• Opening Night film was ROCKET SCIENCE by award-winning director Jeffrey Blitz screened at the Triplex Cinema
• Arthur Penn, 2007 Honoree and Berkshire County resident, honored on the Mahaiwe stage with a screening of BONNIE AND CLYDE
• Special guests from film FOUR FRIENDS include Reed Birney, Craig Wasson, Jim Metzler, Michael Huddleston and Jodi Thelan. Also Academy Award winning Estelle Parsons and award winning screenwriter Walter Bernstein
• Collaboration with Jacobs Pillow 75th Anniversary with a screening of THE MEN WHO DANCED and FALLING DOWN STAIRS directed by Barbara Willis Sweete
• Screened EAGLE VS SHARK at the Triplex, one of Taika Waitit’s first films, who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for JOJO RABBIT
• THE MUSIC INN film was screened at the Triplex, with director Ben Barenholtz in attendance. This is very significant to the Berkshires, its location so close in proximity to Tanglewood and ws a force in the emergence of jazz from clubs to concert halls and harboared racial and cultural harmony during 1951-1960
• Special guests *see above also Sid Ganis, Nancy Hult Ganis, Karen Allen

• Opening Night film, MAN ON WIRE, 2009 Oscar winner for Best Documentary with subject, Phillippe Petit on the Mahaiwe stage
• Kevin Bacon, 2008 Honoree with a screening of THE BIG PICTURE and award presented by special guest Lori Singer of FOOTLOOSE
• Closing Night film FROZEN RIVER with Melissa Leo, Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress, Golden Globe, two Emmy Awards and Critics’ Choice Award for her role in this film directed by local filmmaker, Courtney Hunt, both in attendance
• Special Effects Presentation with Doug Trumbull and screening of BLADERUNNER
• Special guests Sid Ganis, Nancy Hult Ganis,Michael Bacon, Peter Reigert, Gov. Deval Patrick

• Opening Night film, WILLIAM KUNSTLER: DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE with Emily & Sarah Kunstler, directors at the Mahaiwe
• Special Event/Tribute with Richard Brown, NYU’s famed film professor of Movies101 and with over 2000 interviews, The Library of Congress will dedicate the Richard Brown Motion Picture Archive, the world’s largest oral history devoted to cinema
• Closing Night film, THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD Audience Award winner at the Berlin Film Festival with filmmakers Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno at the Triplex Cinema

• First annual Juried Prize is awarded to 2018
• The BIFF 2010 honoree was Patricia Clarkson and her award was presented by Chris Noth. Her latest film CAIRO TIME was screened at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center followed by a Q&A which also included the director, Rubba Nadda
• Opening Night film JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK with directors Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg. Joan Rivers also performed a show at the Mahaiwe Theater on a later date
• Opening Night celebrated Marge Champion’s 90th birthday with a screening of a short film titled KEEP DANCING with the director Greg Vander Veer and Marge on hand for a brief Q&A/intro to the film
• Short film screening of SPEED GRIEVING with actress Alysia Reiner, who also starred in the television series ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
• Short film screening of THE RESPONSE and Q&A with cast Peter Riegert and director Sig Liebowitz
• Special guests include David Rasche, Peter Reigert, Karen Allen, Lauren Ambrose, Chis Noth

• Opening Night film was PAGE ONE: INSIDE THE NEW YOUR TIMES screened at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
• Doug Trumbull, 2011 Honoree Q&A and screening of the film BACK TO THE FUTURE and TREE OF LIFE
• Screening of film WHITE IRISH DRINKERS with Q&A following with Karen Allen and Peter Riegert
• Closing Night screening Sundance Audience Award winning film BUCK with Q&A director Cindy Meeh
• Screening of KINYARWANDA, Sundance Audience Award winning film for World Cinema Drama and Q&A with director Alrick Brown and producer Darren Dean
• Screening of A LETTER OT ELIA with co-directed and written by Martin Scorcese and Kent Jones, Q&A with Kent Jones
• Special guests include Kent Jones, Courtney Hunt, Michel Gill and Jayne Atkinson

