The opening night of the first annual Bahamas International Film Festival featured the founder and executive director of the event, Leslie Vanderpool, nervously giving a speech, a standing ovation for Prime Minister Perry Christie and a rousing applause for the international premier of the Warner Bros. Film ‘Ocean’s 12.’ It also featured 75 internationally acclaimed filmmakers, here to admire each other’s work while toasting the event with glasses of champagne. Within one day, this event has been called the biggest thing to happen in the Bahamas since the opening of Atlantis.
The night started with a VIP reception held at the Versace store in Atlantis’ Crystal Court. Filmmakers, the press, VIPs and Bahamian celebrities crammed into the elegant setting, sipping champagne, eating hors d’ oeuvres and complementing each other on their film’s success.
After the VIP reception, the party moved into the Atlantis Theatre, where Ms. Vanderpool anxiously addressed the crowd and Chairman of the Board Judson Eneas introduced the perfectly punctual Prime Minister, Perry Christie, who walked to the stage to a standing ovation.
Ocean’s 12 shortly followed. The Steven Soderbergh film starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones follows the smash success of Ocean’s 11. The film ended with a sizable applause.
The film festival’s opening night ended with a desert reception that offered glasses of champagne, coffee or tea and delicious desserts prepared by the always excellent Atlantis staff. The first night ended how it started, with some of the world’s elite talent eating tiramisu with each other and representatives of the press from around the world.
Many have said this is one of the nation’s most memorable events in it’s 31 year history. All the Bahamas can be proud of the many great people who made this event possible.
See our Film Festival Photo Page for pictures.
