Editor

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

There will be one program per day at each participating school with 15 students in each program taking place November 29th through December 3rd. Schools that have signed on in the past to participate in the Youth Film Workshop venture are CC. Sweeting, St. Andrews, Uriah McPhee, Queens College, Lyford Cay School, St. Annes and St. Bedes.

Commented Leslie Vanderpool, “The Bahamas International Film Festival continually strives to provide beneficial mentoring and education programs that open imaginations and introduce young Bahamians to an uninhibited world of creative filmmaking. The Youth Film Workshops have been a staple of the Festival for many years and have always delivered on their mission to inspire and educate. This year will feature another wonderful installment of the program and we encourage all Bahamians to participate and see for themselves what can be achieved through the power of film.”

Select workshops are open to the public on December 4th 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 2010 begins Wednesday, December 1st and runs through Sunday, December 5th. Tickets can be booked online, over the telephone, or in person at BIFF box offices by November 1st. Every year the Festival offers advance ticket deals from the date of Box opening to the first day of the Festival. For additional information please visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.