Cannes'' by popular prime-time television actor George Segal. Mr. Segal of the NBC comedy Just Shoot Me, is the chief juror for this year's Festival and in an interview yesterday with the Royal Gazette heaped praise on BIFF organisers. Admitting that he first heard of BIFF only three weeks ago when he was contacted to be a juror, Mr. Segal predicted the Festival will become a major attraction for filmmakers soon.

"I have a feeling that this will be a very strong festival in another year or two,'' he said. "It is better than Cannes.'' "There is little substance left there,'' he continued. "Cannes is all hustle and hype today, it may have been different when it first started but now you can hardly move on the street today.

"This (Bermuda) is a wonderful environment to be in,'' he said. "The organisers are treating us well and making sure we are comfortable and they are listening closely and learning exactly how to operate.'' In praise of the quality of films selected, Mr. Segal said the discernment would heighten the credibility of BIFF.

"I have seen six or seven features already and none of them were frivolous,'' he said. "This says a lot for the organisers. All the choices have been films of some substance,'' he continued. "In my life I have seen a lot of what I would call `A' for effort movies, but the ones here are really competitive.'' Mr. Segal said that maintaining the high standard would make BIFF a sought after Festival by filmmakers. BIFF director Aideen Ratteray Pryse said that Mr. Segal was chosen to head the jury because of his reputation for embracing challenging material.

"Throughout his career he has tended to opt for unconventional parts, both in Hollywood blockbusters like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, as well as less mainstream fare like director Gus Van Sant's To Die For,'' she said. "This audacity has helped to make George Segal one of the most intelligent men in cinema history.'' Mr. Segal received an Oscar nomination for his performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Golden Globe Awards for King Rat and a Touch of Class.

"George Segal is one of the most familiar faces in cinema, television and theatre, a star of the very first magnitude,'' Ms Ratteray Pryse said. "Mr.

Segal is an actor's actor, a performer whose range is such that he's in the enviable position of being able to play roles that run the gamut from sparkling light comedy to raw edged drama.'' With a career spanning three decades, Mr. Segal has made hundreds of performances. Some of his most memorable are: The Iceman Cometh, Leave It To Jane, The Knack, The Owl and the Pussy Cat, A Touch Of Class, The Hot Rock, Fun With Dick and Jane, Lost and Found, The Mirror Has Two Faces and The Cable Guy.