• Opening Night film, ETHEL with Kathleen Kennedy and daughters and director Rory Kennedy
• Special event screening of MARINA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT with Q&A on Mahaiwe stage with Marina
• Closing Night film, GREGORY CREWDSON: BRIEF ENCOUNTERS with director Ben Shapiro and Joe Thompson, director of Mass MoCA moderating Q&A with Gregory Crewdson
• Sundance Special Jury Prize winning AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY screened
• Special guests include Karen Allen, Kent Jones, Mary Kay Place
• Screening of Academy award nominated films THE INVISIBLE WAR and HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE

• In the Juried documentary category, the winners were VALENTINE ROAD directed by first time director Marta Cunningham and GMO OMG directed by another first time filmmaker, Jeremy Seifert. DIE WELT, from the Netherlands, won in the Juried narrative category from first time Dutch-Tunisian director Alex Pitstra
• Audience Award documentary category, the winner was CRASH REEL directed by Lucy Walker about US champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce in attendance for a Q&A SUSKIND directed by Rudolph van den Berg won the Audience Award in the narrative feature category about the extraordinary, true story of Jewish resistance hero Walter Suskind.
• Short film FOOD FOR THOUGHT was also screened opening night and actors Tony Shalhoub and Meegan Holoway were in attendance with director Joe Cacaci
• Opening night screening of Academy award-winning documentary TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM. Darlene Love (cast) performed “Lean On Me” afterward the screening on the Mahaiwe stage
• Closing night of FRANCES HA. Director Noah Baumbach and actress Greta Gerwig, who both co-wrote the film, were on hand after the film with photographer Gregory Crewdson for a discussion and Q&A on the stage of the Mahaiwe

• Opening Night film was MAY IN THE SUMMER, directed by Cherien Dabis, who was present for Q&A following the film which was screened at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
• Juried documentary category, the winners were CASE AGAINST 8 written and directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White. Gillian Robespierre’s romantic comedy, OBVIOUS CHILD won in the Juried narrative category
• Audience Award Winner for best documentary feature was ALIVE INSIDE: A STORY OF MUSIC AND MEMORY and the Audience Award Winner for best narrative feature was a tie between HANK AND ASHA and UNDER THE SAME SUN
• Special guests included Karen Allen, Mary Kay Place and Peter Riegert,
• Special Event screening of doc film BATTERED BASTARDS OF BASEBALL with co-directors Chapman and Maclain Way (nephews of Kurt Russell and the grandsons of Bing Way, the main character in the film)
• FORT TILDEN (won Grand Jury Prize at SXSW) screened at BIFF, Director Sarah-Violet Bliss won the 3rd annual Next Great Filmmaker Award for her 2012 short PRICELESS THINGS
• The Closing Night film was THE TRIP TO ITALY. also screened at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

• Juried documentary category, the winners were ROMEO IS BLEEDING written and directed by Jason Zeldes. Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia won in the Juried narrative category for their film H. filmed in both Troy, NY and Pittsfield
• The Audience Award Winner for best documentary feature was a tie between CRESCENDO directed by Jamie Bernstein, and ABOVE AND BEYOND directed by Roberta Grossman and produced by Nancy Spielberg. The Audience Award Winner for best narrative feature was the Danish film SECRETS OF WAR
• MERU Opening Night Film (Audience Best Doc Award at Sundance) with E. Chai Vasarhelyi (director/producer) with world renown climber and cast Conrad Anker and his wife Jenni Lowe-Anker
• Screening of the Academy Award nominated film CARTEL LAND with director Matthew Heineman and Tom Yellin
• RUNNING FROM CRAZY March 28, at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center and Q&A with Mariel Hemmingway in collaboration with the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge

• Juried documentary category, the winner was UNTOUCHABLE written and directed by David Feige and in the Juried narrative category the Iranian entry, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, was awarded the prize.
• Yo-Yo-Ma Opening Night in attendance with his film MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO-YO MA AND THE SILK ROAD ENSEMBLE
• Bruce Dern, 2016 Honoree with Q&A on Mahaiwe stage with Douglas Trumbull moderating
• Meryl Streep, Ann Roth (costume designer), on Mahaiwe stage for Q&A for film BECOMING MIKE NICHOLS
• Noah Baumbach, Jake Paltrow (directors) Closing Night on Mahaiwe stage for Q&A for their film DE PALMA with Gregory Crewdson moderating
• Other guests that year…Joan Anderson, Sheila Nevins, Mike Haley, Kent Jones, Julie Goldman, Ethel Sheffer and Karen Allen
• The Audience Award Winner for best narrative feature was a tie between YEAR BY THE SEA directed by Alexander Janko and starring Karen Allen, and the French film OUR WOMEN directed by Richard Barry. The Audience Award Winner for best documentary feature was the Sundance hit film LIFE, ANIMATED directed by Roger Rees Williams which was nominated for BEST DOC at the 89th Academy Awards.

