Post by HorrorBob on Jun 28, 2007 22:42:23 GMT -5
2007 SOLSTICE FILM FESTIVAL
AWARDS BEST OF THE FEST
“BELIEVERS” WINS BEST FEATURE FILM AND BEST ACTOR AWARDS
ST. PAUL , MN ( June 27, 2007 ) It was a true celebration of film as the Solstice Film Festival celebrated its second installment. After four days of screenings, the jury votes were tallied to determine the winners for Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Animation, Best Original Score, Most Innovative, Minnesota Magic and the Grand Jury Award. Jury winners were announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, June 24, at the historic Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul .
The jury was particularly appreciative of the effort each filmmaker put into their projects and felt they should be commended for the creative energy that went into each film! The winning films were:
The Award for Best Feature Film went to Warner Home Video’s “Believers” - which celebrated its World Premiere at the Solstice film Festival and will debut on DVD October 16. “Believers” tells the story of David Vaughn (Johnny Messner) and Victor Hernandez (Jon Huertas), two emergency paramedics who receive a call from a young girl whose mother has lost consciousness in a deserted area, but they soon discover that the life they have to save may be their own. Kidnapped and locked in an isolated building, David tries to discover the truth behind a secret cult and their beliefs. As Victor’s beliefs are challenged and the fine-line between religion and science are crossed, David must find a way to escape and get out, before “they” get him.
The Award for Best Documentary went to “Darius Goes West.” Where would you go if you’d never been away from home? What would you do if you didn’t have much time left? DARIUS WENT WEST! Meet 15-year-old Darius Weems from Athens , Georgia , who was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystro-phy (DMD), the most common fatal genetic disorder to affect children worldwide. In 1999, he watched his beloved older brother, Mario, pass away from the same disease at age 19. Soon after, Darius lost use of the muscles in his legs and had to use a wheelchair to get around.
A group of Darius’s college-age friends decided there was no need for his quality of life to disintegrate along with his muscles. In the summer of 2005, they rented a wheelchair-accessible RV and took Darius, who had never seen mountains, the ocean or even crossed a state line, on the adventure of a lifetime. The ultimate goal of their 7,000-mile cross-country journey was to reach Los Angeles and convince MTV’s hit show “Pimp My Ride” to customize Darius’s wheelchair. Along the way, they evaluated wheelchair accessibility in America , celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and raised awareness of DMD—particularly among a generation not familiar with Jerry Lewis. They also found joy, brotherhood and the knowledge that life, even when imperfect, is always worth the ride.
The Award for Best Director of a Feature Film went to Bethany Ashton Wolf for her film “Little Chenier”, a story of two brothers, who have no one but each other. Living on a houseboat in the bayou, Beauxregard “Beaux” Dupuis and his mentally handicapped brother Pemon try to make ends meet at their local bait shop. Mixed with the flavor of Cajun Country, Little Chenier takes you on a poetic journey into the hearts and homes of all who live there.
The Award for Best Actor went to Johnny Messner for his role in “Believers” as emergency paramedic, David Vaughn.
The Award for Best Actress went to Tessa Klein for her role in “The Wine Bar.” On a winter night in New York City , an average guy, Henry (Seth Fisher), wanders into an upscale wine bar looking for a beer. Obviously out of place, Henry innocently offends both the snooty Bartender (William Sadler) and Evelyn (Tessa Klein), the pretty young woman quietly reading next to him. When Steven (Ryan Young), Evelyn’s hotheaded boyfriend, comes in looking for a fight, Henry decides to take matters into his own hands. The Wine Bar is a short comedy about saying what you mean and not judging a book by its cover.
The Award for Best Short Film went to “The Little Gorilla.”
The Award for Best Cinematography went to “Little Chenier.”
The Award for Best Original Score went to “Little Chenier.”
The Award for Best Animation went to “Everything Will Be OK.” A series of dark and troubling events forces Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life - or lack thereof.
The Award for Most Innovative went to “Unraveling.” Eighty-seven-year-old Marie sits in her living room, telling stories of the past. Her memories sway between historical moments in time and confused recollections in her mind. Unraveling knits together thousands of still images animating Marie’s memories. Old photographs, found footage, and slides project in the background, illustrating the history that surrounds these memories. Today, Marie is an aging woman. She is a strong woman, with many experiences, much wisdom, and tremendous strength. Though her memories might be tangling and her life unraveling, her experiences are filled with life.
The Award for Minnesota Magic went to “Who To Trust.” A man loses his journal and then loses his mind trying to figure out who could be flipping through his every secret. Could it be his friends? His co-workers? His girlfriend? Who To Trust shows what happens when all your secrets are exposed.
