BIFF 2010 Jury Award Winners

Argentinean comedy “Music On Hold” directed by Hernán Goldfrid and American prison drama “Girls On the Wall” directed by Heather Ross lead the list of jury prize winners on the closing day of the annual Bermuda International Film Festival.

The five-member jury unanimously voted “Music on Hold” the festival’s best narrative film, and “Girls on the Wall,” the best documentary.

The prize for the best short film was split between “Dive” directed by Jeremy Seifert as best documentary short, and “Because There Are Things You Never Forget” directed by Lucas Figueroa as best narrative short.

The jury is made up of Bermudian freelance journalist, Tim Hodgson, Bermuda College professor Dr Sajni Tolaram, Stu VanAirsdale senior editor at Movieline, JoJo Dye marketing and public relations head at Ealing Studios, London, and Los Angeles-based film director, Jim Fall.

Speaking after their deliberations on Thursday, VanAirsdale said of the top documentary about female teenage prison inmates, “ ‘Girls on the Wall’ is a moving, unaffected portrait of young women under duress, struggling to reclaim their futures through the power of art. Not all will succeed, and that honestly – along with the promise of potential – makes for both gripping drama and outstanding nonfiction.”

Of the best feature winner Tim Hodgson said, “What can you expect when a boy with writers’ block meets a girl who’s nine months pregnant? This is an engaging, beautifully crafted romantic comedy.” In the film, professionally frustrated Ezequiel, calls his bank on business. When he is put on hold, the music he hears provides sudden inspiration. But things start to go a little haywire when he agrees to act as a substitute father of an unborn baby in order to help a pregnant bank employee.

The 45-minute documentary short, “Dive” brings to light the huge amount of food wasted by supermarkets. Filmmaker Jeremy Seifert dumpster dives in the gated garbage receptacles of Los Angeles supermarkets to find out what is really being thrown away. Dr. Tolaram describes this winner, saying, ”Dive is a mission from the heart to the stomach; it reminds us that food is for survival, not extravagance--and, that edible food, wherever it is, is not waste. “

The winning narrative short, “Because There Are Things You Never Forget,” is an Italian 13-minute film. Jim Fall praised it saying,” It was intricately and cleverly plotted, and full of biting irony.” The film tells the tale of an old woman who bursts a young boy’s new football and along with it his dreams, and the children who never forget.