• Opening Night film was the documentary, STEP with the producer Stephen Cantor on hand for Q&A following the film which screened at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
• In the Juried documentary category, NOWHERE TO HIDE directed by Zaradasht Ahmed, narrative category the Israeli entry from Film Movement, BAR BAHAR or IN BETWEEN, was awarded the prize.
• Special guests Karen Allen, Steven Cantor, Sheila Nevins
• The Audience Award Winner was Narrative Feature going to PATTI CAKE$ directed by Geremy Jasper. The Audience Award Winner for best documentary feature was a tie between TAKE MY NOSE….PLEASE! directed by Joan Kron and BENDING THE ARC directed by Kief Davidson and Pedro Kos
• “TEA TALKS” including 3 talks from Sheila Nevins, President of HBO documentaries; Karen Allen and Kristi Zea honoring Carsen McCullers with their short films A TREE. A ROCK. A CLOUD. and DOMESTIC DILEMMA; and Sunday BIFF presented a screening of ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN screening followed by a conversation with Paul Krugman (2008 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences) and Dr. Alan Chartock
• 2017 Honoree Christopher Plummer on the Mahaiwe Stage with Q&A and moderator David Edelstein (chief film critic for NY) with screening of THE EXCEPTION
• Closing Night Film- LUCKY with Q&A on Mahaiwe stage with director (actor) John Carroll Lynch, moderated by Mary Mott

• Opening Night film and American Premiere of AMERICAN ANIMALS was screened at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. This film won the Grand Jury Prize award for Best Dramatic Feature at the Sundance Film Festival
• In the Juried Documentary category, the winner was THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS directed by Tim Wardle. United Kingdom entry, EDIE, was awarded the Juried Narrative prize. Writer and director, Simon Hunter
• Rachel Weiasz, 2018 Honoree with a screening of her film DISOBEDIENCE and Q&A on the Mahaiwe Stage with David Edelstein
• Governor Deval Patrick and Jayne Atkinson introduced a screenplay reading of the Berkshire-based film, MUMBET—Submarine Entertainment had come to agreement to represent the MUMBET film directed by Alethea Root, and produced by Alethea Root and Kim Waltrip, and executive produced by Octavia Spencer, Jayne Atkinson and Elizabeth Aspenlieder
• The Audience Award winner was the closest in BIFF’s 13-year history with the narrative feature going to the hit romantic comedy from Switzerland, STREAKERS directed by Peter Luisi. THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS also won the Audience Award for best documentary feature
• “TEA TALKS” including 3 talks from Academy Award-winning screenwriter Charles Randolph and award-winning artist Gregory Crewdson; Academy Award-winning director Cynthia Wade and her new film GRIT; and a special sneak-preview screening of DIANE with writer/director Kent Jones, actor Mary Kay Place, and costume designer Carissa Kelly
• Closing Night film was the documentary, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? directed by Academy Award winner Morgan Neville followed by a Q&A with the producer, Nicholas Ma
• The Ninth Annual Berkshire Bank “Next Great Filmmaker Award” was given to the French short film, WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS directed by Michael Barocas

• BIFF hosted its third Gala, BOLLYWOOD IN THE BERKSHIRES with Indian cuisine, a Bazaar of treasures imported from India, dancers, decor and Indian music featuring the sitar and tablas from the UCLA School of Music

