Rachel Louchen reports from Great Barrington. The Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) returned for the 13th year with 80 of the latest in independent feature, documentary, short, and family films, along with an Academy Award-winner, to boot. On Friday, June 1, BIFF celebrated the 25-year, 64-film career of acclaimed actress Rachel Weisz, who was joined in conversation by David Edelstein, New York Magazine’s chief film critic at The Mahaiwe. A screening of her latest film, Disobedience, which she also produced, followed the talk. Prior to the special tribute event, festivities included a pre-screening party and dinner catered by The Red Lion Inn, held across from the Mahaiwe under the BIFF tent. [Shown left, Kaitlyn Vickery and board trustee Annie Selke.]
REEL Friends Beth Sackler and Jeff Cohen; first-time attendees Grace Huebscher and Trish Chambers.
Brian Boyles and Danielle McCarthy-Boles of Magnolia Pictures, which has five films at the festival; Elise Abrams and Kevin McNamara.
Actor Jerod Haynes, who participated in the special event screenplay reading of Mumbet, with executive producer Jayne Atkinson.
Event sponsor Cara Vermeulen with Alli Sheehan; advisory board members Mary and Seth Nash.
Advisory board member Joe Corcoran, Karen Cellini and Lisa Newmann; Roy Fullerton, Mike Pelle and Laura Flint.
Production designer Carl Sprague, architect Pam Sandler and Jay Rhind.
Stonover Farm’s Tom Werman and his daughter, Julia Werman; Kerry Rhodes, executive producer of Gone in an Instant, which screened at the festival, and Lisa Forsberg.
Charles Socarides and writer Barbara Bonner; Steven Godog and Leah Yen.