Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF)

Bermuda International Film Festival

Bermuda International Film Festival or BIFF was first launched in 1997 when only 22 films were screened over 7 days in two of Hamilton's theaters.

Since then, the Biff has gone a long way. Today over 90 films are screened in four theaters.

This festival in Bermuda has received wide spread recognition from all over the world including from its own islanders.

Biff is now the qualifying festival for the Short Film Academy Award.

Only 50 other festivals around the world share such distinction with BIFF. During the first launch year, young actors Renee Zellweger and Vincent D'Onofrio starred on the opening-night film, Whole Wide World.

Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF)

Until 2002, the films used to be screened only at Liberty and Little theatres in Hamilton. In 2002 Southside Cinema was added. And in 2007 Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) theatre was further added.

Liberty theater has a capacity of 270, Little 162, Southside 425 and BUEI 148.

Other than the full length feature films, the festival screens some 30 shorts, plus seven documentary features and seven narrative features. Separate awards are given for all these categories. For the narrative and documentary categories, those only with new directors are screened. However the short film competition is open to all directors.

All feature length films compete for the Audience Choice Award and the directors whose films win the awards are invited to Bermuda the following year to sit on the jury.

BIFF also screens World Cinema Showcase, Opening Night and Closing Night, BIFF Kids (children’s films), a Sidebar highlighting modern cinema from a leading filmmaking country, special presentations, midnight madness films, and a Short Series.

Over the past several years, the festival has screened films that had later gone on to win Academy Awards in the documentary and short film categories. Biff has been screening winning films from the Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto festivals, as well as from European Film of the Year.

Apart from the March festival, BIFF also holds Children’s Film Festival in October, a monthly Film Series throughout the year, and eight weeks of Summer Film Production Camps for kids of 7-16.

Over the years, BIFF has been consistently winning the Best of Bermuda Gold Awards from The Bermudian magazine. BIFF has also won Best Cultural Award three times and has earned Award of Excellence from the magazine.

2012 Bermuda International Film Festival Updates

To be held between March 16-22, 2012. This is the 15th edition of the film festival in Bermuda. Due to the prevailing economic conditions, the budgets have been slashed. The films will be screened only in one theater this year - The Liberty at Union Square, Hamilton.

The estimated total number of films this year is 77 (27 features films and 50 shorts). It's substantially lower compared to the previous year. Due to limited number of slots, the focus has been kept on the most popular category "World Cinema" which attracts maximum crowd.

This category also includes the narratives & documentaries. The entrees that have received best of critique from all around the world will be slotted under "World Cinema". Some of such films include Bullhead (from Belgium), Declaration of War (from France), Pina (from Germany) etc.

The other categories include Short Films (short narratives, documentaries etc. from emerging film makers from all over the world), Biff Kids (films that are directed for children), After Hours (three late night movies), etc.

There will be a hub set up at the upper floor of the Liberty Theater where the members of the audience can go and chat with fellow viewers and share their thoughts about a film. They can also get snacks and drinks at the hub. A wrap up party will be held at the end of the festival.

2011 Bermuda International Film Festival

The event is being held between Mar 18 - 24 and centered around Hamilton city. Films are screened in Liberty and Specialty theaters only. The lineup includes winners from Oscars, Golden Globes and Cannes Film Festival.

Some of the super-hits being featured in this year's BIFF include In a Better World that received both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the Best Foreign Film, Illusionist which was awarded the Best Animated Film at the Golden Globes and was also nominated at the Oscars, and the love story Biutiful starring Javier Bardem that was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.

Tickets are available online at www.biff.bm and at the iStore (46 Reid Street, Hamilton). Ticket prices are $9 for children, $15 for adults, and $10 for BIFF members.

2010 Bermuda International Film Festival Updates

Scheduled between 19-25 Mar

Includes Documentaries with African Theme as part of the festival.

Tickets: Go on sale from March 10. You can buy them online at www.bdatix.com or at the box office at 15 Front Street

Price: All tickets are $12.50 plus a small service charge. The ticket pays for a two hour movie slot which includes two documentaries.

Check out 2010 BIFF Awards to find out about the winning films and documentaries in 2010.

Contacts

Bermuda International Film Festival

Somers Building, 15 Front Street, Hamilton City, Bermuda

Phone: 441/293-3456, Check out the website www.biff.bm for details and film lineup.

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