Bermuda Film Festival

We the Jury: Panelists Speak on the BIFF

  The jury came from far and wide to  the Ninth Annual Bermuda International Film Festival.   The panel that had film festival directors (Roger Durling of Santa Barbara International Film Festival and Lia Rinaldo of the Atlantic (Canada    ) Film Festival, national journalists (Peter Rainer of NPR) and Robert Koehler of the Daily Variety), actors and filmmakers (Laura Elena Haring, Peter Riegert, and Emmanuel Itier) and local expert Elmore Warren, were responsible for selecting the winning films.

Emmanuel Itier and Roger Durling. To hear Roger's thoughts on the BIFF click here: Download roger.wav  To listen to Emmanuel's comments click: Download emmanuel.wav  For more information on the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and to read Roger's meeting with none other than Barry Manilow click here: http://www.sbfilmfestival.org/

Peter Riegert, Marjaneh Abedini, and Robert Koehler at closing night festivities. Koehler, writer for the Daily Variety and internationally reknowned film critic, would later add freqent flier miles after the festival by serving on the Guadalajara Film Festival jury. He will later go to Buenos Aires, then to Cannes.  To hear his thoughts on the BIFF click here: Download kohler1.wav  . Bob comments on the hazards of traveling the festival circuit from 30,000 feet: Download kohler2.wav   To see an example of Bob's work, click on this link : http://www.rottentomatoes.com/author-3435/ 

Peter Riegert (here with public relations specialiste, Carol Marshall), has had roles in over 60 films and television series', including  "The Sopranos", "Law and Order", and "Animal House".  He is also a director and writer (visit this site to see his filmography   http://imdb.com/name/nm0726200/ ) To hear Peter speak on the BIFF: Download riegert_juror.wav 

We the Jury Pictures

Left Picture: Jurors Lia Rinaldo and Elmore Warren.  Center Left: Jurors Peter Riegert, Robert Koehler, and Laura Elena Haring. Center Right: Michael Seabaugh, Jordi Herreros, advisory board member David Poland, and Lluis Quilez. Far Right: Seabaugh, Peter Rainer, Koehler, and Abedini.

And the Winners are...the Festivalgoers!

The Ninth Annual Bermuda International Film Festival ended with a bang on Saturday with the awards ceremony and wrap party at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. The big winners were "The Proposition" for feature narrative,  "King Leopold's Ghost" for documentary, "Avatar" for best short,  and "Kinky Boots" for the audience choice.  Special mentions included Bermudian Lucinda Spurling's "Rare Bird", "The Ring Finger", "Shark in the Head", and Thomas Allen Harris' "Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela" More on the finale and party coming soon.   To hear the awards ceremony click here: Download awards.wav

To view results, click here: Download biff_winners_release_final1.doc

Gems of the BIFF: Dean Ming

  No, Dean Ming is not the name of the latest psycho thriller or romantic comedy.  He is a real person with superlative singing talent (click on link below to hear him sing a Bermuda Classic).  He is also a good friend to all of us who came to the BIFF.  Dean's official title was driver for the film festival, but he was much more than that.  He was a good friend to us all by taking care of us.  We can never appreciate enough all that he has done.  Thank you Dean, you are the best.  Download Deanming.wav

(Pictures Dean singing, with his lovely  mother, and with this journalist)

Gems of the BIFF "Avatar": The Start of Something Big

                              

Movie poster of "Avatar" (courtesy photo). Unit Production Manager Jordi Herreros (left) and writer/director Lluis Quilez at the Bermuda International Film Festival (photo by Mike Takeuchi).

