Film Festival Tourism At Bahamas FF 2012

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Wednesday, 31 October 2012 20:13

Written by Claus Mueller

Over the last decade, cultural tourism has developed as a significant part of upper and middle class leisure interests. The consumption of soft cultural products -- visual arts and film -- has become an integral part of their lifestyle. And film festival tourism has emerged as a niche element of cultural tourism. If film fests meet specific conditions, they appeal to both cultural tourists and film professionals.

Ideal conditions for such a boost include:

• quality programs
• manageable size
• interaction with filmmakers
• an attractive location
• upscale hotel accommodations
• restaurants and other cultural attractions

Among the few festivals that meet all of these criteria the ones held in Newport, Telluride, San Miguel de Allende, The Hamptons and the Bahamas top the list.

Like other film festivals in the Caribbean, the Bahamas International Film Festival offers an "exotic" location. An ideal cultural tourist destination, it has become more attractive given its intimacy, programming, lodging arrangements and quality of participants and celebrities. Most appealing is the new island hopping opportunity that starts this year.

The main program -- scheduled from December 6 - 9, 2012 at the Atlantis Hotel on Paradise Island and other island venues -- presents more than 50 productions. It will continue with the inaugural Best of the Fest Eleuthera selection from December 10 - 14, 2012, at Harbour Island and Governor’s Harbour, respectively.

BIFF’s Best of Fest runs five days, showcasing a diverse range of films which includes international and regional productions. Like the schedule on Paradise Island and Nassau, the Best of the Fest program includes a number of educational seminars and forums introducing the audience to the past, present and future of cinema. Highlights of the festival are the Opening and Closing Night Film and island receptions.

BIFF was launched by Leslie Vanderpool in 2004 to bring international films to the Bahamas, create a cine-literate arts community and attract local and foreign audiences. The Festival has since grown and drawn celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Alan Arkin, Sir Sean Connery, Nicholas Cage, Roger Corman, Sophie Okonedo, Naomie Harris and Zoe Kravitz. Among this year's confirmed celebrities are Anika Poitier and Sal Masakela, with others on the proposed guest list.

The Festival was identified last June by Hillary Clinton as contributing through its program to the fight against discrimination. It has also been frequently featured in the US and world press. Among films selected for the 2012 BIFF program are:

• A.L.F. -- director Jerome Lescure, France
• Apartment in Athens -- director Ruggero Dipaola, Italy
• Between Friends --director M. Omari Jackson, Trinidad & Tobago
• Jackson -- directors Karen Arthur & Thomas Neuwirth, Bahamas / USA
• Dead Man’s Burden -- director Jared Moshe, USA
• Meherjaan -- director Rubaiyat Hossain, Bangladesh

Several of the festival’s partners provide discounts to festival participants. They include, but are not restricted to:

• Bahamas Air for flights from Florida
• Breezes Bahamas resort on Nassau with special promotional rates
• Coral Sands Resort on Harbour Island offering a 40% reduction on room rates
• Pine Apple Fields resort on Governor’s Harbor, Eleuthera with a 20% saving

In addition, rather than offer specific festival deals, Atlantis Paradise Island offers numerous packages customized to meet the specific needs of visitors. Atlantis’s support for the festival reflects the recognition that its programs benefit local filmmakers while also attracting the world to the Bahamas.

Atlantis is the host of the Opening Night Film, Quartet, directed by Dustin Hoffman, and the Closing Night Film, The Sapphires, directed by Wayne Blair; it offers rooms for film directors as well as other services.

Other partners on Nassau include Sheraton and Coldwell Banker / Lightbourn Reality.

If purchased before November 5th, an individual all-access pass costs $250, allowing participation in all screenings, seminars, receptions and other events. After that date there is a $500 charge.

Guests from out of town with the all-access festival pass can participate in the screenings and events at Harbour Island and Governor’s Harbour, but should refer to this article.

Booking procedures and additional information are listed on the travel information page of the Festival’s website: http://www.bintlfilmfest.com/

[For additional information please consult the festival’s website or refer comments or questions to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .]

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