Bermuda International Film Festival organisers are inviting supporters to their Christmas House Party on Friday.

Volunteers, patrons and filmmakers can meet the 2018 team, consisting of Sherma Clarke, Tashel Bean, Nicky Gurret, Ellen Brown, Dede Cooper, Patrice Horner and Stephanie Lee.

The event will also feature screenings of the award-winning short films Ernie, Rated, My Nephew Emmett and Watu Wote: All of Us.

Ernie is about a lonely old man whose attempt to hang himself with a yarn noose goes awry, ripping a hole in the ceiling and leading him to form a friendship with the young boy who lives above.

Rated is a story where Maggie must find the courage to own up to her behaviour when she wakes to find every adult has received a Yelp-like star rating floating over their head.

My Nephew Emmett, the “peoples choice” at BIFF 2017, is about Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American who was lynched in Mississippi.

And Watu Wote, winner of the BIFF 2017 Short Film award, is set in Kenya, which has been targeted by Al-Shabaab terrorist attacks for almost a decade.

The party, from 4pm to 8pm, is part of the Open House Christmas Party in the Somers’ Building at 15 Front Street.

The 21st BIFF will take place from March 17 to 25. Organisers are also calling on local and international film makers to submit their entries for the short film competition.

The winner of the Bermuda Shorts competition is automatically submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science® as part of their Short Film — Live Action Oscar®

A total of 425 films have been submitted so far, representing 50 countries, and the deadline for entries is January 1 next year.

Submissions can be uploaded to FilmFreeway for $65. There is no charge for Bermudian film makers.

The films must have been completed after January 1, 2017, and they must not have been released theatrically or shown on television prior to the festival.

Films must also not have been made publicly available online on YouTube or Vimeo (excludes password protected posts).

They must be completed and non-English films must have subtitles. All films must be 40 minutes or less.

• The link to submit films is Filmfreeway.com/BermudaInternationalFilmFestival. Film enthusiasts who are interested in becoming pre-screeners are welcome to call BIFF at 293-3456 or e-mail info@biff.bm