2007 BIFF Honors Director Arthur Penn

The Berkshire International Film Festival announced today that legendary film director Arthur Penn will receive the festival’s annual Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Festival held May 17-20, 2007 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The celebration of Mr. Penn’s career will be held on Saturday, May 19 at the historic Mahaiwe Theatre in Great Barrington. BIFF will showcase over 40 films this year which will be announced at the end of March.

Mr. Penn, who is best known for his films “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Night Moves,” and “The Miracle Worker,” has been a resident of Stockbridge, MA for nearly 40 years. In attendance for the Tribute will be Academy-Award winning actress Estelle Parsons (who won her Oscar® for her supporting role in “Bonnie and Clyde”), the full-cast of “Four Friends,” award-winning screenwriter Walter Bernstein, long-time friend and producing partner Gene Lazko and actress and Berkshire resident Karen Allen. The film “Bonnie and Clyde” will be shown after a cocktail reception and the Tribute.

In addition to the Tribute evening, Penn’s “Four Friends” will be shown at the Mahaiwe, Saturday at 2 p.m. with a Q&A with the cast immediately afterwards. “Alice’s Restaurant” will be shown Sunday afternoon at the Triplex Theatre in Great Barrington.

As part of Berkshire Living Magazineåoe’s monthly series “The Rest of the Story,” Arthur Penn will be the special guest on May 14 at 11:00 a.m. at the Triplex. This is a free event.

For passes, tickets, sponsor and volunteer opportunities and further information on the Berkshire International Film Festival, visit our website at www.biffma.com or call 413-528-8030.