kick off in April with a public extravaganza and outdoor screening.

Organisers yesterday announced that over 200 tapes have already arrived from around the world and BIFF director Aideen Ratteray Pryse revealed that most of the entries are shorts.

"A total of 223 entries have been submitted, including 142 shorts and 81 feature films or documentaries from the United States, Canada, Britain, Holland, India, Thailand, Honduras, Australia and Turkey,'' she said.

A new feature this year is the addition of the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute as a third venue for screenings. The Little Theatre, and Liberty Theatre will continue as in previous years.

"The films will rotate between all three locations ensuring that every film will be shown once in each theatre. We have also introduced afternoon screenings starting at 4 p.m. at the Little Theatre,'' said Ms Ratteray Pryse.

Also new to this year's festival will be the BIFF Boat Bar. The floating bar will tie up alongside Front Street and will be the "central venue for people to meet and socialise with visiting and local filmmakers before and after evening screenings''.

The BIFF committee also announced the jurors who will decide on the winning feature and short films. Bermudian Alison Swan who picked up the People's choice award for her film Mixing Nia in the last BIFF, will return as a juror this year, along with feature film winner Idrissa Ouedraogo and winner in the short category, David Birdsell.

Elliot Grove director of London's Raindance Film Festival and Reimar Fielder of the local video production company, Panatel, have also agreed to be jurors.

The Bermuda Film Festival will run from April 14 to 20. Tickets to all films are $10 and will be available at the visitors service bureau from April 3.

Special festival passes for $125 and partial passes for $65 will also go on sale.

For more information contact the BIFF office at 293-FILM or e-mail them at bdafilm yibl.bm .