Bermuda's fifth annual film festival has already attracted a record amount of international media attention.

Twenty-eight film critics and reporters from publications in the United Kingdom, Canada, Holland, Finland, Italy, Ireland, Egypt, Japan, Chile and Germany will be flying to the Island next week to attend the festival which begins next Friday.

Among those attending will be John Hiscock of the Daily Telegraph, Elisa Leonelli of Marie Claire Italy and Nick Bradshaw of TimeOut London.

The Bermuda International Film Festival's (BIFF) comings and goings will also be captured for cable television as a two-person team from Independent Film Channel (IFC) Canada will be shooting the week-long event.

According to a BIFF press release, the IFC's footage could reach as many as 54.8 million homes in North American through the Canadian digital cable channel and its American associate.

The footage will be used on two IFC shows - Film Festival Focus and indieNATION.

"The overseas press interest in our festival has just skyrocketed," public relations director Duncan Hall said.

"Some press members we have courted and others have contacted us to tell us of their interest. The exposure is wonderful for the festival and will no doubt benefit Bermuda as well."

Reporters from National Public Radio (US), Film Journal, Film Journal, Christian Science Monitor, indieWIRE, indieVISION Magazine, Moving Pictures, Voices of Hollywood.com and IMAGINE Magazine will also be making the trip for the festival which will feature 55 films from 16 nations this year.

Well known film critic Rex Reed will also participating in the festival as one of this year's panel of judges.

Thirteen of those attending are members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association which runs the Golden Globe film awards.

Peter Rainer of National Public Radio, David Sterritt of Christian Science Monitor and Nick Roddick of Moving Pictures will all be making their second trip to attend BIFF while David Poland of Voices of Hollywood.com is back for the third time.

Tickets and passes for the festival are now on sale at City Hall box office between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily Monday through Saturday.