FLIFF on Location: Grand Bahama Island
FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama Island goes ahead despite weather conditions
By The Bahamas Weekly News Team
Oct 26, 2012 - 5:17:18 PM

Gregory Von Hausch, President/CEO, FLIFF welcomes the audience to FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama Island Take 2. Photo: Mackey Media Ltd/ The Bahamas Weekly

Freeport, Bahamas - Despite weather conditions affected by Hurricane Sandy, an excellent turnout resulted for opening night of FLIFF On Location: Grand Bahama Island. The originally planned outdoor screening moved indoors to the host site, the Canal House at Pelican Bay Hotel for the family movie, Sammy 2: Escape to Paradise which was thoroughly enjoyed by those that came out in the storm.

The festival was officially opened by the organizers, and Donvarcia Duncombe sang both the Bahamian and American national anthems after an opening prayer.

Prior to the start of the Sammy 2: Escape to Paradise, a prerecorded welcome message from filmmaker; Michael Sellers was played extolling the virtues of filming on Grand Bahama Island. Sellers filmed two movies on Grand Bahama Island; The Eye of The Dolphin and Beneath The Blue, both movies were shot primarily in the quaint waterfront settlement of Smith's Point
 
Gregory von Hausch gave remarks and members of tourism welcomed the visiting filmmakers who traveled over on Bahamas Celebration the evening before. Among the filmmakers present was American actor Giancarlo Esposito who received a Career Achievement award on Saturday evening. He was accompanied by his daughter Syr.
 
The highlight of the evening was the screening of this year's High School film category winner, "The Blame" written and directed by TiahJah Smith of Sunland Baptist Academy.

Synopsis - "To say that Tiahjah's life is hard would be an understatement. All teenagers should be vibrant, peppy and most of all having the time of their life with little things to worry about. However, not all are that privileged. She has been dealt the shorthand of the stick and it's  reaching its boiling point.  Whether it be problematic parents and torturous schoolmates Tiahjah has nowhere to turn. Can she be saved before its to late? Who is to blame? Watch and find out as your emotions are captivated and taken down an unfortunate path of an underprivileged girl trying to find her way in society."

Actors for "The Blame" included Patrice Johnson, Tawari Rodgers, Mia Rolle, Marsha Stubbs, Orenthal Newchurch, Tiahjah Smith, Delon Edgecombe, Theronique Cooper, Lanelle Curry, Georgina Moss, and D'Arj Laing. 

The festival continues with all films playing at Canal House. All the Bahamian films will screen on Saturday. Sammy 2 will screen at Port Lucaya on Sunday evening at 7pm.

All films, events and workshops are open to the public.

Three categories of tickets were available for the festival; a Day Pass, provided access to all movies in the given day priced at $7.00; a Fast Pass provided to all movies the entire weekend for $10.00; and the All Access Pass, which provided entrance to VIP functions, the workshop and all movies for $50.00.