• Documentary category, the winner was Oscar nominated HONEYLAND directed by Tamara Kotesvska and Ljubomir Stefanov. Narrative category the film, PREMATURE, was awarded the prize. The writer and director, Rashaad Ernesto Green, was not at the festival but the producer Darren Dean accepted the award
• Other guests that year…Karen Allen, Douglas Trumbull and Andrew Slater, Michel Gill, Kent Jones, Peter Riegert, Scott Cohen
• Audience Award Winner from Germany, THE SILENT REVOLUTION directed by Lars Kraume. GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH won the Audience Award Winner for best documentary feature. The short film, SUITE NO. 1, PRELUDE directed by Nicholas Ma, won the first Audience Award for best short
• “TEA TALKS.” This year included 4 talks: THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM with a panel discussion “Rethinking AG”with farmers and filmmakers; a screening of WEED THE PEOPLE followed by a talk with the filmmaker and CEO of Theory Wellness, the sponsor; THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING with a discussion with film producer Nancy Hult Ganis and BIFF Board Chair Pat Fili-Krushel; ECHO IN THE CANYON screening with filmmaker and producer Andrew Slater and Executive Producer Dan Braun & BIFF Board member Peter Herbst (also writer for Premiere magazine)
• The BIFF honored the Academy Award winning and legendary director, Martin Scorsese, with Q&A on Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center stage moderated by New York Film Festival Director and film director Kent Jones followed by a screening of SILENCE. Martin has connection to the Berkshires, had his first kiss with his wife Helen Morris at the Mahaiwe, he also directed AGE OF INNOCENCE and has said Edith Wharton’s The Mount in Lenox “It’s extraordinarily beautiful and significantly special place”
• Opening Night Film was WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL in celebration of Pauline Kael’s 100th Anniversary of her birth and in honor of the legendary film critic and Berkshire resident who lived in Great Barrington
• Closing Night Film- MUSEUM TOWN with director Jennifer Trainer, Wilco bassist John Stirratt, former Governor Jane Swift about the largest contemporary art museum in the nation, MASS MoCA in North Adams

• BIFF canceled its festival this year due to Covid19 but pivoted with a collaboration with Shakespeare and Company to bring a pop-up Berkshire Drive-In to their Lenox campus. Over 8 weekends, we welcomed more than 2,000 film lovers to nearly 40 curated, independent films with 2 dozen filmmakers in attendance
• The opening weekend presented Academy Award winning filmmaker and director, Barbara Kopple and her new documentary DESERT ONE with Q&A following the film
• Other films and their filmmakers included director Mary Wharton with her documentary JIMMY CARTER: ROCK N ROLL PRESIDENT, Award winning Animated Shorts collection in partnership with the Palm Springs International Animation Festival with founder and director Brian Huff in attendance. Also, local filmmaker and director Dave Simonds was on hand for Q&A following the screening of his documentary film THE HOY BOYS, along with director Norman Anderson and one of the subjects of his film, his mother, Dorset Anderson with his documentary THE DONUT DOLLIES and executive producer Gina Marial Leonetti with her documentary film, PLAYING WITH FIRE
• Berkshire Bank’s “Next Great Filmmaker Award”  competition was still held on line and that award was given to director Jennifer LaFleur for her short narrative film, BABY KATE
• Sponsors of the Berkshire Drive-In included Canyon Ranch, Toole Insurance, Ellen and Scott Hand, Mary Mott and Gordon Simmering, Stone House Properties, Nejaime’s Wine Cellar and Williamstown Theater Festival
• BIFF also partnered with the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA and the Basilica in Hudson, NY to present two BIFF evenings at their drive-ins

Our sponsors included Canyon Ranch, Toole Insurance, Ellen and Scott Hand, Mary Mott and Gordon Simmering, Stone House Properties, Nejaime’s Wine Cellar and Williamstown Theater Festival.

We also want to thank our friends at the Mahaiwe and the Basilica for partnering with BIFF to present two BIFF evenings at their drive-ins. 

• BIFF offered a FREE FILM SERIES on the “American Auteur” with Professor Howie Arkans leading the discussions. This free series
  took place via Zoom with the focus on film directors Jim Jarmusch, Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach

• BIFF hosted a 40th Anniversary outdoor screening of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in collaboration with the Norman Rockwell Museum and Berkshire Magazine. The event was sponsored by Berkshire Bank. A conversation with Karen Allen moderated by Berkshire Magazine’s Dr. Joshua Sherman kicked off a sold-out outdoor screening to raise funds for the Norman Rockwell Museum and BIFF

