Finalists Named for Beaufort International Film Festival 2017

BEAUFORT, S.C. - Dec. 14, 2016 - PRLog -- The Eleventh Annual Beaufort International Film Festival will host thousands of film lovers from around the world starting Feb. 15 and continuing to Feb 19 in the historic coastal town of Beaufort, SC. Considered one of the fastest growing film festivals in the southeast and named one of the top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World 2013 by MovieMaker Magazine, festival organizers are expecting their biggest crowds yet. BIFF 2016 established new attendance records with attendees coming from 37 states and 4 countries and more than 70 filmmakers from around the world in attendance.

Awards will be presented in the areas of Features, Documentaries, Short Films, Student Films, Screenplays, Animation, Comedy and Audience Choice. Also, winners will be named for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director.

In addition to the Category and Individual Awards, the inaugural Robert Smalls Merit & Achievement Award will be presented to trailblazing filmmaker Julie Dash. "This award has been created to be presented to that filmmaker whose body of work has served as a catalyst for groundbreaking discoveries and societal change. Julie Dash's accomplishments during the last quarter century certainly meet this criterion," stated Ron Tucker, President of the Beaufort Film Society. The award has been named after Beaufort native and Civil War hero Robert Smalls, who rose from a slave to a United States Congressman.

The Cohen Media Group recently announced the 25th anniversary restoration of director Julie Dash's landmark film "Daughters of the Dust." Casting a long legacy, "Daughters of the Dust" still resonates today, most recently as a major influence on Beyonce's video album "Lemonade." Restored (in conjunction with UCLA) for the first time with proper color grading overseen by cinematographer AJ Jafa, audiences will finally see the film exactly as Julie Dash intended. The restored film with be screened at the Beaufort International Film Festival on Saturday, February 18. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Julie Dash and others.

Filmmaker Brad Jayne will be presented with the "Behind the Scenes" Award for his notable accomplishments over the past 15 years, which include working closely with the South Carolina Film Commission's "Indie Grants" and "Young Filmmakers" Programs.

The 2017 Beaufort International Film Festival Finalists are as follows:

ANIMATION

FLYING
Directed by: Jacob Hood, Lawrence, KS

HOT CHOCOLATE
Directed by: Kim Nguyen, Los Angeles, CA

KULAK
Directed by: Isaac Phillips-London, Winston-Salem, NC

LE SOI
Directed by: Catherine Salisbury, Winston-Salem, NC

SPLASH
Directed by: Gavin Langford, Winston-Salem, NC

DOCUMENTARY

GARDENERS OF THE FOREST
Co-Directed by: Ceylan Carhoglu, Orange, CA

Co-Directed by: Nicole Jordan Webber, Orange, CA

LOVE BITE: LAURIE LIPTON AND HER DISTURBING BLACK & WHITE DRAWINGS
Directed by: James Scott, East Sussex, United Kingdom

ROBERT SHAW: MAN OF MANY VOICES
Co-Directed by: Peter Miller, New York, NY

Co-Directed by Pamela Roberts, Atlanta, GA

THE RED GRIFO
Directed by: Guy Smith, Hilton Head Island, SC

TRIGGER: THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF GUN VIOLENCE
Directed by: David Barnhart, Atlanta, GA

VOICES FROM VIETNAM: REFLECTING AT THE WALL
Co-Directed by: Ray Smith, Blythewood, SC

Co-Directed by: Andrew Smith, Blythewood, SC

FEATURE

ALMOST PARIS
Directed by: Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, Chicago, IL

BEN AND ARA
Directed by: Nnegest Likke, Los Angeles, CA

CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAIN
Directed by: Priscilla Anany, Staten Island, NY

FAMILY POSSESSIONS
Directed by: Tommy Faircloth, Columbia, SC

FARE
Directed by: Thomas Torrey, Fort Mill, SC

SATURN RETURNS
Directed by: Shawn Tolleson, Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA

