If all the talk about this weekend’s Oscars has left you with a hankering for films, BIFF has just the solution.The Bermuda International Film Festival is to show a range of movies this weekend as a fundraiser for their annual festival.“With just over a month to go to BIFF 2012 we want to get movie fans in the mood for some serious cinema-going pleasure with this warm-up weekender,” said special events director Callee Frith. “At each event there will be a chance to meet the BIFF team and hear more about the exciting plans for this year’s festival.”The warm-up weekender launches with a party for members and patrons. Guests will get a sneak peek at a number of short films to be included in BIFF 2012.“This is the category for which BIFF is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards, so attendees have a chance of seeing a future 2013 Oscar winner,” said Miss Frith.In the past, two of the films screened by BIFF have gone on to win Academy Awards in the short film, live action category: ‘Wasp’ (2005) and ‘Toyland’ (2009).The monthly BIFFlix film series takes place at 6pm Saturday at the Bermuda Underwater.‘The Woman in the Fifth’ will screen ahead of its American release. In it, an American writer travels to Paris to try to win back his estranged wife and daughter and meets a beautiful, mysterious stranger.It screened as part of the Toronto International Film Festival last year.“The film was chosen to give viewers a taste of the type of film that will screen in the new modern masters category at BIFF 2012, showcasing exciting new works crafted by some of the most dynamic new directors working today,” said Miss Frith.On Sunday morning, BIFF is hoping its supporters will participate in the Argus 5K walk at 8.30am and donate their $25 entry fee to BIFF.“For the equivalent cost of a cinema ticket, a bag of popcorn and a soda, you can support your local film festival,” said Miss Frith. “Money raised will go straight into putting on BIFF 2012, a weeklong film extravaganza of features never seen before in Bermuda.”She added: “It is difficult to raise money in these times. I think that there are priorities in people’s minds when it comes to philanthropists and big companies that give money.“We often have to compete heavily with sports, and sports in Bermuda is huge. The arts always suffer in times like this. It is a challenge.”She said it is not inexpensive to run a film festival which has expenses such as bringing in technicians and borrowing the rights to feature films.“It is a very big deal,” she said. “But the good news is, we are just short of our goal. It is all coming together, and we are almost there.”Miss Frith is the daughter of filmmaker and producer Michael Frith, who will serve on the BIFF 2012 jury.The weekend of film fun ends Sunday evening when the charity will host ‘Live from the Red Carpet’ at The Deep at Elbow Beach Hotel.The 84th Academy Awards will be shown live from Hollywood, California. Guests will have the opportunity to predict the winners and play games to win prizes.The event starts at 7.30pm to allow guests to catch footage of the celebrities themselves arriving at the Oscars at 8pm local time. Tickets for this event are $25, with reserved seating available for the first 100. Buy online: www.diningbermuda.com.Tickets for the Bifflix film are available on the door from 4pm or in advance via e-mail, info[AT]biff.bm, or www.tickets.biff.bm. Tickets are $10 for BIFF members and $15 for non-members.The 15th annual BIFF will take place March 16 to 22. Over 80 films will screen at Liberty Theatre.Visit www.biff.bm, www.facebook.com/BIFF.bm or see them on Twitter, [AT]BERMUDAFILMFEST.