'RAIN' the Bahamian film written and directed by Maria Govan will be screening in Grand Bahama on Friday, October 23rd at the Regency Theatre at 8pm.

Proceeds will benefit the Grand Bahama Children's Home and the Director, Maria Govan and lead actor Renel Naomi Brown, who plays the title role will be at the event.

Maria Govan, director of Rain at the Bahamas International Film Festival in December 2008, where her film not only opened the festival but won the Audience Choice Award. Seen right is Leslie Vanderpool, Founder and Executive Director of BIFF. Photo: Tim Aylen

The gala event will include wine, fine chocolate and hors d'oeuvres, and is being organised by Daphne Cates and is graciously supported by many sponsors and individuals that believe in supporting the Bahamian film industry.

Tickets are available now for only $20 at:

* Seventeen Shop
* Zorba's Greek Restaurant
* Wide World Travel
* La Belle Beauty Salon

SYNOPSIS OF 'RAIN'
Rain is a young Bahamian girl who, after her grandmother's death chooses to take an epic voyage by mail boat, leaving behind her very simple and sheltered life on the rural Ragged Island for the big city of Nassau. She hopes to reconcile with her mother who abandoned her when she was just a toddler; however, her hopes and illusions are shattered one after another as her mother's deviant and destructive lifestyle becomes evident to her.

Nassau's bustling harbor, larger than life hotels, crazed noise, traffic, and hostile temperament mirror nothing of the quaint, peaceful farming and fishing community she left behind.

The charcoal black woman who meets her is proud in posture, bony and scarred but does not resemble the photograph Rain holds and has so long treasured. This hard mouthed woman is Glory, her long-lost mother. Glory takes Rain into the valley of Nassau's urban ghetto – an area known as the Graveyard – a small community of clapboard shacks with no toilet facilities or running water, inhabited by gamblers, drug users, and prostitutes, all enslaved by a culture of addiction. This godless place is to be Rain's new home, and life, as she has known it, begins to transform darkly.

Judged by others because of her mother's appearance and demeanor, Rain is confronted with the cruel prejudices of the world and is alienated by her peers and teachers. It is not until the school track coach and her rebellious neighbor Magdalene befriend her that her situation changes. With her God given gift of speed, Rain not only makes the track team, but also challenges the star athlete, Keva. This young woman becomes Rain's antagonist when Rain shows promise for regional recognition and wins the coach's dedication and affection. Rain's real antagonist, however, is her mother, and running becomes a metaphor that reflects the spirit – and the struggles – of both central characters.

Rain tells the story of a young girl's voyage of discovery – to find herself and her place in the world. Confronted by a mother she does not know and an environment she dreads, Rain must catch her stride in the only place that matters, the spiritual ground deep within her.

Source: Bahamas Weekly

Find a out more about 'Rain'

Banking secrecy is one of the pillars of The Bahamas' financial services sector and there's no plan to change that.

This point was made by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham during an interview with Reuters at the recent Americas Conference, held in Florida. He did stress, however, that The Bahamas intends to fully comply with international tax regulators.

"If there are specific things that are needed from a particular person because of a particular set of circumstances, then yes, The Bahamas will cooperate. But we are not in the business of allowing 'fishing' to take place in The Bahamas," Ingraham told Reuters.
"Just coming and throwing a big net and saying 'I want to find out this and the other' is ruled out."

The Bahamas is currently in the process of signing a number of tax information exchange agreements (TIEAs) which would guarantee its removal from a grey list of jurisdictions, complied by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which are not fully compliant with internationally agreed tax standards according the OECD.

That agency is requiring nations to sign 12 TIEAs in order to be placed on a white list, indicating compliance.

Ingraham said the goal was to have that process completed by the end of the year.

Source: Jamaica Observer

Dressed in her customary wacky attire and with her trademark braces in place, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera proved she had plenty of animal magnetism.

She larked around with Cassie, a 16-year-old sea lion, while shooting scenes for the fourth season of the hit show in the Bahamas.

And it appeared the actress was having a flipping good time as held on to playful Kelly the dolphin, aged 34, after managing to get her to sit upright in the water.

Ferrera was pictured in the stunning 14-acre Dolphin Cay sanctuary in the Atlantis Paradise Island yesterday.

On Tuesday the actress was filming at the Atlantis Hotel alongside co-star Becki Newton.

The pair were seen racing down the challenger slides at the exclusive holiday destination.

Meanwhile it has emerged that Betty Suarez is set to lose her signature metal-laden smile in the next series of the comedy drama.

The revelation was made by co-host Ana Ortiz, who guest co-hosted on U.S. show The View yesterday.

'They are coming off [in season four],' said Ortiz. 'Even in the first episode - it's a two-hour episode, it's brilliant - she starts to make the transition. It's really exciting.'

Ortiz, who plays Betty's older sister Hilda on the show, noted that the makeover won't be popular with everybody since the topic has already caused 'controversy' on the Ugly Betty blogs.

But she reassured fans: 'We are not going to turn her into a supermodel. She is Betty and she will always be Betty, but she's going to evolve.'

Ortiz, who recently gave birth to her first child, Paloma in June, was in the Bahamas, shooting with the rest of the Ugly Betty cast. She flew back for her appearance on The View.

Season four will premiere in the U.S. later this month, while in Britain season three is still being aired on Channel 4.

Source: Daily Mail (UK)

The cast and crew of ‘Blue’ experienced a ‘wave’ of sadness once the shoot of the film got over in the Bahamas. So in order to beat the ‘blues’, the crew decided to throw a beach party to celebrate the completion.

And that’s not all, it so happened that Zayed’s birthday also fell on the same day which gave everyone a chance for a double celebration The actor was also overjoyed to be able to spend his special day along with the cast and crew who had become family to him by the end of the shoot.

‘Blue’, an action packed underwater thriller, is directed by Anthony D’Souza and produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd. Slated to release this Diwali, the film stars Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta, Zayed Khan, Rahul Dev and Katrina Kaif.

Source: Entertainment Daily

Today, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) and Group of Companies, announced that the former Goombay Park has been chosen as the site for the new Farmers Market.

Surveying the two acre site located just northwest of the International Bazaar, Mr. Hannes Babak, Chairman of GBPA, expressed excitement at the new turn of events.

“After much consultation with local fisherman earlier this year, GBPA determined that a downtown location would be more appropriate and convenient for a fish market. Subsequently, it was decided that the project would not only encompass a fish market, but also include a space for vendors to sell fruit and vegetables as well. Therefore, we are very pleased to mark this site as the future home of Grand Bahama’s new Farmers Market,” Mr. Babak explained.

Back in August of this year, GBPA carried out extensive demolition at Goombay Park. The area, which had once been a popular gathering spot for visitors and tourists, had deteriorated over the years, becoming an eyesore and unsanitary health risk.

Now, with today’s announcement by GBPA, this downtown site will soon be revitalized as new water, drainage and electrical systems will soon be installed, including access to both fresh and salt water on the premises.

The new Farmers Market is an integral part of GBPA’s new Downtown Turnaround initiative. “We are mandated to create new economic activity and provide an environment in which businesses can flourish. The new Farmers Market is one way by which we can breathe new life into the downtown area,” said Mr. Ian Rolle, President of GBPA.