“Mudbound”, directed by Dee Rees, will be the BIFF closing film

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), announced today that Netflix’s highly acclaimed drama “Mudbound”, directed by Dee Rees, will be the official closing night film at this year’s festival, which takes place December 10-17. The announcement was made by BIFF Founder and Executive Director Leslie Vanderpool.

Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jonathan Banks and Jason Mitchell lead the ensemble cast of “Mudbound.”

Set in the rural American South during World War II, Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” is an epic story of two families pitted against one another by a ruthless social hierarchy, yet bound together by the shared farmland of the Mississippi Delta.

“Mudbound follows the McAllan family, newly transplanted from the quiet civility of Memphis and unprepared for the harsh demands of farming. Despite the grandiose dreams of Henry (Jason Clarke), his wife Laura (Carey Mulligan) struggles to keep the faith in her husband’s losing venture. Meanwhile, Hap and Florence Jackson (Rob Morgan and Mary J. Blige), sharecroppers who have worked the land for generations, struggle bravely to build a small dream of their own despite the rigidly enforced social barriers they face. The war upends both families’ plans as their returning loved ones, Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund) and Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), forge a fast but uneasy friendship that challenges the brutal realities of the Jim Crow South in which they live.

The official closing night screening of “Mudbound” will take place on Sunday, December 17^th at the Baha Mar in Nassau.

Said Leslie Vanderpool, “At the height of awards season, the buzz around ‘Mudbound’ is amazing. The film exhibits masterful storytelling and performances and is a perfect close to our 14^th edition.”

The 2017 Bahamas International Film Festival will showcase more than 82 films from 28 countries, including 12 world premieres, 4 international premieres, and 57 Caribbean premieres. All of the films will be Bahamian premieres.

BIFF 2017 takes place from December 10-13 in Harbour Island and December 14-17 in Nassau. The Festival’s opening night in Harbour Island will begin with a screening of Sean Baker’s critically acclaimed drama 'The Florida Project’ starring Willem Dafoe.

The full BIFF lineup can be viewed at www.bintlfilmfest.com.