The Barbados Independent Film Festival Gets Underway with its Eighth Season

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados January 8^th 2024 – 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,” said board member Sanna Allsopp “as well as being inclusive to all forms of storytelling. 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. Other Barbadian Films we look forward to sharing are I Stutter by Jomario Goddard, The Bride from Neil Hoyte; Do The Thang from Director Shakhouri Thompson, Abídákun: One Born to End All Future Births Directed by Makalah Harrison and Josiah Haynes; Stoic- Director, Tyquan Neblett.
 

Jomario Goddard

OPENING NIGHT, Wednesday January 16th at the Barbados Museum’s Walled Garden Theatre “That Great British Documentary” By Director Joan Joan. Prompted by the death of her father, filmmaker Joan Joan explores Britain’s colonial past, and the legacy, her dual black Caribbean and white British heritage, has had on her life. A heartbreaking, funny, timely, and thought-provoking examination of Britain’s attitude to race, told through the story of one woman’s journey of self-discovery.  A discussion with Joan Joan follows the film. Other visiting filmmakers include, Oriana NG (France) and Veialu Aila-Unsworth (New Zealand/USA).
 

Joan Joan

Oriana NG

Veialu Aila-Unsworth

BIFF continues in its mission to help develop the creative industries in Barbados and again will host industry related Master Classes geared to engage emerging and provide continued professional development of filmmakers in front the camera and behind the scenes.  Know your lights?” Saturday January 20th, 10am to 2pm led by the award-winning Film Grip and Gaffer Roger Moore.    Gary Swanson, Actor and renowned Acting Coach from the Actors’ Studio NY will be teaching 2 Acting workshops the festival finale weekend. An introduction of the Method Acting Approach on Saturday 1:30p.m. followed by an Actor’s Panel with Andrea Allan and Jazz Lintott, Black British Theatre Awardee from 4p.m. For the serious actor, Mr. Swanson will host an actors intensive on Sunday January 21 from 10am.   The ever-anticipated Shorts on the Beach – will close the festival on Sunday evening at the Southern Palm Hotel with 19 films from Barbadian filmmakers and shorts from around the world from 6pm. Bring your chairs and baskets!