Editor

The Third Annual Turks & Caicos International Film Festival (TCIFF), which celebrates the fusion of cinema and music, announced its line-up of 28 films to screen October 16-21, 2007 in Providenciales. The Festival combines relaxing by the beach and screenings of new international films mixed with beloved music-driven classics, as well as events, panels, musical performances, and more on the tantalizing white sands of Turks & Caicos.
Commenting on this year’s line-up Festival Executive Director Jasmine Guy states, “We have some beautiful films this year! I have my favorites although I know I shouldn't sway the jury in any way. But assuming they won't read this, you have to see War/Dance, Guru and The Mentor.”
FILM SCREENINGS:
This year’s Festival will feature 6 features, 11 documentaries and 11 shorts, which includes 14 premieres (4 World, 8 Caribbean and 2 International). El Cantante (USA) will open the Festival on October 16, 2007 with an outdoor screening on the beach. The screening of the film will be preceeded by the short film Radiance (USA) directed by Rooth Tang. El Cantante directed by Leon Ichaso tells the dramatic life story of Hector Lavoe, who started the salsa movement in 1975. The film stars Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
Features screening at the Festival include the World Premiere of Lora (Hungary) directed by Gábor Herendi and the Caribbean Premieres of Guru (India) directed by Mani Ratnam, who will be receiving the Festival’s Sal Del Mar Director’s Excellence Award; The Hottest State (USA) directed by Ethan Hawke; Something the Lord Made (USA) and Summer Scars (UK) directed by Julian Richards.
Documentaries screening include the World Premiere of Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story (USA) and Jonathan Butler: Live in South Africa (South Africa); and the Caribbean Premieres of From Mambo to Hip Hop: A Bronx Tale (USA), Lalo Guerrero: The Original Chicano (USA), Screamers (UK) and War/Dance (USA/Uganda). Jamesie King of Scratch (US Virgin Islands); Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads (USA), Roots of Reggae: The Ernest Ranglin Story (USA), Sweet Honey in the Rock (USA) and The Godfather of Disco (USA) will also screen in the documentary category.
Shorts screening include the World Premiere of actress Victoria Rowell’s short The Mentor; the International Premieres of Keys (USA) and P.N.O.K. (USA); and the Caribbean Premiere of The World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band (USA). Spin (USA), The Little Gorilla (USA), The Price of Acorn (Canada) and Validation (USA) will also screen in the shorts category.

AWARDS PRESENTATION:
The Festival’s annual Sal Del Mar Awards Presentation on Saturday, October 20, 2007, hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Shaun Robinson will honor Amanda Bynes with the Rising Star Award, Mos Def with the Tour de Force Award, Marc Shaiman with the Composer’s Excellence Award and Mani Ratnam with the Director’s Excellence Award.
Festival jurors will review all the eligible films screening during the Festival and present awards in the following categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Documentary, Best Song and Best Score. This year’s jury includes Academy Award nominated actor Robert Forster, director Sanna Hamri and Eleonora Granata-Jenkinson, Producer & Programmer for the Venice Film Festival.
The Festival will host a series of activities for guests to participate in. A Film and Finance panel is scheduled on Thursday, October 18 and a Film and Music panel on Friday, October 19.
Concert performances and parties are planned each evening. The Festival will feature the Best of the Fest Sal Del Mar winners on Sunday, October 21 and close with “Shorts on the Beach,” a package of the Festival’s short films.
Festival passes are currently available online with Day Passes starting at $45, which includes four regular films per day and one panel discussion. Additional passes are available. The Festival also offers discount travel and hotel accommodations including the Festival’s official host hotel The Alexandra. For more information on passes, travel and a complete schedule of events, visit www.tciff.com.