Remember the name of Lluis Quilez.   Because if  the short "Avatar" is a precursor of things to come, the Spanish filmmaker will be making a name for himself on the international film circuit in due time.  Quilez, who along with unit production manager Jordi Herreros, came to the Bermuda International Film Festival on a roll of sorts.  "Avatar" is in the middle  of  a 50 festival tour, and has already won eight awards.  It is currently a finalist for the best short film in Europe.   This film is that good. To hear Quilez speak in Spanish on "Avatar" click here: Download Lluis1.wav   Herreros translation: Download jordi1.wav  and Download jordi1a.wav .  Quilez on film festivals:Download lluis2.wav  and Herreros' translation: Download jordi2.wav

Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela is a Journey of Personal Discovery for Filmmaker

Picture one: Thomas Allen Harris greeting film goers at the Liberty Theatre in downtown Hamilton.  Picture two:  Harris at the Documentary Film Panel at the Front Room. (Photos by Mike Takeuchi).In the "Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela",  filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris finds more than he expected when setting out to re-trace the steps of his step-father, an ANC leader in the movement to eradicate Apartheid in South Africa.   To hear Harris speak of his film click here: Download Thomaspanel.wav   For more information on him, press the button to the right: http://chimpanzeeproductions.com/

*Note:  As someone who has viewed this film, what resonates with me most, is not the meticulous re-tracing of steps of the path of his father (which is incredible by the way), but the filmmaker's passion and care to make this a personal journey without putting himself in the forefront.  A solid, informative, and enlightening film. MT

Gems of the BIFF: "If There Were no Lutherans...Would There Still be Green Jello-0?"

Scene from "If There Were no Lutherans...Would There Still be Green Jello-o?"

Filmmaker Gayle Knutson at the BIFF (Photo by Mike Takeuchi)

  One film that had audiences chuckling throughout Bermuda was the short "If There Were No Lutherans...Would There Still be Green Jello-o?".    A hilarious look at a Lutheran minister's unique communications with those who drive by his church.  Including the title, messages like "Hell is hotter, but it's a dry heat" brighten the days of the passerby in a small Minnesota town. "If There..." is Knutson's second film at the BIFF.  Her first "Grandfather's Birthday" was a dramatic short.  To hear Knutson's comments on her film and film festivals, click here: Download Gayle.wav   To visit her film sites go to www.ChurchSignGuy.com and www.GrandfathersBirthday.com.

*Note: Fellow filmmaker Jeff Pearson ("Pirate Radio USA"), who is a stand-up comedian, said that she is "a natural comedic talent."  After meeting her, I have to agree.  MT

Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" Screens Tonight at the BIFF

With filmmakers Sam Dunn (left) and Scot McFayden in town for the screening of their film "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" at the Little Theatre, the noise level of Hamilton is about to be raised a few decibels.   Hear Scot talk about the film and Sam about film festivals by clicking the buttons below. (Photo by Mike Takeuchi) Download HeadbangerScot.wav Download HeadbangerSam.wav

Pirate Radio USA Makes its World Premiere in Bermuda

To a crowded and appreciative audience at the BUEI Tradewinds Auditorium, "Pirate Radio USA"  made it's world premiere at the Bermuda International Film Festival on Wednesday.  Preceded by the delightful short  by Gayle Knutson, "If there Were No Lutherans, Would There Still be Green Jello?"the film was introduced by the writer/director Jeff Person and producer Mary Jones.  More on "Pirate Radio USA" to come.  To hear Pearson (aka "DJ Him" give a synopsis of the film, click here: Download jeffpirate.wav  To hear Jones (aka "DJ Her") on the film festival experience, click here: Download PirateMary.wav

BTW, I caught this film at the premiere and thought it was wicked funny.

Documentary Panel Addresses the Facts

  Documentary filmmakers gathered at the Front Room to discuss their craft on Wednesday.  Thomas Allen Harris of "Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela", Jeff Pearson of "Pirate Radio USA", and Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen of "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey", were joined by BIFF juror and National Public Radio's Peter Rainer spoke of the genre in general and their specific films via questions from moderator and BIFF Deputy Director Duncan Hall.   Pictured left to right: Harris, Pearson, Hall, Dunn, McFadyen, and Rainer. (Photo by Mike Takeuchi)  Click here for a movie clip:Download usepanel.MOV

To hear comments by the filmmakers, please press buttons to the right of each statement.  Pearson on the political issue of his film: Download pirate_panel.wav   The trust and family issues Allen in his childhood that influenced to make his film: Download Thomaspanel.wav   Sam and Scot speak on the culture of Heavy Metal: Download metalpanel.wav   Rainer on documentaries: Download Peter.wav