Alan Arkan holds his BIFF’s signature ‘wooden fish’ career achievement award on stage which was presented to him by young actress, Abigail Breslin. Far right is BIFF founder, Leslie Vanderpool. Photo: The Bahamas Weekly
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Paradise Island, The Bahamas - A thrilled audience was treated to a extraordinary event on Saturday night at the Atlantis
Theater where Academy Award® winner Alan Arkin (
Little Miss Sunshine)
received with The Bahamas International Film Festival’s Career
Achievement Award, which was presented to him by Academy Award®
nominated actress (and his
Little Miss Sunshine co-star) Abigail Breslin.
Excitement was palpable as the tribute ceremony
unfolded to a capacity crowd gathered to see one of the finest actors of
our time. The evening’s events kicked off with special remarks from
BIFF
Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool. Soon after, the
audience was introduced to Abigail Breslin who was invited on stage to
present BIFF’s signature ‘wooden fish’ career achievement award to a
humble Arkin.
Spectators were shown a dynamic highlight reel
showcasing Arkin’s five decade long career in show business. What
followed was an amazing one-on-one conversation on stage with Arkin and
notable movie
personality and critic Jeffrey Lyons (host of the TV show “
Lyons Den”). The moderated conversation covered a vast array of topics surrounding Alan Arkins illustrious career.
Critic Jeffrey Lyons (host of the TV show “Lyons Den”)in a one on one conversation with Alan Arkin at the 2010 Bahamas International Film Festival Photo: The Bahamas Weekly
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At the conclusion of the ceremony, people made
their way to Nobu restaurant to enjoy a festive dinner with Arkin, event
sponsors, and special Film Festival guests.
A beloved stage and screen star, Alan Arkin is known to many moviegoers for his memorable roles in timeless comedies such as
Edward Scissorhands,
Little Miss Sunshine
and
The In Laws,
Arkin began
his career with the Second City improvisational troupe in Chicago and
from there moved on to Broadway. He won a Tony for his first stage role
-- the lead
in the Broadway version of Carl Reiner's
Enter Laughing. He received an Oscar® nomination for his first movie role -- as a Soviet sailor in the film farce
The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! in 1966.
Arkin then turned in memorable dramatic performances on screen, terrorizing Audrey Hepburn in the 1967 thriller
Wait Until Dark and earning another Oscar® nomination as the lead in the 1968 film version of the Carson McCullers novel
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. He led the all-star cast of the Hollywood
Catch-22 (1970, based on the bestseller by Joseph Heller), but
during the 1970s he was a popular leading and supporting player in
comedies, including
Freebie and the Bean (with James Caan),
Hearts of the West (with Jeff Bridges) and
The In-Laws. After several more movie roles the 1980’s, Arkin
started off the '90s with a memorable performance as the unruffled dad
who helps Johnny Depp in
Edward Scissorhands directed by Tim Burton. Frequently cast in broad comedic roles, Arkin also appeared in the dramatic ensemble piece
Glengarry Glen Ross (with Alec Baldwin) and the film version of Kurt Vonnegut's
Mother Night starring Nick Nolte.
Bahamian artist Jamaal Rolle presents a portrait drawing to Mr. Arkin Photo: The Bahamas Weekly
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Over the years Arkin has directed eight
plays on Broadway and a handful of feature films, and he has published
several children's books, including
The Lemming Condition,
which is placed in the White House Library and selling steadily for 30 years. Others include
Some Fine Grampa!
and
Tony's Hard Work Day.
Arkin will be releasing a memoir in March 2011, entitled "An Improvised Life," published by DaCapo Press.
His recent films include
Grosse Pointe Blank starring John Cusack,
Get Smart
,
Sunshine Cleaning, and
City Island
and
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing with Matthew McConaughey.
Arkin has just finished an appearance in the new
Muppet Movie and plays Ryan Reynolds’ father in the upcoming film
Change Up.
Arkin received his third Oscar®
nomination in 2007, and this time won the Academy Award® as best
supporting actor, for his performance as the drug-addicted,
sharp-tongued grandfather in
Little Miss Sunshine.
BIFF’s coveted Career Achievement
Tribute honors an actor or actress whose work has had a major impact and
advanced the frontiers of cinematic
artistry around the world. Past recipients include multiple Academy
Award® nominee Johnny Depp, Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage, Academy
Award® nominee Laurence Fishburne, critically acclaimed actress Daryl
Hannah and the esteemed Roger Corman.
Entering just its seventh year, the Bahamas International
Film Festival has established itself as a marquee international
Festival in the Caribbean region, discovering and promoting independent
voices and talent from around the world and showcasing
a diverse array of international films.
The Festival will conclude on Sunday, December 5th with the highly anticipated screening of the Oscar® contending, critically acclaimed period drama “The King’s Speech.”
Based on the true story of the Queen of
England's father and his remarkable friendship with maverick Australian
speech therapist Lionel Logue “The King's Speech” stars Academy Award®
nominee
Colin Firth as King George VI, who unexpectedly becomes King when his
brother Edward abdicates the throne. Academy Award® Winner Geoffrey Rush
stars as Logue, the man who helps the King find a voice with which to
lead the nation into war.
The multi-award-winning cast includes
Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Guy Pearce,
Derek Jacobi, Timothy Spall, and Michael Gambon. The film is directed by
Tom
Hooper from a screenplay by David Seidler.
About the Bahamas International Film Festival
The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a
nonprofit organization committed to providing the local community and
international festival-goers with a diverse presentation of films from
the
Bahamas and around the world. In addition to showcasing films that
might not otherwise be released theatrically, BIFF provides unique
cultural experiences, educational programs, and forums for exploring the
past, present and future of cinema. BIFF aims to
raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout
the Bahamas and the world.
Key Sponsors of the 2010 BIFF are; Ministry of
Tourism, Atlantis, Dolphin Encounters, The Nature Conservancy, Galleria
Cinema JFK, Green Parrot Nassau, Starbucks, Ministry of Culture, Post
Boxes
Etc., Custom Computers, RIU Hotel, Old Fort Bay Club, Security Systems
International, Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute, Bahamas Tourism
Channel, American Airlines, Bahamas Air, Spirit Airlines, The Tribune,
Bahamas Local, Bahamas Weekly and many more.
The Bahamas Weekly wishes to thank their sponsors
who have helped make this trip possible:
SkyBahamas Airlines
Thayers Natural Remedies
Thayers®
Vocal Power Pack
Trusted by thespians. tenors, tour guides
and other types who trill, talk and testify. THAYERS® Slippery Elm
Lozenges and THAYERS® Dry Mouth Sprays have been providing relief for
sore throats since 1847. Some of our better known customers are Sting,
Justin Timberlake, Mavis Staples, Dane Cook, Ozzy Osbourne, Rob
Thomas,India Arie,
and Queen Latifa
Ms. Whachell's outfit provided by Bandolera Fashions in Grand Bahama
