Nassau, Bahamas – The Wyndham Resort Hotel and Crystal Palace Casino will open its doors for this inaugural film festival that will showcase over 65 films from around the world including premieres, special screenings, independent features. The Festival will also include panel discussions and seminars. The Bahamas One World Film Festival offers attendees the opportunity to experience the culture, beautiful landscape and aquamarine waters of the Bahamian Islands while rubbing elbows with the film and television industry’s prominent leaders, movers and shakers.
This film festival has been a year in the making and I hope it will allow many filmmakers to get the exposure that they deserve,” says festival founder Monica R. Cooper. “We’re excited to be bringing this annual film festival to Nassau, a beautiful location for filming and fun. Equally as important, we want to expose the various industry professionals to the amenities of the Bahamas for film making while sensitizing Bahamians to what the industry will require locally to make the Bahamas more attractive for film production. Additionally, local filmmakers will have the opportunity to gain exposure as well as network with key persons in the film industry.”
Film festivals give independent filmmakers a platform to screen completed work for film acquisition and distribution to companies such as Regent Entertainment, Miramax films, Lions Gate, Artisan Entertainment, and Chris Blackwell’s Palm Pictures, who will be honored in this years Festival.
Many directors make history as part of film festivals, and Actor/Producer/Director Mario Van Peebles can attest to this. Mr. Van Peebles, who is scheduled to attend the festival, recently screened his film “How To Get The Man’s Foot Outta your $$” at the Toronto Film Festival. The film screened to a sold out house, made a big splash, and has since received theatrical distribution from Sony Pictures. Mr. Van Peebles will also screen the “Making Of” his latest film. Directors John Singleton (Boyz In The Hood, 2 Fast 2 Furious) and Ernest Dickerson will lead a panel
Additional panels and seminars include; Marketing and Distributing Independent Films, Keep It Independent: Indie Filmmakers Tell Their War Stories, Music and Film: The Present and Future Embrace w/Tony Smith, Creativity Verses The Box Office. Choosing The “Right” Project w/Preston Holmes (Producer), Meet The Script Dr., and 24P Experience: The Making of “Stonecutter” w/Director Daniel Zirilli and Director of Photography Neal Fredricks. DP for Blair Witch Project.
The festival will also showcase music videos. Top music video directors Chris Robinson and Erik White will be present to discuss where music videos have come and how they gor their start. They screen their latest music video projects. Erik White will also be giving audiences a behind-the-scenes peek at his latest works with LL Cool J, P. Diddy, and others. The pair will be participating in a panel discussion of music videos.
In addition to film screenings and workshops, other BOWFF festival highlights include the One World Celebrity Golf Tournament, in Association with The Bahamas Golf Association, benefiting breast cancer research and awareness; the Opening Night Gala to be held at our host hotel, the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino, The One World Film Society’s Visionary Excellence Award honoring leaders in the film art industry. The Distributors Vision Award applauds the company’s singular vision and commitment to film as an art form. Additionally, there will be an Audience Award that is decided by viewers in the Independent Focus competition.
The Bahamas One World Film Festival is open to the public. Tickets and festival passes are available beginning November 7th at the Wyndham. Festival passes can also be purchased on the festival website, www.bahamasfilmfestival.com.
The One World Film and Television Society kicked off this road to the festival with a bi-monthly filmmakers weekend and world premiere screening of 2 Fast 2 Furious, attended by its director John Singleton, who is also an advisory board member to the festival. The “filmmakers weekends” will resume again in January 2004 with a premiere screening of Gas starring Tyson Beckford and Flex Alexander
