SHOWING ROOTS, with Cicely Tyson, Uzo Aduba, Elizabeth McGovern and More, Wins 'Best Narrative Film' in the Bahamas

SHOWING ROOTS, a film written by Susan Batten and directed by Michael Wilson, starring stage and screen vets Cicely Tyson, Maggie Grace, Uzo Aduba and Elizabeth McGovern won the Spirit of Freedom Best Narrative Film Award at the 12th Annual Bahamas International Film Festival on Saturday, December 12.

Competition winners at the 12th Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) were revealed at a packed awards ceremony held poolside at the Graycliff Colonial mansion and hotel in Nassau.

The competition categories at BIFF were Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Spirit of Freedom: Documentary; New Visions; and Short Film.

SHOWING ROOTS was filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana under veteran stage helmer Michael Wilson (The Trip to Bountiful), directing from a script penned by "One Life to Live" actress Susan Batten. Michael Mailer, Batten and Nick Thurlow produced the film with Bill Haber, Jeff Hayes, Alan Helene, and Jennifer Gelfer serving as executive producers.

Whynot, Louisiana, 1977: In a town where all the lacquered church-lady hairdos are identical, the miniseries "Roots" premieres. It forges an unlikely friendship between a young white woman, Violet (Maggie Grace) a closet Georgia O'Keefe of hair-styling, and a young black woman, Pearl (Uzo Adubo), a tart-tongue tort reform loving dreamer. After striving in vain to please the town's twin matriarchs of opposing authority -- their hair maven boss Shirley (Elizabeth McGovern) and Pearl's grandmother (Cicely Tyson) - the two young women set out to transcend racial barriers and attempt to integrate their fractious town by opening the community's first bi-racial hair salon. But pent-up feelings erupt, festering racial wounds are exposed, and a powder keg of comical confrontations ensues.

Competition winners were announced by their respective juries. Complete details on all films can be found at www.bintlfilmfest.com.

The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the local community and international festival-goers with a diverse presentation of films from The Bahamas and around the world. In addition to showcasing films that might not otherwise be released theatrically, BIFF provides unique cultural experiences, educational programs, and forums for exploring the past, present and future of cinema. BIFF aims to raise the level of filmmaking, participation and education throughout The Bahamas and the world. For additional information, visit www.bintlfilmfest.com.

Pictured: Cicely Tyson in THE GIN GAME on Broadway. Photo by Joan Marcus.

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