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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Bahamas International Film Festival
“ La Soga” “Morenita” “Traces of the Trade” and “Gaining Ground” Take Home Top Prizes Nassau, Bahamas – Competition winners were announced on the evening of December 13th at the awards ceremony for the 6th Bahamas International Film Festival, held at the Balmoral Club in Nassau. The announcements were made by Festival Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool and BIFF jurors following a special career achievement event honoring Johnny Depp.
The Festival showcased
86 films from 26 different countries, including 38 features of which
several are world or international premieres and nearly all Bahamian
premieres. The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom:
Narrative; Spirit of Freedom: Documentary; New Vision; and Short Film.
Below are the official competition winners at this year’s Bahamas International Film Festival:
Spirit of Freedom:
Narrative
Spirit of Freedom: Documentary
Short Film
About the Winning Films:
Gaining Ground Germany Language: German Director: Marc Brummund Producer: Yildiz Özcan Screenwriter: Fabian Wiemker Principal Cast: Radik Golovkov Genre: Drama Short A young illegal immigrant couple spends their time furtively avoiding the German authorities, until the wellbeing of their young son dictates that they resolve their untenable situation.
La Soga Dominican Republic Language: Spanish, English Director: Josh Crook Producers: Josh Crook, Manny Perez Screenwriter: Manny Perez Principal Cast: Manny Perez, Denise Quinones, Paul Calderon, Juan Fernandez Genre: Action-Drama SF Narrative In a poor neighbourhood in Santiago, Dominican Republic, where the streets are run by “boomerang” drug dealers, a modest butcher struggles to raise his ten-year-old boy. After witnessing the murder of his father by a vicious New York criminal named Rafa, Luisito meets General Colon, head of the Dominican secret police. Colon preys on the boy's desire for revenge, transforming him into a heartless killer. Twenty years later, Luisito has risen to become Colon's top assassin, kept in control by the general's promise to deliver his father's killer. Into Luisito's hollow world comes Jenny, a childhood sweetheart. Unaware of his occupation, Jenny falls again for Luisito, and the tenderness she shows him rekindles his dormant conscience. Recrimination, guilt and fury bubble up until he is forced to risk his life in order to alter its path. In his first solo directorial effort, Josh Crook has worked cheek-by-jowl with writer-actor-producer Manny Perez to create a work of such poetic ferocity that much of its imagery will be stamped on the viewer forever. Inspired by true events, and made on location in the Dominican Republic for the price of a high-end German car, La Soga embodies everything that independent filmmaking should be about: passion instead of money, story instead of special effects, soul instead of spin.
Morenita Mexico Language: Spanish Director: Alan Jonsson Gavica Producer: Ozcar Ramirez Gonzalez Screenwriter: Alan Jonsson Gavica Principal Cast: Ignacio Lopez Tarso, Everado Arzate, Maya Zapata, Mario Almada, Dagoberto Gama, Ianis Guerrero Genre: Drama New Visions Desperate to save his family from death threats by a notorious drug dealer, Mateo Cruz steals the venerated image of the Virgin of Guadalupe causing pandemonium throughout Mexico.
Traces Of The Trade: A Story From The Deep North USA Language: English Directors: Katrina Browne, with Co-Directors Alla Kovgan and Jude Ray Producer: Katrina Browne and Alla Kovgan Screenwriters: Katrina Browne, with Co-Producers Juanita Brown and Elizabeth Delude-Dix Principal Cast: N/A Genre: Documentary SF Documentary Filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers her New England ancestors were the largest slave traders in US history. Traces of the Trade follows Browne and nine fellow DeWolf descendants as they travel from Rhode Island, to Ghana and Cuba on a trip that brings them face-to-face with the history and legacy of New England's hidden enterprise
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 & future of cinema. BIFF aims to raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout The Bahamas and the world. The full BIFF program is now available in print and online at www.bintlfilmfest.com . Tickets can be booked online, over the telephone, or in person at BIFF box offices. Every year the Festival offers advance ticket deals from the date of Box opening to the first day of the Festival.
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