THE BARBADOS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (BIFF)
ANNOUNCES 2007 AWARD WINNERS

Epic Drama PARTITION Garners Three Awards

The inaugural Barbados International Film Festival was held December 5th - 9th 2007, in Barbados, West Indies.  On the evening of December 8, the 2007 Festival Award winners were announced at the world-class luxury resort, Royal Westmoreland, St. James, Barbados.

PARTITION garnered three awards including the festival's highest award the Golden Trident for Best Film, Best Director (Vic Sarin), and the Audience Choice Award.  The film, which stars Jimi Mistry, Kristin Kreuk and Neve Campbell, was written and directed by Vic Sarin.  An epic tale set during the partition of India and Pakistan in the 1940s, the film follows two lives that are brought together in a profound and sweeping story that reveals the tenderness of the human heart in the most violent of times.  The story resonates today with its strong message of tolerance.

Best Documentary went to Andy Abraham Wilson's MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA. The film, shot like a thriller, captivates the viewer from the first moment. The true story of the cold-blooded murder of a young mother stirs up fear and talk of divine and vigilante justice on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. “An eye for an eye … and a tooth for a tooth,” originating in ancient Mesopotamia, takes on modern-day meaning in a forgotten village of the same name.

Best Short was won by Matvei Zhivov's PISMO (THE LETTER), a film that takes us back to the horrors of WWII. With a powerful underlying theme of the frailty of the human condition, the short highlights a wounded Russian soldier who puts his wife to an emotional test, with a result he did not anticipate.

International Jurors at the Gala Awards:  From Left Ms. Judy  Gladstone, Neil Edwards, David Bryan (Executive Director), Piedad  Placois and Sean Russell on the right.

Best Actress was won by Mamatha Bhukya in VANAJA (India), directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli. Her performance displayed a challenging range of emotions illustrating the harsh realities of the caste system in India. Set in rural South India, a place where social barriers are built stronger than ancient fort walls, the film explores the chasm that divides classes as a young girl struggles to come of age.

Best Actor was awarded to SARBANE'S-OXLEY'S (USA) Shane Taylor. Written and directed by Ramcess Jean-Louis, the lead character displays the contradictions of human nature. His role revolves around being an ambitious attorney who must grapple with his inner conscience and the invisible forces of corruption surrounding him,while dealing with the equally challenging and deceptive forces taking hold in his sordid love life.

The Grand Jury made special mention of the documentary films SALUD! (Cuba), directed by Connie Field, and Khashyar Darvich's DALAI LAMAI RENAISSANCE (USA), for their respective vital messages of the rights of all to universal health care and the urgent need for communication to resolve the challenges facing our world today.

BIFF Founder and Executive Director David Bryan comments,"Our inaugural festival was a tremendous success. The response from the international film community was incredible. The quality and diversity of the 40 features, documentaries and shorts that screened at the festival exceeded our highest expectations. The intimate Q&A sessions with filmmakers were a highlight of the festival, and we are looking forward to 2008, as we continue to discover and honor works by filmmakers that embody the imagination, boldness and fresh spirit of independent film."

Barbados International Film Festival Winners & Awards 2007