The Bahamian film, Passage, recently opened the Portland Maine Film Festival (PMFF), captivating its residents and winning the Director’s Choice Award.

The 15-minute film from director Kareem Mortimer was the first film screened at the 2013 festival. It was followed by the featured movie for opening night, How to Make Movies at Home, by Maine director Morgan Nichols.

Passage’s win in Maine was the latest in a string of laurels that the film has earned.

Its success on the festival circuit includes a win in the open category of the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival On Location: Grand Bahama Island and Best Short at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.

Clarence Rolle, general manager of the Bahamas Film & Television Commission, accepted the award on behalf of Mr. Mortimer.

“It is significant that a Bahamian film would open a film festival in the United States, especially at this time of the year,” said Mr. Rolle.

“As temperatures crept below 40 degrees in Portland, the warm sunshine and clear turquoise waters of the Bahamas on film were welcome sights to the audience. So, in addition to the artistic merit of the film, there is even promotional value in it putting The Bahamas on display as a film location and a vacation destination.”

Tyler Johnston, co-founder of PMFF and a filmmaker of Bahamian heritage, also is in the process of developing the Bahamas Institute for Motion Pictures.

The institute is intended to bring top-tier professional training in film arts to the Bahamas in addition to visitors who are film students.

Mr. Johnston expects to announce details of the institute in the near future.