The CayFilm Cayman International Film Festival was created to promote the Cayman Islands as a world-class filming destination, give young and aspiring Caymanian filmmakers an opportunity to launch their careers, and introduce local audiences to the best new films from all over the world. One of the main goals of the festival is to find and encourage new talent so it has partnered with a number of educational organizations designed to support emerging filmmakers.
The history of CayFilm began in 2014, when an introductory event was held to test the waters. It was attended by American actor Terrence Howard and American filmmaker John M. Chu. The first official Cayman International Film Festival was held from June 18–20, 2015. There were about 600 film submissions from over 50 countries. Of these, approximately 200 were selected to be screened at the festival, including about 30 locally-made films.
The inaugural CayFilm festival opened with the film Serena by Sysanne Bier starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Alongside film screenings, the program of the festival included workshops with notable industry professionals such as computer graphics developer Loren Carpenter, actor Brian Cox, screenwriter James V. Heart, screenwriter and film director Paul Schrader, and actor and producer Wes Studi.
The first festival was a success so it was decided to make CayFilm an annual event. Its program comprises daily film screenings, exclusive film premieres, panels, Q&A sessions with filmmakers and actors, and a celebrity gala event. The festival also presents the Cayman Media Academy, an educational program for young filmmakers who want to participate in film related studies and hone their skills.
CayFilm is a member of the Caribbean Association of Film Festivals (CAFF) along with the festivals in Aruba, Belize, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Guadalupe, Martinique, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Jamaica, and St. Lucia.
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