The Bermuda International Film Festival is to host a social night tomorrow night to bring together island students.

The event, at Bungalow 56 on Hamilton’s Reid Street, is designed to give Bermudians studying film the chance to meet and collaborate.

Nicky Gurret, artistic director for the festival, said: “We realise students studying film will be on the island over the Christmas holiday and it would be nice time for them to meet over the holiday.

“Plus January 1 is our deadline for both BerMovie Day and BIFF Shorts Competition so if a Bermudian student has made a film they can enter in either the BIFF international Short Competition or the BerMovie Day of the BIFF Film Festival.”

The free event will run from 6pm to 8pm.

Anyone interested in attending should RSVP to e-mail info@BIFF.bm

This year’s film festival will take place between March 17 to March 25, with the Earl Cameron Theatre in City Hall the venue for a range of local and international film screenings.

The BerMovie Day is a recent addition to the festival and was designed to highlight island filmmakers.

The deadline for entry into the Bermuda Shorts International Film Competition is January 1 and the winning film will be submitted to the Oscar-awarding Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science as part of their Short Film — Live Action Oscar competition.

Ms Gurret said: “Filmmakers from all over the world submit their short films to the Bermuda International Film Festival.

“BIFF is both proud and excited to share with the public that the winning BIFF Short Film, Watu Wote, is a strong contender to win the Oscars in 2018.

“In the 15 years of being Oscar-qualifying, BIFF has had two of its submissions win the Short Film — Live Action Oscar.”

Submissions for the Bermuda Short Film Competition can be uploaded to FilmFreeway for a fee of $65 but Bermudian filmmakers can add their work free of charge.

The films must be completed after January 1 this year, be less than 40 minutes long, and have not been released theatrically, shown on television or be publicly available online to be eligible.

The rules for BerMovie submissions are less strict — the film can have been made in previous years and can exceed 40 minutes running time.