Competition winners at the 8th Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) were revealed tonight at a packed awards ceremony held at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.

The competition categories at BIFF were Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Documentary; New Visions: First Look; and Short Film. Special sections included Caribbean and Environmental sidebars as well as a World Cinema showcase.

Competition winners were announced by their respective juries. Complete details on all films can be found at www.bintlfilmfest.com. BIFF 2011 winners are:

New Visions
RESTLESS CITY (USA) / Director: Andrew Dosunmu

First Look
Best Feature: AMOS (The Bahamas) / Director: Karen Arthur, Thomas Neuwirth

Best Short: FIVE BONES (The Bahamas) / Director: Tyler Johnston

*Honorable mention to TALL TALE OF AN ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (The Bahamas) / Director: Jason Evans

Spirit of Freedom: Narrative
VIPS (Brazil) / Director: Toniko Melo

*Honorable mention to BETTER MUS’ COME (Jamaica) / Director: Storm Saulter

Spirit of Freedom: Documentary
MARATHON BOY (USA/UK/India) / Director: Gemma Atwal

*Honorable mention to ZERO PERCENT (USA) / Director: Tim Skousen

Short Film
HOMECOMING (USA) / Director: Gursimran Sandhu

2011 BIFF Audience Awards
Best Narrative Feature: BETTER MUS’ COME (Jamaica) / Director: Storm Saulter

Best Documentary: ON THE WINGS OF MEN (USA/The Bahamas) / Director: Calvin Dwight Harris

The winning screenplay in BIFF’s Filmmakers’ Residency Program is Danea Cash’s screenplay MARCH ON. The Filmmakers’ Residency Program nurtures screenwriters by providing them with the opportunity to spend a full day with accomplished professionals who make a living working in the industry from Los Angeles and New York.

About the Bahamas International Film Festival

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the local community and international festival-goers with a diverse presentation of films from the Bahamas and around the world. In addition to showcasing films that might not otherwise be released theatrically, BIFF provides unique cultural experiences, educational programs, and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema. BIFF aims to raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout the Bahamas and the world.

Major Sponsors of the 2011 BIFF are; Ministry of Tourism, Atlantis, RBC Royal Bank,, The Nature Conservancy, Dolphin Encounters, Galleria Cinemas, The Tribune, Bahamas Weekly and CheapCaribbean.com