Finalists for the 14th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival Announced

The 14th annual Beaufort International Film Festival will host thousands of film lovers from around the world starting February 18 and continuing to February 23 in the historic coastal town of Beaufort, SC. Considered one of the fastest growing film festivals in the southeast and a top 100 best reviewed film festival in the world according to FilmFreeway, festival organizers are expecting their biggest crowds yet. BIFF 2019 established new attendance records with attendees coming from 33 states and 6 countries and more than 90 filmmakers from around the world in attendance. More than 16,000 people took part in some or all of the festival.

BIFF 2020 will again be a six day festival with awards being presented in the areas of features, documentaries (feature and short), short films, student films, screenplays, animation, comedy and audience choice. Also, winners will be named for best actor, best actress, and best director.

In addition to the category and individual awards, South Carolina based Cinematographer/Gaffer John Reynolds will be presented the prestigious “Behind-The-Scenes Award for her notable accomplishments over the past 20 years in the film and television industries. Sponsored by Edie Smith and Eugene Rugala.

BIFF 2020 will also present the Susan A.K. ShafferHumanitarian Award to the filmmaker whose work best exemplifies the need for positive social, cultural and/or environmental change in our time. This award transcends category and genre. Sponsored by Mark Shaffer and Nevermore Books.

The 2020 Beaufort International Film Festival Finalists are as follows:

Animation

Misguided
Directed by: Sean Kim, Sarasota, FL (Ringling College of Art & Design)

Mocking Bird
Directed by: Katherine Crossan, Clemson, SC (Clemson University)

Selfish
Directed by: Po-Chien Chen, Oakville, Ontario, Canada (Sheridan College)

The Hidden River of My Life
Directed by: Kate Woodward, Vancouver BC, Canada (Emily Carr University)

Tiffany
Directed by: Christina Christie,  Orlando, FL (Central Florida University)

Documentary (Feature)

Band Geeks
Directed by: Morgan Elliott, Ontario Canada

Flint: The Poisoning of an American City
Directed by: David Barnhart,  Atlanta, GA

I Am Patrick Swayze
Directed by: Adrian Buitenhuis, Canada

My Father’s Brothers
Directed by: Shawn Kelley, Charlotte, NC

Wind Riders
Directed by: Emi Katayama, New York, NY

Documentary (Short)

Born In America
Directed by: Zhan Luo, Orange, CA (Chapman University)

Divided
Directed by: Brynne Mckee, Jackie Palacios, Benjamin Allen, Jack Mullinkosson Orange, CA (Chapman University)

St. Simons: Surviving Success
Directed by: Lance Lipman, St. Simons Island, GA

Waterproof
Directed by: Ross Kaufmann, South Hampton, NY

Feature

Effigy – Poison and the City
Directed by: Udo Flohr, Berlin, Germany

From the Vine
Directed by: Sean Sisterna, Ontario, Canada

Immortal
Directed by: Jon Dabach, Tom Colley, Danny Isaacs, Rob Margolies,  West Hills, CA

