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Registration is not required to browse the site, track audience buzz, and learn about the festival. If you choose to register, you can create a personal festival calendar, rate and review films, and receive updates about upcoming screenings.

Featured Films

Check out these featured films playing at the festival.

Kassim The Dream

North American - Documentary

click to rate 0.0 | 1

Born in Uganda, kidnapped by the rebel army and trained to be a child soldier at the age of 6. When the rebels took over the government, Kassim became an army soldier. He soon discovered the army’s boxing team was his ticket to freedom. After 12 years of warfare, Kassim defected from Africa and arrived in the United States. Homeless and culture shocked, he quickly rose through the boxing ranks and became Junior Middleweight Champion of the World. Keeping his demons out of the ring becomes increasingly difficult. His desires to reunite with family in Uganda intensify when Kassim’s only hope for a safe return is a military pardon from those responsible for his abduction. Kassim will attend the screening.

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Virtual JFK

North American - Documentary

click to rate 0.0 | 1

At the heart of VIRTUAL JFK is the critical question: Does it matter who is President of the United States when it comes to issues of war and peace? It explores this question by investigating one of the most debated “what if” scenarios in the history of U.S. foreign policy: What would President John F. Kennedy have done in Vietnam if he had not been assassinated in 1963 and had he been re-elected in 1964? The film employs what Harvard historian Niall Ferguson calls “virtual history,” assessing the plausibility of counterfactuals – “what ifs” – and the outcomes they might have produced.

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show details Audience Buzz

The audience buzz provides you with details on the films people are looking forward to and talking about. For more buzz, click here.

Highest Rated Films

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	10

Opening Night VIP Reception & Film

click to rate 4.3 | 4

	605
	12

Nothing But the Truth

click to rate 3.8 | 5

Most Visited Films

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	12

Nothing But the Truth

click to rate 3.8 | 5

	525
	13

The Steam Experiment

click to rate 0.0 | 0

Most Scheduled Films

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	16

Ghost of Ybor - Charlie Wall

click to rate 0.0 | 1

	525
	13

The Steam Experiment

click to rate 0.0 | 0

entries read all from the blog

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THE 2009 GIFF!!!

On behalf of the entire GIFF staff, we want to thank you all for coming out to the 2009 Gasparilla International Film Festival. We hope you had lots of fun and were inspired by the films that screened this year. Without your support for independent and local film, the festival would not have been successful.

Thank You!

THE AWARD WINNERS:
Young Filmmaker Grand Jury -Zona Rossa by Gina Papabeis
Audience Best Short Narrative-Gisela's Closet by Ben Rosa
Best Short Documentary-Improv Island by Tod Wiseman, Jr.
Best Florida Production -Ghost of Ybor - Charlie Wall by Pete and (sponsored by Hill Ward Henderson) Paul Guzzo
Special Mention Cinema Award-Clear Lake, WI by Morgan Simpson and Charlie Poe
Special Mention Cinema Award-Misconceptions by Ron Satlof
Special Mention Male-Mark Ruffalo in What Doesn't Kill You
Special Mention Female-Laura Harring in Drool
Audience Best Narrative-What Doesn't Kill You by Brian Goodman
Audience Best Documentary-Truth in 24 by Keith Cossrow
(sponsored by RAV)
Special Mention Grand Jury-Amal by Richie Mehta
Grand Jury-Kassim the Dream by Kief Davidson
(sponsored by Élan Event Studio)

Visit www.gasparillafilmfestival.com for more info about the festival and help GIFF continue to promote filmmaking in Tampa Bay and bring in the best in independent, international film by becoming a member or renewing for 2009-2010. And stay tuned for links to pics and video from the 2009 festival!

AND... a special Thank You to our Sponsors and their generous support!

Sponsors of the 2009 Gasparilla International Film Festival include: Knopik Varner Moore, Lydian Bank & Trust, CineBistro, Tampa Bay Film Commission, Stella Artois, InterContinental Tampa, Cobb Theaters, Don Vicente de Ybor, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, NetLease Commercial Advisory, Events by Amore, Pickett Public Relations, Emotional Connections Consulting, Tampa Bay on Demand, Marshall Entertainment Insurance, Roundhouse Creative Studios, St. Petersburg Times, tbt*, Univision Tampa, Telemundo, Telefutura, International Academy of Design & Technology, New Life Mortgage, Arts Council of Hillsborough County and Channelside Cinemas 10 IMAX.

Posted: Mar. 17, 2009 at 10:40PM by Rebecca

Closing Night Wrap Party TONIGHT!

Just a reminder that the Closing Night Party is Tonight!!! Mingle with VIPs and other festival-goers and discuss all of the awesome movies of the 3rd Annual Gasparilla International Film Festival. Oh yeah, and there's an open bar ;D

Posted: Mar. 07, 2009 at 3:23PM by Rebecca

Volunteers for Tonight!

Hey GIFF volunteers, if any of you are able to help out tonight, we are a little bit short staffed on ticket takers. Remember, you get service hours and FREE MOVIE PASSES! Not to mention that warm, fuzzy feeling inside. :)

Posted: Mar. 06, 2009 at 9:07AM by Rebecca

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Rated 5.0/5 Stars