BEAUFORT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Beaufort Hugs and Southern Hospitality….Unmatched!

story by CAROL LAUVRAY     photos by JOHN WOLLWERTH

It’s February in Beaufort and time for the 14th Annual Beaufort International Film Festival (BIFF)! This year’s film festival is being held February 18 – 23. A recent event leading up to the 2020 film festival featured Ron and Rebecca Tucker, founders of the Beaufort International Film Festival and the nonprofit Beaufort Film Society (BFS), speaking to a group of avid BIFF fans in January at a presentation co-sponsored by Beaufort History Museum and Beaufort County Library.

Ron stated that Beaufort’s annual film festival recognizes aspiring filmmakers of almost every genre, including independent film, music, animation, short and long features, documentaries, and screenwriting. In addition, the festival is an opportunity to showcase the beautiful “film-friendly” region of Beaufort and its South Carolina Sea Islands, the backdrop for more than 20 major motion pictures, including The Great Santini, The Big Chill, The Prince of Tides, Forrest Gump and many more.

During his presentation about the Beaufort International Film Festival, Ron summarized BIFF’s history since its inception in 2007. He talked about the extensive research and planning that was necessary beginning in 2003 to lay the groundwork for the film festival, becoming a reality. He said that before launching BIFF and BFS, he and Rebecca were producing partners with Sandbar Productions and Good-to-Go Video, and specialized in making documentaries about the Marine Corps, which they produced and distributed worldwide.

Ron also shared that the Beaufort International Film Festival has grown exponentially since its inception in 2007. The first BIFF attracted 500 attendees and was held at the old Beaufort Theater on Lady’s Island. In 2012, the Film Festival moved to a new venue—the University of South Carolina, Beaufort (USCB), Center for the Arts with nearly 500 seats. That year BIFF surpassed 5,000 in attendance. In 2019, BIFF expanded to six days at the USCB Center for the Arts, allowing more than 16,000 to attend the film festival last year. Ron stated that there are over 7,000 film festivals in the world. “I’m proud that BIFF is considered one of the fastest-growing film festivals in the Southeast and a top 100 best-reviewed film festival in the world according to FilmFreeway,” he emphasized.

During his talk, Ron also shared some news with the audience, “Two months ago the new movie, Stars Fell on Alabama, directed by former Beaufort resident V.W. Scheich, was filmed in Beaufort and is now in post-production! This is very exciting because the last major film shot here was Rules of Engagement in 1999,” he exclaimed! Ron also treated the audience to some behind-the-scenes shots from the new movie.

Special Films Exhibit Now at Beaufort History Museum
For the second consecutive year, Beaufort History Museum and the Tuckers are presenting a special exhibit, Beaufort in Films, which coincides with the film festival. The unique film exhibit will be open through late February at the Museum, located on the second floor of the historic Arsenal at 713 Craven Street. The exhibit features the Tuckers’ collection of movie posters, video, and memorabilia from films made in the Beaufort area, including many of those listed below:

The Great Santini (1979)
The Big Chill (1983)
The Prince of Tides (1991)
Daughters of the Dust (1991)
Forrest Gump (1994)
The Jungle Book (1994)
Chasers (1994)
Something to Talk About (1995)
White Squall (1996)
Last Dance (1996)
G.I. Jane (1997)
Gone Fishin’ (1997)
Forces of Nature (1999)
Rules of Engagement (1999)

During the film festival, filmmakers will be admitted to the special Beaufort in Films exhibit and the Museum without charge when they present their Filmmaker All Event Pass at the visitors’ center in the Arsenal. Anyone who presents a BIFF event ticket during the festival will receive a $2.00 discount on
admission.

Collaboration is a Key to BIFF’s Success
In addition to partnering with the Beaufort History Museum on the current Beaufort in Films exhibit, the Tuckers collaborate with many other organizations and businesses to help make BIFF successful. “The annual Beaufort International Film Festival is made possible as a result of collaborating with a village of people in and around Beaufort who have an appreciation for the art of filmmaking,” Ron explained.

“The Beaufort Area Hospitality Association (BAHA) has been instrumental to our success, and the support that BIFF receives from local hotels and B&Bs is key. The restaurant owners also offer a warm welcome to the filmmakers and film lovers who come to Beaufort each February. In addition to the hospitality industry, many others step up to support BIFF through sponsorship, volunteering services—both personal and professional—and by simply buying a ticket to see the films. It takes a village of supporters to present the festival as a first-tier artist event,” stated Ron.

“The outpouring of support for BIFF in our community is tremendous, and it’s the reason the festival has grown each year and become so successful. Results from a recent survey show that most of the people surveyed heard about BIFF by word of mouth. In fact, many of the filmmakers who submit entries to us for the first time, share that they learned about BIFF from other filmmakers who’ve told them that Beaufort is the friendliest film festival and town they’ve ever been to. Filmmakers tell us when they come to BIFF, they receive ‘Beaufort hugs and Southern hospitality that is unmatched anywhere!’ “