The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) will continue its efforts to educate and inspire a new generation of filmmakers. The Festival announced today that it will be expanding its popular Youth Film Workshop during the fifth annual BIFF by partnering with schools throughout Nassau and integrating the workshops directly into classrooms. The announcement was made by BIFF Founder and Executive Director, Leslie Vanderpool.

The Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board and the British Colonial Hilton are sponsors of the Youth Film Workshops, which serve as an innovative children's mobile film studio creating a learning environment like none other. With the support of the Board, the Youth Film Workshops will take place in classrooms throughout Nassau to heighten awareness of the positive impact of media literacy.

There will be two programs per day at each participating school with 15 students in each program taking place Monday, December 8 through Thursday, December 11, 2008. Schools signed on to participate in the Youth Film Workshop venture are Queens Collge, St. Andrews, Uriah McPhee and Government High School.

Commented Leslie Vanderpool, “The Bahamas International Film Festival is committed to introducing young Bahamians to the magic of filmmaking through our Youth Film Workshops. Film is a great way for people to express themselves and through the filmmaking process, people at any age can develop a passion that ignites their inner creativity. The overwhelming response and success of last year's Youth Film Workshop showed us that students are truly excited by the filmmaking process and BIFF plans to provide every opportunity and platform to make filmmaking dreams a reality.”

The British Colonial Hilton will again host the weekend workshops prior to the school installments. The workshops at The British Colonial Hilton will carry the same format, and are open to the public Saturday, December 6, and Sunday, December 7, 2008 for $50.00.

The Youth Film Workshop is conducted by Never Too Short Productions, a group of professional filmmaking educators and instructors from Canada, who have worked countless hours to create, develop and implement specially designed workshops for kids. With the guidance of the Never Too Short professionals, participants will explore and experiment with the latest in digital technology, in an exciting, fast-paced, child-focused environment with the ultimate goal of developing media literacy, social networking and collaboration skills.

BIFF 2008 begins Thursday, December 4th and runs through Thursday, December 11. The full BIFF program is now available in print or online at www.bintlfilmfest.com Booking for the Bahamas International Film Festival 2008 is now open. Tickets can be booked online, over the telephone, or in person at BIFF box offices. Every year the Festival offers advance ticket deals from the date of Box opening to the first day of the Festival.