SHORTS:

3000
Directed by: Antonis Tsonis, Athens, Greece

COMING TO TERMS
Directed by: David Bertran, Barcelona, Spain

IN A ROOM AT THE EDGE OF INFINITY
Directed by: Geoffrey Gunn, Greenville, SC

IN MEMORY
Directed by: Robert Kirbyson, Glendora, CA

MIA
Directed by: Felix Martiz, Los Angeles, CA

MY LUCHADOR
Directed by: Shea Sizemore, Charlotte, NC

RECONCILE
Directed by: Marcus Lucus, Boulder, CO

THE LAND OF EXODUS
Directed by: Skinner Myers, Los Angeles, CA

TWICE UPON A TIME
Directed by: Illiana Guibert, Wycoff, NJ

UNDER A STONE
Directed by: Bill Klayer, New York, NY

WE CAN'T DIE
Directed by: LuAnn Nicosia, Menifee, CA

STUDENT FILMS

AT EASE (Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah, GA )
Directed by: Jacob Kirby, Savannah, GA

BROKEN (University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC)
Directed by: Wren Culp, Winston-Salem, NC

ECHOES OF A NOTE (University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC)
Directed by: Chris Mathews, Winston-Salem, NC

ICARUS (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Tom Teller, Orange, CA

LONG JOHN (Rochester Institute of Tech. and Animation, Rochester, NY)
Directed by: Joe Bellavia, Rochester, NY

ONE DAY ON CARVER ST (Carolina Home Schooler, Conway, SC)
Directed by: Azure Allen, Conway, SC

RAJAM (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Amanda Renee Knox, Orange, CA

ROCKET (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Brenna Malloy, Orange, CA

SWIPE RIGHT (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Kendall Goldberg, Orange, CA

BEST COMEDY

IN A ROOM AT THE EDGE OF INFINITY (Short Film)

LONG JOHN (Student Film)

FAMILY POSSESSIONS (Feature Film)

SATURN RETURNS (Feature Film)

SWIPE RIGHT (Student Film)

THE WITCHING HOUR (Student Film)

WE CAN'T DIE (Short Film)

SCREENPLAY

AFRICAN CONNECTION
Written by: Marcia Chandler Rhea, Charleston, SC

BLOOD TRIGGER
Written by: Ron Podell, Laramie, WY

CLEAR BLUE SKY
Written by: Michael Brazda, Durham, NC

DEADLY COLORS
Written by: Margaret Ford Rogers and Dane Krogman, Charleston, SC

FIRST SPEAR
Written by: Jonathan Fear, London, United Kingdom

REACH FOR THE SKY
Written by: Eric Carlson, Williamsburg, VA

ROBERT SMALLS GREAT ESCAPE
Written by: Bernard Smith, Mandeville, LA

BEST ACTOR:

Adjetey Anang (Children of the Mountain - Feature Film)

Joseph Baird (Ben and Ara - Feature Film)

Wally Marzano-Lesnevich (Almost Paris - Feature Film)

Adam Lefevre (Almost Paris – Feature Film)

Thomas Torrey (Fare – Feature Film)

BEST ACTRESS

Constance Ejuma (Ben and Ara - Feature Film)

Stefi Garcia (Mia - Short Film)

Abigail Hawk (Almost Paris - Feature Film)

Rukiyat Masud (Children of the Mountain - Feature Film)

Lee Meriwether (In Memory - Short Film)

BEST DIRECTOR

Pricilla Anany (Children of the Mountain-Feature Film)

Domenica Cameron-Scorsese (Almost Paris– Feature Film)

Felix Martiz (Mia - Short Film)

Shawn Tolleson (Saturn Returns - Feature Film)

Thomas Torrey (Fare –Feature Film)

For more information about the 11th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival, visit beaufortfilmfestival.com. The festival is produced by the Beaufort Film Society.

The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry.