Thirteen will be a lucky number when the thirteenth annual Beaufort International Film Festival hosts thousands of film lovers from around the world from February 19 - February 24. Considered one of the fastest growing film festivals in the southeast and a top 100 best reviewed film festival in the world according to FilmFreeway, BIFF should see its biggest crowds yet this year.

BIFF 2018 established new attendance records with attendees coming from 31 states and 3 countries and more than 70 filmmakers from around the world in attendance. More than 14,000 people took part in some or all of the festival.

BIFF 2019 will be expanded by a day. It is now a six-day festival with awards being presented for features, documentaries (feature and short), short films, student films, screenplays, animation, comedy and audience choice. Also, winners will be named for best actor, best actress, and best director.

In addition to the category and individual awards, the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to legendary actor, author, cook and opera singer Paul Sorvino. "If you look at his body of work in the film and television industries, his work on Broadway, his philanthropic efforts over the past six decades, you can see why we're so very honored to present the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award to the legendary entertainer Paul Sorvino," says Beaufort Film Society President, Ron Tucker. The award is sponsored by Leslie and Landon Thorne.

South Carolina based Hairdresser and Make-up Artist Joyce Gilliard will be presented with the prestigious "Behind-The-Scenes Award for her notable accomplishments over the past 20 years in the film and television industries. The award is sponsored by Edie Smith and Eugene Rugala.

BIFF 2019 will also present the inaugural Susan A.K. Shaffer Humanitarian Award to the filmmaker whose work best exemplifies the need for positive social, cultural and/or environmental change in our time. This award transcends category and genre, and will be sponsored by Mark Shaffer and Nevermore Books. (Pictured above, the late Susan A.K. Shaffer.)

2019 Beaufort International Film Festival Finalists:

Animation

A Drawing
Directed by: Brad Condie, Albany, IN

Blue Note
Directed by: David Donar, Anderson, SC

Huggins
Directed by: Keith English, Ventura, CA

L'homme Et Le Poisson
Directed by: Lewis Leon, Toronto, Canada

Meraki
Directed by: Austin Piko and Taylor Johnston, Orange, CA

Night Light
Directed by: Yamiset Trujillo and Jane Suarez, Orlando, FL

Documentary (Feature)

Elephant Path
Directed by: Todd McGrain, Ithaca, NY

Hillbilly
Directed by: Sally Rubin and Ashley York, Los Angeles, CA

The Need to Grow
Directed by: Rob Herring and Ryan Wirick, Los Angeles, CA

While I Breathe, I Hope
Directed by: Emily Harrold, New York, NY

Documentary (Short)

Care & Cure
Directed by: Dora Wu, Orange, CA

Empire on Main Street
Directed by: Jessica Congdon, Guernerville, CA

Last Dance at Johnson's Barn
Directed by: Dylan Nelson, Colorado Springs, CO

No Sanctuary
Directed by: Nathan Knox, Winston-Salem, NC

The Conqueror
Directed by: Timothy Blackwood, Philadelphia, PA

Feature
Electric Love
Directed by: Aaron Fradkin, Los Angeles, CA

In the Orchard
Directed by: Christopher Knoblock, Arcadia, CA

The Iron Orchard
Directed by: Ty Roberts, Hideaway, TX

The Price for Silence
Directed by: Tony Germinario, Mendham, NJ

Weight
Directed by: Rob Margolies, Los Angeles, CA

Shorts

After Work
Directed by: Susan Howe, George Town, Cayman Islands

An Autobiography
Directed by: Mari Mantela, Helsinki, Finland

Black Dispatch
Directed by: Shea Sizemore, Charlotte, NC

Bob and Edgar
Directed by: Bill Redding, Arlington Heights, IL

Casey229
Directed by: Nick Marshall, New York, NY

Details
Directed by: Sally Lomidze, New York, NY

Grandpa
Directed by: Chris Niespodzianski, Boiling Springs, SC

History Day
Directed by: Victor Martin, Los Angeles, CA

Kiko
Directed by: Felix Martiz, Los Angeles, CA

Lucha: Fight, Wrestle, Struggle
Directed by: Eddie Rubio, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico

