Producer and director Chris Brinker, who died suddenly Friday, will still be honored at this week’s Beaufort International Film Festival.

Brinker, 42, will receive the first ever Robert Smalls Indie Vision Award posthumously at the 7th annual film festival this week, president Ron Tucker said.

"He was a young man who had a lot of potential," Tucker said. "He was living life to the fullest and had a lot of things planned."

According to Entertainment Weekly, Brinker began experiencing chest pains late Thursday night. Doctors were unable to treat the extensive damage from the aortic aneurysm.

Brinker’s most well-known works include "The Boondock Saints" and sequel, "The Boondock Saints II." He also produced "Borough of Kings" and "Lonely Street," according to his biography on the film festival website.

Brinker was wrapping up production on his directorial debut, "Whiskey Bay," which he was slated to discuss during the film festival with Tom Berenger, one of the stars of the movie.

The film is set in 1983 and based on true events about a cop who infiltrates a ruthless criminal enterprise after he takes down a contract killer, according to the film festival website. The film also stars Matt Dillon and Willem Dafoe, and was set to be released by Sony this year.

"It was Tom’s suggestion that we consider (Brinker) for coming to the festival, and then when I looked at his work and his potential, I saw he was the epitome of the independent film maker who worked hard to get a film made," Tucker said.

Berenger was originally slated to present the award to Brinker, but Tucker said Berenger will be unable to attend the festival.

A tribute to Brinker and his work has been added to the Saturday night awards ceremony.

The Robert Smalls Indie Vision Award is named after the Beaufort native and Civil War hero who rose from being a slave to a U.S. Congressman.

Check back with The Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet for updates and follow reporter Erin Moody at twitter.com/IPBG_Erin.

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