Some 23 filmmakers will attend this year's Bermuda International Film Festival, which runs from tomorrow, March 19 to March 25. They will be on hand to present their films during festival week, and to engage in question and answer sessions after the screenings.

Filmmakers coming to the festival include Jim Sheridan ('In America', 'My Left Foot' and 'In the Name of the Father'); Carlos Cuaron (screenwriter, 'Y tu Mama Tambien'); Bob Smeaton ('Festival Express'); Zana Briski/Rob Kauffman ('Born Into Brothels'); George Csiscery ('Hungry for Monsters'); Alex Cooke and Alan Hayling ('How Arnold Won the West'); Jessica and Frank Gorter ('Piter'); Lech Majewski ('The Garden of Earthly Delights'); Laurie Kahn-Leavitt ('Tupperware!'); Steve Simpson ('The Ticking Man'); Yann Samuell ('Love Me if You Dare'); Lucinda Spurling ('St. David's: An Island Near Bermuda'); Dana Zhyon Selassie ('Children of the Sea'); Al Seymour Jr. ('Raptiles on de Rock: The Wenetian Incident'); Alex Scrymgeour and Thurston Smith ('Whoa!'); Shandor Garrison ('Freebox'); Neil Leifer ('Steamed Dumplings'); and Ewan Stewart and David Hancock ('Dancer').

"The presence of the filmmakers at screenings really adds to the festival experience," says BIFF's programming director, David O'Beirne. "Many people will have already seen 'My Left Foot', and 'In the Name of the Father', but how many will have seen the film with Jim Sheridan on hand to speak about his experience working with Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson and the other stars in his films?

"It is a unique experience that is available in Bermuda only during Festival week."

'Chats With ...' panel discussions Jim Sheridan will remain in Bermuda for the full festival week. He will appear in a one-on-one interview with Hollywood film journalist David Poland on Wednesday, March 24 from 12.15 p.m.-1.15 p.m. at the BIFF Front Room, 1 Passenger Terminal, Front Street as part of BIFF's 'Chats With?' series of panel discussions.

The 'Chats With?' sessions begin on Monday, March 22 with a session entitled 'The Making and Marketing of Independent Films'.

Film executives Rebecca Haverstick (THINKFilms) and Michelle Panzer (IFC Films) will be joined by several of the visiting filmmakers and moderator David Poland.

Tuesday's 'Chats With?' session is 'From Script to Screen', featuring screenwriters Carlos Cuaron ('Y tu Mama Tambien') and Guillermo Arriaga ('21 Grams, Amores Perros') and moderator Peter Rainer of America's National Public Radio.

'All Chats With?' panel discussions will be held from 12.15-1.15 p.m. at the BIFF Front Room, 1 Passenger Terminal, Front Street.

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Film journalist Mark Salisbury, the London correspondent for Premiere magazine, has been added to the Jury for BIFF 2004.

Mark is the author of several books, including 'Burton on Burton' and 'Behind the Mask: The Secret of Hollywood's Monster Makers'. He has also started his own production company, Hanthum Films, which has several projects in development. Mark will judge the competition documentary films in tandem with Patricia Flynn, whose film 'Discovering Dominga' won the documentary prize at BIFF 2003.

Although many screenings are already fully subscribed, there are nearly always tickets available at the theatres ten minutes before screenings.

In the seven years of BIFF, there has been only one occasion on which filmgoers were unable to buy tickets at the theatre on the night of a screening. That was for Alison Swan's film, 'Mixing Nia'.

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