...reserve one today!
ExperienceBermuda.com The official web site of the
Bermuda Hotel Association. Copyright 2003/08, HCP/Aboard Publishing, a division of Aboard Publishing, Inc., and subsidiary of The McClatchy Company.
The Bermuda International Film Festival long has captured the hearts and imaginations of cinema lovers in the islands and around the world. The festival, in fact, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007, firmly entrenched on both the Bermuda arts calendar and the world film festival circuit. 
In Bermuda, the festival is a perennial favourite in the Best of Bermuda Gold Awards organised by The Bermudian magazine. Three times, BIFF has earned "Best Cultural Award" in Bermuda and has earned the magazine's "Award of Excellence," which is bestowed on just four of the more than 100 Gold Award category winners.
BIFF showcases winning films from the world's leading festivals, turns the spotlight on one of the world's top directors, features a sidebar of films from a particular filmmaking country and invites some of the finest young directors to show their work before appreciative audiences. The festival also screens films suitable for children, and features some 25 short films by emerging filmmakers. 
Book now and celebrate with hotel credits of up to $400 for travel through March 31, 2009. Plus get a 400 Anniversary Passport for additional savings of up to $1000 on island.
Make your Bermuda trip even more memorable with dolphins! Dolphin Quest offers fun, interactive dolphin encounter programs for all. Book your adventure today!
Have a fun-filled vacation with a cycle from Oleander. If you can ride a bicycle, you can easily ride an Oleander scooter. See all of Bermuda...reserve one today! 
