The Tiburon International Film Festival (TIFF), founded in 2001, has just completed another very successful 9-day event in Tiburon. Tiburon, California is just north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge in beautiful Marin County. This year’s Festival was the 6th Annual Film Festival to be held in Tiburon. More than 3,000 films were submitted for consideration in 2007 with 250 independent films selected for the Festival from 90 countries.

The rich and varied Special Programs this year included Short Films from Pixar Animation Studios, Independent Filmmaker Animations, Spotlight on Tunisian Cinema, Cinema for the Ages, Music & Dance, War Films, a Salute to Native Americans, All About Sports and an annual tradition of the Marin Filmmakers latest films.

The 2007 Festival included a special Tribute to Mark Rydell, Academy Award® nominated Director for his film On Golden Pond. This year Mr. Rydell presented the West Coast Premiere of his newest film, Even Money. Even Money starring Kim Basinger, Forest Whitaker, Danny DeVito, Kelsey Grammer, Nick Cannon, Ray Liotta, Jay Mohr, Cassandra Hepburn and Tim Roth was shown to a “Sold-Out” crowd.

Tributes for 2007 included John Ford, considered one of the best directors of all time. Best known for his Westerns, he made dozens of films in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Tiburon International Film Festival was proud to honor his memory with a life and work documentary titled Directed By John Ford.

Marcello Mastroianni, Academy Award® nominated Italian film actor, was also presented with a special Tribute at the 2007 Film Festival. A highlight of the Festival was a documentary about Mastroianni’s life titled, Marcello: A Sweet Life. The film included interviews with Mastroianni, excerpts from many of his films, and testimonies from his daughters, actors and directors, and others who were close to him.

French Film Pioneers, the Lumiere Brothers who created the cinematographe, were honored with a presentation of the film Lumiere & Company. Georges Melies was honored with a presentation of his film, A Trip to the Moon, a film made in 1902. This Melies film was among the very first science fiction films. These three French Film Pioneers led the way in creating the film industry we know today.

A highlights of this year’s Festival was a special seminar titled “Scriptwriting and Independent Filmmakers” that was open to all interested filmmakers and film buffs. The discussion panel included three top independent filmmakers: Irving Saraf, Allie Light and Matt Hader. Saraf and Light are recipients of the 1991 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature and Mr. Hader, an accomplished screenwriter and producer, is on the American Screenwriters Board of Directors.

The venues for this year’s films were the Main Street Playhouse Theater and the Corinthian Yacht Club in beautiful downtown Tiburon. A special Meet the Filmmakers Party at the Lodge at Tiburon gave the public an opportunity to mix and mingle with filmmakers from all over the world. The Opening Night Gala and the Closing Night Celebration and Awards Ceremony were both held at the Corinthian Yacht Club Ballroom overlooking the Bay with beautiful starlit views of the San Francisco skyline. Live music, entertainment, dancing, food and libations made both nights memorable.

In addition to the nine-day Festival of 250 films from 90 countries, the Festival Office works year-round to bring films to the northern California communities through the Tiburon Film Society. Films are presented every month at the Bay Club Marin, located in Corte Madera, and at the Bay Model in Sausalito. A complete schedule of the latest locations, show times and films is on the TIFF website (www.TiburonFilmFestival.com).

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Winners of the 2007 Golden Reel Award

Best Film: A White Ballad, Directed by: Stefano Odoardi (Italy)
Best Director: István Szabó, for: Relatives (Hungary)
Best Actor: Janne Virtanen, for: Frozen City (Finland)
Best Actress: Céline Bonnier, for: Forgive Me (Canada)
Best Documentary: The Sermons of Sister Jane, Directed by: Irving Saraf, Allie Light, Carol Monpere (US)
Humanitarian Award: Rwanda. Through Us, Humanity...(Directed by: Marie-France Collard) [Belgium]
Best Musical Documentary: Si Sos Brujo: A Tango Story, Directed by: Caroline Neal (Argentine)
Best Short: Hero by Nature, Directed by: Roger Cantin (Canada)
Best Music Video: King Without a Crown, Directed by: P.R. Brown (US)
Best Animation: Temerario, Directed by: Carl Zitelmann (UK)
Best Sports Film: Peel: The Peru Project, Directed by: Wes Brown & T.J. Barrack
Federico Fellini Award: Brigit Moller, for: Valerie (Germany)
Orson Wells Award: Janghun Troy Choi, for; Blind Love (US)
Best Experimental Film: Quio: So Dazed, Directed by: Christine Lang (Germany)
Best Student Film: 365 Boots on Ground, Directed by: KC Wayland (US)
Best Comedy: Romeo and Juliet Get Married, Directed by: Bruno Barreto (Brazil)
Best Children’s Film: The Tillamook Treasure, Directed by: Jane Beaumont Hall (US)