• Due to a surge in Covid 19 cases, an already postponed festival scheduled in went virtual. A curated program of 45 movies from all over the world, as well as streamed our fourth annual “Tea Talks”, and our 11th annual Filmmaker Summit were hosted virtually
• During the festival dates, BIFF hosted a ZOOM Happy Hour to discuss the films and engage passholders regarding their virtual festival experience.
  BIFF also gave “BIFF AT HOME” movie watching gift bags to passholders which included microwave popcorn, movie candy, BIFF Covid masks, a “BIFF AT HOME” t-shirt and other essential items for movie watching
• A small selection of local Berkshire centric films were screened in-person at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center including co-director Patrick J. Toole’s film SPEAK WHAT WE FEEL, SPROUTLAND with director and BIFF Advisory Board member Cynthia Wade and HELLO BOOKSTORE with director Adam Zax in attendance
• The 11th annual Berkshire Bank “Next Great Filmmaker” Award was announced virtually and awarded to director Michelle Gomez and her short film READY TO WEAR
• The GWFF Juried Prizes were awarded via Zoom to writer/director Blerta Gasholli and HIVE for Best Narrative Feature and to director Darby Duffen and FISH AND MEN for Best Documentary Feature
• BIFF Tea Talks included IMAGINING THE FUTURE featured award-winning independent animation producer and serial media entrepreneur Fred Seibert and Emmy and Peabody Award winning producer and creator, Evan Shapiro and INDIE UPRISING, with producers Jenifer Westphal and Joe Plummer from Wavelength Productions which has produced over 60 award-winning films since its founding in 2015 and is dedicated to supporting diverse and emerging filmmakers

• BIFF presented a community screening at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center of Berkshire filmmaker Diego Ongaro’s DOWN WITH THE KING, which had its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival last July and has had a successful run on the festival circuit including recent screenings in South Korea and Wroclaw, and Poland where the film took home the prestigious Audience Award at the American Film Festival

• This year’s festival was dedicated to the remarkable lives of Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center Founder, Lola Jaffe 1926-2021 and American film director and innovative visual effects master, Douglas Trumbull 1942-2022
• The opening night screening of the documentary ART & KRIMES BY KRIMES, with director Alysa Nahmias and the artist Jesse Krimes in attendance for a Q&A with fellow artists Craig Russell, Jared Owens and Gilberto Rivera
• BIFF honored Award-winning actor, ALFRE WOODARD for her achievement in film. The past president of the Academy and industry icon, Sid Ganis, paid tribute to her work in film and her activism. Woodard was in conversation with WAMC’s Joe Donahue followed by a screening of her film JUANITA
• Closing out the 16th year, BIFF presented the SXSW Audience Award winning film, PRETTY PROBLEMS followed by a conversation with director Kestrin Pantera, writer/actor Michael Tennent, writer/actor Britt Rentschler, actor Alex Klein and producer Katya Anderson moderated by writer and BIFF Board member Mary Mott
• GWFF USA Juried Prize Juried Narrative category, the Lebanese film, FARAH, directed by Hassiba Freiha was awarded the top prize. In the Juried Documentary category, the winner was OPEN FIELD directed by Kathy Kuras. The subject of the film, quarterback Sami Grisafe, accepted the award for the team
• The winner of the 12th annual Berkshire Bank “Next Great Filmmaker Award” was presented to the short film TO WADE OR ROW. Filmmaker Rebecca van der Meulen was on hand to accept the award
• The Audience Award Winner for favorite Documentary film was too close to call, so we are presenting it to both CIRQUE DU CAMBODIA directed by Joel Gershon and FIDDLER’S JOURNEY TO THE BIG SCREEN directed by Daniel Raim. The Audience Award Winner for a Narrative feature that was animated, went to MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
• The BIFF also presented the fifth year of “TEA TALKS” which included: THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING IS FEMALE; CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN FILM with a panel discussion involving directors Kristi Zea and Kestrin Pantera, writer/actor Britt Rentschler and writer and BIFF Board member, Mary Mott. The other talk was THE ART OF DON GUMMER which included a talk with artist Don Gummer, artist Stephen Hannock, Mass MoCA director Kristy Edmunds and producer and BIFF Board member Veronica Beach
• BIFF proudly presented the twelfth annual Filmmakers Summit, a two-day industry summit offered to the 2022 film selection filmmakers. A diverse, multi-dimensional program of panel discussions, lectures, and special events, led by known industry professionals. The event is sponsored by Mary Mott and Gordon Simmering and The Frances Davis Fund

