PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ENDS WITH FLOURISH OF BEST FILM AWARDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN CASH PRIZES TO WINNING FILMMAKERS AT CINEMARK, BOCA RATON
WEST PALM BEACH, FL.–The 21st Palm Beach International Film Festival (www.pbifilmfest.org) ended dramatically tonight by presenting its coveted Jury Award for Best Feature Film to “PO” directed by John Asher.
Winner of the festival’s first ever horror film competition was “The House at the End of Time” directed by Alejandro Hidalgo from Venezuela and best documentary went to “When Elephants Were Young” directed by Patricia Sims from Canada.
“We’ve experienced nine glorious days of the best movies from independent filmmakers whose passion for cinema was shared by us all on the big screen,” said closing night host Arlene Herson to a packed house at Cinemark, one of the four theaters throughout Palm Beach County where PBIFF films were shown over the nine-day festival.
“We laughed, we cried and we were moved, but most of all we were entertained by independent filmmaking which was inspiring as it’s ever been,” she said.
The highlight of the festival’s closing night, the awards presentations, began with short films that proved “a story can be told in the blink of an eye.” The winner of the Jury Award for Best Short Film was “Randy” directed by Shawn Ryan.
PBIFF President and CEO Jeff Davis and Director of Programming Larry Richman said this year the festival welcomed a record number of more than 150 filmmakers and actors from around the world to present their outstanding works and for the first time winners in the various categories received not only a trophy but a cash prize of $2,000, a sign the Festival is spreading its silver screen wings.
The festival awards included presentation of the first Flossy Award for Lifetime Achievement to Yvonne S. Boice, PBIFF Chair Emeritus, for her years of dedication to making PBIFF one of the world’s most respected film festivals. The award created by celebrated artist Yaacov Heller was presented to Boice on opening night.
The stellar evening concluded with presentation of the closing night film “Silver Skies” followed by a gala closing night party at Bogart’s.
