6 days of fantastic Cinema from across the Globe

The Barbados Independent Film Festival is set for six days of fantastic Cinema from across the Globe. Under the theme, Bim Film for Change, the highly anticipated eighth festival of cinema, with record entries, continues to showcase stories of human adversity from January 15 to 21, 2024.

“We are telling our own stories and seeing ourselves represented in film in a very special way,” BIFF co-founder Sir Trevor Carmichael stated. “Our film selection for this festival is change-making and echoes our mission statement of resilience and our capacity to overcome adversity. Our new board headed by festival director De Carla Applewhaite is forging an exciting new path forward.”

“BIFF continues to provide an important platform for the pressing issues of our time, from sociocultural to environmental issues, by listening to those most affected as well as being inclusive to all forms of storytelling,” said board member Sanna Allsopp. “Barbados is the space where these discussions are taking place.”

As the festival contributes to the development of and providing the platform for international and Barbadian filmmakers, festival goers can look forward to the new BIFF Collaboration Grant film When Kites Fly by awardee Keya Bartlett and consultant director Kwame Lestrade nightly.

What to look forward to!

OPENING NIGHT, Wednesday, January 16th at the Barbados Museum’s Walled Garden Theatre – That Great British Documentary, by director Joan Joan.

CINE CUISINE, with Slow Food Barbados (SFB) on Thursday, January 18th, at Haymans Market, St Peter. It’s dinner and a movie. Patrons can look forward to the Australian short film Just Beneath the Surface by director Jimmy John Thaiday, followed by a discussion with filmmakers and local food heroes. Food and drinks will be on sale from your favourite eatery.

BIFF 2024 will hold its RED CARPET GALA for the first time on a Saturday, January 20th, with the Gala film, Invisible Beauty from directors Bethann Hardison/Frédéric Tcheng. The film is about pioneering Black model, Bethann Hardison, modeling agent and activist, shining a light on an untold chapter in the fight for racial diversity in fashion. The gala will feature Barbadian designers and jewelry makers on show such as Shanika Burnett, Catherine Rocheford and Rhaj Paul, to name a few, and musical performances from Kweku Jelani and Jazaria Callender on the red carpet!

BIFF continues in its mission to help develop the film sector in Barbados and again will host industryrelated Master Classes geared to engage emerging filmmakers and provide continued professional development of filmmakers in front the camera and behind the scenes. These include:

Know your lights? on Saturday, January 20, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. led by award-winning film grip and gaffer Roger Moore.

An introduction of the Method Acting Approach on Saturday, January 20, 1:30 p.m. followed by an Actor’s Panel with Gary Swanson, Andrea Allan and NALA. Gary Swanson, actor and renowned acting coach from the Actors’ Studio NY will be teaching in both acting workshops during the festival finale weekend.

For the serious actor, Swanson will host an actors intensive on Sunday, January 21, from 10 a.m.

The ever-anticipated Shorts on the Beach will close the festival on Sunday, January 21, starting at 6 p.m. at the Southern Palms Hotel with 19 films from around the world. Bring your chairs and baskets!

With the exception of the gala evening, food and drink will be available for purchase.

Tickets and information for all the festival events are available through the festival website www. barbadosfilmfest.org, www.ticketpalcaribbean. com and TicketPal Caribbean Box Offices islandwide.

For further information please contact info@ barbadosfilmfest.org