• BIFF proudly presented a special screening of Advisory Board member and filmmaker Julia Mintz’ new documentary film FOUR WINTERS at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Julia and 97-year-old Partisan Michael Stoll were on hand for a Q&A following the screening

• BIFF hosted its fourth gala, CAMP BIFF with 200 guests that gathered under individual tents and enjoyed specialty canteen drinks, a delicious camp meal, played games, shopped at the BIFF Camp Store stocked with items donated by nearly 200 Berkshire businesses, bidded on live auction lots, ate s’mores around the campfire, and danced the night away

• BIFF partnered with the Austen Riggs Center and the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention to host “Shine the Light,” a community event and conversation about youth mental illness and suicide

  prevention. The screening included HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT, YOUTH MENTAL ILLNESS, a Ken Burns Presents documentary. The discussion that followed included film director and producer Erik Ewers, producer Amanda Sherman, founder of Find Your Anchor Ali Borowsky, and mental health treatment experts Jane Tillman, PhD, from the Austen Riggs Center and Brenda Butler, MD, from Berkshire Health Systems

• BIFF celebrated its 17th annual festival with an Opening night screening of the documentary, FOOD AND COUNTRY, with Food Writer and Author Ruth Reichl in attendance for a Q&A moderated by Advisory Board member Pops Peterson at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
• A Tribute in honor of award-winning actor Stephen Lang with a screening of WHITE IRISH DRINKERS and LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN took place at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Karen Allen, who worked with him in WHITE IRISH DRINKERS, paid tribute to his work in theater, television and film presented Stephen with his award, followed by a Q&A moderated by WAMC’s Joe Donahue
• The Closing Night film was IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL, a documentary about the Indigo Girls with a Q&A following the film with producer and moderated by BIFF Assistant Director Lauren Feri
• GWFF USA Juried Prize was awarded to the German film EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE LOVED, directed by Katharina Woll in the Narrative category and in the Juried Documentary category, the winner was BAD PRESS directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, who was inattendance. Serving on the BIFF Jury were actors Karen Allen, Jayne Atkinson, Scott Cohen, Michel Gill, Peter Riegert, creative consultant BIFF Advisory Board member Greg Rhem, Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment, production designer Kristi Zea and director/writer Kent Jones
• The winner of the 13th annual Berkshire Bank “Next Great Filmmaker Award” was presented to the short film BELOW SURFACE.  The film was directed by Lukas Hauser and produced by Berkshire resident Judith Bookbinder
• The Audience Award winner for narrative short went to PTERRY, directed by Mikey Riva, Jr. and the Audience Award winner for documentary short was awarded to KEEP MOVING, directed by Susanna Kidd, both in attendance
• The Audience Award Winner for narrative features went to THE ORIGIN OF EVIL, directed by Sebastien Marnier. The Audience Award Winner for favorite documentary film was CALL ME DANCER directed by Pip Gilmour and Leslie Shampaine and an Honorable Mention in that category goes to IMMEDIATE FAMILY, directed by Denny Tedesco
• BIFF presented its sixth year of “TEA TALKS.” This year’s talks included: CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN FILM THROUGH THE LENS OF BERKSHIRE FEMALE FILMMAKERS with a panel discussion involving actor/director Karen Allen, academy award-winning director Barbara Kopple and academy award-winning director and BIFF Advisory Board member Cynthia Wade
• A special day at Tanglewood was also presented with films GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE, the SXSW Grand Jury Prize winner; the Sundance hit, PIANOFORTE; ONYX THE FORTUITOUS AND THE TALISMAN OF SOULS which was filmed in Lenox and had the director Andrew Bowser in attendance; and YOU WILL NOT PLAY WAGNER with director Lilia Levitina and Berkshire resident and actress Annette Miller in attendance for a packed Q&A
• BIFF proudly presented the twelfth annual Filmmakers Summit, a two-day industry summit offered to the 2023 film selection filmmakers. A diverse, multi-dimensional program of panel discussions, lectures, and special events, led by known industry professionals, the BIFF Filmmakers Summit is designed to celebrate and support the advancement of filmmakers and recognize film as a relevant and important medium. The event is sponsored by Mary Mott and Gordon Simmering and The Frances Davis Fund