Key Largo to Premiere Humphrey Bogart Film Festival May 2-5, 2013

Humphrey Bogart Film Festival

KEY LARGO, Florida Keys Legendary film icon Humphrey Bogart is to be celebrated May 2-5, 2013, in the setting of one of his most famous movies.

The inaugural Humphrey Bogart Film Festival is to mark 65 years since the premiere of the movie Key Largo, starring Bogart and his wife Lauren Bacall, which was partially filmed on the island at the top of the Florida Keys archipelago.

Celebrating the life and films of the man the American Film Institute named Americas greatest male screen legend, the festival is the only event of its kind to ever be backed by the Bogart Estate, which is producing the event in partnership with the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce.

“We have long been looking for a natural home for a family-backed Bogie film fest, and we believe there is no better place than Key Largo,” said Stephen Humphrey Bogart, son of the iconic performer.

My father and mother starred in Key Largo and the actual boat from The African Queen is here in Key Largo, Bogart said. It just feels right to honor my father and his movies in this beautiful place, which has such an organic connection to his legacy.”

The theme for the inaugural festival is Film Noir, a cinematic term used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those emphasizing cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. It was a genre in which Bogart excelled during Hollywood’s notable film noir period of the 1940s and 1950s.

Highlights of the film festival include a rotating selection of the performers classic films and a group of movies focusing on the film noir genre. Also planned are a formal Bogart Ball, an outdoor screening of Casablanca, a display of Bogart memorabilia and canal cruises on the fully restored African Queen, which is docked at the Holiday Inn Key Largo, mile marker 100.

Stephen Bogart is to appear at the event and participate in question-and-answer sessions with fans.

Additional festival elements are to be announced as planning proceeds.

Bogie fans from around the globe can interact socially on the events website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Fans can vote for the Bogart movies they’d like to see during the film festival and, according to organizers, soon will be able to buy tickets, Key Largo hotel packages and merchandise on the event website.

Key Largo was the fourth and final film pairing married actors Bogart and Bacall. Altogether, Bogart appeared in 75 movies in his 50-year career.

Event information: www.bogartfilmfestival.com
Key Largo visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/keylargo or 800-822-1088
Social: facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest · twitter.com/thefloridakeys · youtube.com/FloridaKeysTV

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