With the Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF) still more than three months away, organisers say they continue to be inundated with entries, even after the deadline closed.

BIFF said that some 52 documentary features, as well as several documentary shorts, have been submitted from film makers in the US, Canada, Brazil, Columbia, Israel, Germany and the Czech Republic.

And the official deadline passed on January 1.

The documentaries are among 200 entries that include narrative features and shorts.

BIFF organisers said they will continue to accept films over the next two weeks.

"Documentary films have always been an important part of our festival," said BIFF's director of programming, David O'Beirne.

"We have seen a huge upsurge in the number submitted this year. We have always had a strong line-up of documentary films, and although final decisions have not been made, we have a very strong group of documentaries this year. I expect our documentary line-up to be our best ever."

The festival will take place during the week of April 12-18, with awards given in such categories as Best Short Film, Best Documentary and Audience Choice.

A short list will be made by the end of January, final decisions made in February and the full line-up will be announced in March.