The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net


FOR THE first time in the ten year history of the Bahamas International Film Festival, a Bahamian film will open and close the event.

As BIFF celebrates the milestones made by Bahamian film makers, “The Black Moses” and “Bahamian Son” will open and close this year’s festival in December.

The Black Moses by Travolta Cooper examines the Moses mythology as it was manifested through the life and times of the Bahamas’ first Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling. It follows Pindling as he sets on a course to bring about social, political, and economic revolution to the British Bahama Islands, said Mr Cooper.

Showcasing a documentary as the closing night film, on December 13, is a first for the festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

It opens on December 5 with Bahamian Son, a drama by Andrew Melby and Reggie Henderson featuring the story of a man who is searching for his father, whom he has not seen for more than 30 years and finds living in the Bahamas.

This year, the festival will showcase 108 films from 32 different countries. The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Documentary; New Visions; Short Film and other categories are Panorama Narrative; Documentary and Short Films out of competition. Sections include the Youth Film Workshop films made by five schools as well as a World Cinema showcase spotlighting Chinese films provided by the Chinese Embassy in the Bahamas.

A newer feature of the event is its festival in Eleuthera which takes place from December 9-13. BIFF founder and executive director Leslie Vanderpool said this is the second time the film festival will be presented in Eleuthera.

BIFF is currently negotiating to have the festival presented in other islands of the Bahamas.

“We did it last year and it was a huge success. We take it to Governor’s Harbour, and Harbour Island. The community is just so hungry for quality events and we wanted to showcase the Bahamas, the film makers and the industry. Often times people think the Bahamas is just Nassau so we wanted to showcase the Bahamas and showcase the many messages that are in the films to the people of the Bahamas,” Ms Vanderpool said.

This year is a record breaking one for the film festival given that more films are being shown and the opening and closing presentations are by Bahamian filmmakers, Ms Vanderpool said.

“We are opening with a Bahamian film and closing with a Bahamian film and that has never happened before. It is just so fitting to close off the 40th anniversary of Independence and independence celebrations.”

As part of the event, award winning professionals will participate in a panel discussion, teaching people how to break into the industry and what it takes to break into the industry.

This year’s event honours legendary actor Danny Glover who will also attend the festival in Eleuthera.

“It is just a huge celebration of independence, cinema and the international world. We are really proud we have put on such a great event each year and we will not disappoint,” she said.