Last Call
Directed by: Gavin Michael Booth, North Hollywood, CA

Star Light
Directed by: Michael Altieri, Lee Cummings, Los Angeles, CA

Yes
Directed by: Rob Margolies, New York, NY

Short Films

40 Minutes Over Maui
Directed by: Michael Feld, Josh Covett, Los Angeles, CA

Age of Bryce
Directed by: David Feagan, Brian Elliott,  Waco, TX

As One
Directed by: David Spaltro, New York, NY

Auditioning With Mom
Directed by: Steve Coulter, Marietta, GA

Carry My Heart to the Yellow River
Directed by: Alexis Van Hurkman, St. Paul, MN

Darling, Darling Wendy
Directed by: Elise Robertson, Los Angeles, CA

Dictators Don’t Die
Directed by:  Serkan Ozturk, Essen Germany

Entwined
Directed by: Dale Griffiths Stamos, Santa Barbara, CA

Fifty
Directed by: Javier Dampierre, Los Angeles, CA

Hindsight
Directed by: Ian Kent, Charleston, SC

Hollowed
Directed by: Cedric Thomas Smith, Los Angeles, CA

Kneeling Sheep
Directed by: Hai Rihan, Los Angeles, CA

Method
Directed by: Robert Grabow, Livingston, MT

Miner’s Mountain
Directed by:  Bennett Pellington, Wilmington, NC

Ms Rossi
Directed by: Pat Battistini, Santa Clarita, CA

Notice
Directed by:  Phyllis Jackson, Atlanta, GA

Pipe Dream
Directed by: Chris King, Roseville, CA

Poor Baby
Directed by:  KC Allen, Findlay, OH

Refuge
Directed by:  Sara Logan Hofstein, Atlanta, GA

Safe and Happy
Directed by Richard Ulrich, St. Louis, MO

Silencer
Directed by: Ahmed Lucan, Atlanta, GA

Stop
Directed by: Andre Jackson, Burbank, CA

The 11th Order
Directed by: Joshua Dufour, Atlanta, GA

The Keeper
Directed by:  Bob Celli, New York, NY

The Long Commute
Directed by: Miguel Garzon Martinez, New York, NY

Trapped
Directed by: Billy Chizmar, Bel Air, MD

Truce
Directed by: John Niespodzianski, Boiling Springs, SC

Student Films

A Lonely Death
Directed by: Matthew Suppes, Orange, CA  (Chapman University)

Ghazaal
Directed by: Ragini Bhasin, Orange, CA (Chapman University)

Logged On
Directed by: Cameron McCormick, Winston-Salem, NC (UNCSA)

Off With Your Head
Directed by: Kaitlin Moore, Orange, CA (Chapman University)

Painted Love
Directed by: Michelle DeGrace, Winston-Salem, NC (UNCSA)

The Chef
Directed by: Hao Zheng, Los Angeles, CA (AFI)

Best Comedy Nominations

40 Minutes Over Maui (short film)

Age of Bryce  (short film)

Auditioning With Mom (short film)

From the Vine (feature film)

Misguided  (animation film)

Ms Rossi  (short film)

Notice (short film)

Poor Baby  (short film)

Screenplay

Away With My Heart
Written by: Lawrence Nelson II and Hoyt Richards, Los Angeles, CA

Conundrum
Written by: Mark S. Bourbeau, Boston, MA

Half Plus Seven
Written by: Wally Marzano-Lesnevich, Tenafly, NJ

Mestengo
Written by: Theresa Anne Carey, Viroqua, WI

Pride & President
Written by: John Pisano-Thomsen, Ontario, Canada

The Politics of Love and Dance
Written by: John Pisano-Thomsen, Ontario, Canada

The Well
Written by: Tom Bhramayana and Michelle Barfield, Maurepas, LA

Best Actor

Dylan Baker   (Immortal- feature film)

Sasha Golberg (Fifty – short film)

Robert Grabow (Method – short film)

Anthony Robert Grasso (The Long Commute – short film)

Joe Pantaliano (From the Vine – feature film)

Tim Realbuto (Yes – feature film)

Best Actress

Suzan Anbeh (Effigy: Poison and the City – feature film)

Ana Roshelle Diaz  (Trapped – short film)

Lisa Ferris (Pipe Dream – short film)

Hong Mei  (Kneeling Sheep – short film)

Maria Souza  (Method – short film)

Dey Young (Fifty – short film)

Best Director

Udo Flohr (Effigy: Poison and the City – feature film)

Robert Grabow (Method – short film)

Chris King  (Pipe Dream – short film)

Rob Margolies  (Yes – feature film)

Bennett Pellington (Miner’s Mountain – short film)

Hai Rihan (Kneeling Sheep – short film)

Sean Sisterna (From the Vine – feature film)

For more information about the 14th annual Beaufort International Film Festivall, visit beaufortfilmfestival.com. The festival is produced by the Beaufort Film Society.

The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry.