BIFF ‘Thrilled’ With Oscar Film Selections
The Bermuda International Film Festival [BIFF] executive team said they are “thrilled with this year’s Oscar nominations for the Best Live Action Short Film category as two of the films nominated were awarded the top shorts of the 20th BIFF Shorts Competition.
“Last year’s winning short was Watu Wote/All of Us and the runner-up was My Nephew Emmet.
Trailer for Watu Wote/All Of Us:
BIFF said, “Director Katja Benrath and Producer Tobias Rosen’s award-winning film Watu Wote/All of Us, based on a true story, was awarded the Best Short Narrative Short of 2017 at the 20th Oscar-qualifying Bermuda International Film Festival last May.
“The film depicts the decade-long conflict in Kenya as it is targeted by terrorist attacks of the Al-Shabaab. An atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust between Muslims and Christians grows until Muslim bus passengers protect a Christian woman to show that solidarity can prevail.
“BIFF was one of the first festivals to award this film and since last year’s showing at BIFF 2017, Watu Wote has gone on to win awards at more than 40 prestigious film festivals around the world – including the Gold Student Academy Award. This year, Katja Benrath is the only female director in the Live-Action Short Film category for the Academy Awards.
Trailer for My Nephew Emmett:
“Director Kevin Wilson Jr’s film, My Nephew Emmett, was the runner-up at BIFF 2017. Based on real events, the film is set in Jim Crow Mississippi, where a 64-year-old preacher struggles to protect his 14-year-old nephew, Emmett Till from two racist killers out for blood. In the Fall of 2017, Emmett also won a Gold Medal at the Student Academy Awards in the Narrative Domestic Category.
“This year, BIFF is shaping up to be a plethora of a variety of gem films for great viewing for the public. This year saw 621 submissions competing for the Best Short Narrative Film at the Oscar-qualifying Bermuda International Film Festival.
“Also eight films for BerMovie day which are short films that have been made by Bermudians or feature Bermuda in some shape or form. Pre-screeners have had a huge task to choose their top 46 films short films which will be on offer for the public to see on March 17th-24th. This year’s feature films for the festival are being finalized to highlight Women in Film”.
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