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Last Updated: Dec 29, 2011 - 2:18:31 AM |
Freeport, Bahamas - The Ministry of Tourism &
Aviation, in conjunction with the Ft. Lauderdale International Film
Festival (FLIFF) recently announced
‘FLIFF On-Location: Grand Bahama Island’
an offshore
component of FLIFF to be held on Grand Bahama Island,
October 27th
– 30th, 2011.
Craig Woods, Film Commissioner for The
Bahamas and Gregory
Von Hausch, President/CEO, FLIFF made a special trip to the island on
Monday,
July 18th, to look at the proposed layout of the festival, attend
planning meetings, and announce festival particulars and information to
the local media at a press conference.
The Bahamas
Weekly is pleased to present video coverage of the press conference
where you will learn about this exciting event by hearing
from
Craig Woods, Bahamas Film Commissioner,
Betty Bethel,
Ministry of Tourism;
Ministry of Tourism;
Greg Von Hausch, CEO/President, FLIFF;
Donna
Mackey, Bahamas Film Commission Grand Bahama; and Jackie
Dack, Grand Bahama Youth Film Competition Committee representative.
The
main location for the festival will be at the state-of-the-art Canal
House conference facility of the Pelican Bay Hotel, with a few outdoor
screenings planned. One screening is confirmed for Taino Beach / Smith's
Point, which is often a favourite shooting location for many films.
Screenings and parties will be at reasonable cost to encourage participation from locals and visitors alike.
Guests of Pelican Bay Hotel will receive a Fast Pass to festival events and screenings.
The festival will offer familiarization trips for visiting producers
and directors to showcase Grand Bahama Island as a future filming
location.There will be workshops in film, including one on underwater
cinematography with world renown Paul Mockler.
The festival promises
to showcase films from Bahamian filmmakers as well, and well-known
award-winning Bahamian director, Kareem Mortimer will also be leading a
workshop.
Organizers have sent out a call for films and
are eager to receive Bahamian films, according to Ministry of Tourism
officials. Information on FLIFF
and film submissions
can be obtained at www.fliff.com.
Film
submissions are still being accepted through
August 30th, 2011. Submit films via megaupload.com, rapidshare.com, sendspace.com, and wetransfer.com to address FLIFF@Bahamas.com. More information can be obtained through email at Dmackey@bahamas.com or via the Bahamas Film Commission: Grand Bahama's
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GBIFilm
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Mr.
Von Hausch expressed his excitement for the upcoming expansion of FLIFF
and thanked those that have been working diligently to make it happen.
The idea was sparked after he reached out to Grand Bahama Ministry of
Tourism last year when they jointly screened
Into the Blue, a film shot in Grand Bahama, at the Regency Theatre in Freeport.
Members of the Ministry of Tourism on the conference panel shared
similar sentiments and agreed that the festival would most certainly
bring further exposure to filming in Grand Bahama Island. It should be
noted that the island received an injection of $43,000,000 into the
local economy during the shooting of Disney's
Pirates of the Caribbean II and III.
A film festival will no doubt bring further exposure to the island, and
should entice more filmmakers to shoot at the destination.
Jackie Dack, a representative from the Grand Bahama Youth Film
Competition Committee gave details on a contest already underway for
youth ages 12 to 18 years who will have a chance to have their short
film screened not only at FLIFF on Location, but the winner will be
flown to Fort Lauderdale to attend, and have their short screened there
as well. Details are on their Facebook page "Grand Bahama Youth Film Competition"
or information can be found on The Bahamas Weekly. Deadline for youth
entries is August 1st, 2011 and the film must be 5 minutes or less. The
theme is "A Conversation in Grand Bahama".
The
festival will culminate with a gala party on the evening of Saturday,
October 29th and a Filmmakers Brunch and Awards Ceremony on Sunday,
October the 30th.
Opening night gala, a wrap up party, 13 films, a Bahamian film
segment,
and visiting celebrity details will be announced at a later date.
Sponsors for
FLIFF On-Location: Grand Bahama Island
are the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, Pelican Bay Hotel, Bahamas Celebration, and The Bahamas Weekly.
© Copyright 2011 by thebahamasweekly.com
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