Memory Box
Directed by: Karl Shefelman, New York, NY

Molly
Directed by: Phyllis Jackson, Atlanta, GA

Moon Rabbit
Directed by:  Kae Ho, Tokyo Japan

Nightingale
Directed by: Jay Clemente, Fords, NJ

Passive Aggressive Dads
Directed by: Jim Picariello, Brookesville, ME

Path of Dreams
Directed by:Tamara Ruppart, Long Beach, CA

Portrait of a Woman at Dawn
Directed by: Cullen Douglas, Los Angeles, CA

Pushing Skills
Directed by: Michael Krehan, Los Angeles, CA

Quiet Things No One Sees
Directed by: Andrej Landin, Stockholm, Sweden

Rachel's Pitch
Directed by:  Julia Fulmer, Marion SC

Safety Net
Directed by: Andrew Rudd, Canton, OH

Tin Can
Directed by:  Pat Battistini, Santa Clarita, CA

Therapy Bro
Directed by: John Hedlund, Montvale, NJ

Unearthed
Directed by:  Brandon Smith, Charleston, SC

Unorganized Crime
Directed by:  Nick Vallelonga, Los Angeles, CA

You Didn't Forget
Directed by Simon Intihar, Postonja, Slovenia

Student Films

Akeda (American Film Institute, Los Angeles CA )
Directed by: Dan Bronfeld, Los Angeles, CA

Amal (California State University, Northridge, CA
Directed by: Dilek Ince, Northridge, CA

American Letters (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Kevin Keck, Orange, CA

Athena (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Nick Walker, Orange, CA

Homecoming  (California State University, Los Angeles, CA)
Directed by: Jennifer Blair, Los Angeles, CA

McCarthy (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Adam McClaughry, Los Angeles, CA

The Liberty  (Chapman University, Dodge College, Orange, CA)
Directed by: Jill Sachs, Orange, CA

Riverment (American University, Washington, DC)
Directed by: Shayla Racquel, Washington, DC)

Best Comedy Nominations

After Work (short film)

An Autobiography  (short film)

Bob and Edgar (short film)

Casey229 (short film)

Electric Love  (feature film)

Homecoming (student film)

Molly (short film)

Passive Aggressive Dads  (short film)

Rachel's Pitch (short film)

Therapy Bro (short film)

Weight (feature film)

Screenplay

Invisible Prisoners
Written by: Lawrence Nelson and Hoyt Richards, Los Angeles, CA

The Lady Pirate
Written by: Theresa Ann Carey, Los Angeles, CA

Last of the Burly Girls
Written by: John Pisano-Thomsen, Toronto, Canada

Never Goodbye
Written by: Edina Kishonthy, Los Angeles, CA

Robert Smalls
Written by: John Harris, Charlottesville, VA

Sweetgrass Village
Written by: Margaret Ford Rogers, Charleston, SC

Take the Shot
Written by: Jim Norman, Ft. Lauderdale, CA

Best Actor

Phil Abrams  (Portrait of a Woman at Dawn- short film)

Jonas Ball (In the Orchard - feature film)

Lane Garrison (The Iron Orchard - feature film)

Chazz Palmenterii  (Unorganized Crime - short film)

Richard Thomas  (The Price for Silence – feature film)

Best Actress

Ali Cobrin (The Iron Orchard - feature film)

Ashley Johnson  (Weight - feature film)

Lynn Mancinelli (The Price for Silence - feature film)

Elizabeth Roberts (Portrait of a Woman at Dawn - short film)

Dana White  (In the Orchard - feature film)

Best Director

Cullen Douglas (Portrait of a Woman at Dawn - short film)

Aaron Fradkin  (Electric Love– feature film)

Christopher Knoblock  (In the Orchard - feature film)

Felix Martiz  (Kiko - short film)

Ty Roberts (The Iron Orchard –feature film)

For more information about the 13th annual Beaufort International Film Festivall, visit beaufortfilmfestival.com. The festival is produced by the Beaufort Film Society.

The Beaufort Film Society is a nonprofit, 501 (c) 3, member-supported organization, dedicated to providing the highest levels of entertainment and education to the public from all areas of the film industry.