The Grand Jury Prize Award went to “Little Chenier.”
AWARDS BEST OF THE FEST
“BELIEVERS” WINS BEST FEATURE FILM AND BEST ACTOR AWARDS
ST. PAUL , MN ( June 27, 2007 ) It was a true celebration of film as the Solstice Film Festival celebrated its second installment. After four days of screenings, the jury votes were tallied to determine the winners for Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Animation, Best Original Score, Most Innovative, Minnesota Magic and the Grand Jury Award. Jury winners were announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, June 24, at the historic Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul .
The jury was particularly appreciative of the effort each filmmaker put into their projects and felt they should be commended for the creative energy that went into each film! The winning films were:
The Award for Best Feature Film went to Warner Home Video’s “Believers” - which celebrated its World Premiere at the Solstice film Festival and will debut on DVD October 16. “Believers” tells the story of David Vaughn (Johnny Messner) and Victor Hernandez (Jon Huertas), two emergency paramedics who receive a call from a young girl whose mother has lost consciousness in a deserted area, but they soon discover that the life they have to save may be their own. Kidnapped and locked in an isolated building, David tries to discover the truth behind a secret cult and their beliefs. As Victor’s beliefs are challenged and the fine-line between religion and science are crossed, David must find a way to escape and get out, before “they” get him.
The Award for Best Documentary went to “Darius Goes West.” Where would you go if you’d never been away from home? What would you do if you didn’t have much time left? DARIUS WENT WEST! Meet 15-year-old Darius Weems from Athens , Georgia , who was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystro-phy (DMD), the most common fatal genetic disorder to affect children worldwide. In 1999, he watched his beloved older brother, Mario, pass away from the same disease at age 19. Soon after, Darius lost use of the muscles in his legs and had to use a wheelchair to get around.
A group of Darius’s college-age friends decided there was no need for his quality of life to disintegrate along with his muscles. In the summer of 2005, they rented a wheelchair-accessible RV and took Darius, who had never seen mountains, the ocean or even crossed a state line, on the adventure of a lifetime. The ultimate goal of their 7,000-mile cross-country journey was to reach Los Angeles and convince MTV’s hit show “Pimp My Ride” to customize Darius’s wheelchair. Along the way, they evaluated wheelchair accessibility in America , celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and raised awareness of DMD—particularly among a generation not familiar with Jerry Lewis. They also found joy, brotherhood and the knowledge that life, even when imperfect, is always worth the ride.
The Award for Best Director of a Feature Film went to Bethany Ashton Wolf for her film “Little Chenier”, a story of two brothers, who have no one but each other. Living on a houseboat in the bayou, Beauxregard “Beaux” Dupuis and his mentally handicapped brother Pemon try to make ends meet at their local bait shop. Mixed with the flavor of Cajun Country, Little Chenier takes you on a poetic journey into the hearts and homes of all who live there.
The Award for Best Actor went to Johnny Messner for his role in “Believers” as emergency paramedic, David Vaughn.
The Award for Best Actress went to Tessa Klein for her role in “The Wine Bar.” On a winter night in New York City , an average guy, Henry (Seth Fisher), wanders into an upscale wine bar looking for a beer. Obviously out of place, Henry innocently offends both the snooty Bartender (William Sadler) and Evelyn (Tessa Klein), the pretty young woman quietly reading next to him. When Steven (Ryan Young), Evelyn’s hotheaded boyfriend, comes in looking for a fight, Henry decides to take matters into his own hands. The Wine Bar is a short comedy about saying what you mean and not judging a book by its cover.
The Award for Best Short Film went to “The Little Gorilla.”
The Award for Best Cinematography went to “Little Chenier.”
The Award for Best Original Score went to “Little Chenier.”
The Award for Best Animation went to “Everything Will Be OK.” A series of dark and troubling events forces Bill to reckon with the meaning of his life - or lack thereof.
The Award for Most Innovative went to “Unraveling.” Eighty-seven-year-old Marie sits in her living room, telling stories of the past. Her memories sway between historical moments in time and confused recollections in her mind. Unraveling knits together thousands of still images animating Marie’s memories. Old photographs, found footage, and slides project in the background, illustrating the history that surrounds these memories. Today, Marie is an aging woman. She is a strong woman, with many experiences, much wisdom, and tremendous strength. Though her memories might be tangling and her life unraveling, her experiences are filled with life.
The Award for Minnesota Magic went to “Who To Trust.” A man loses his journal and then loses his mind trying to figure out who could be flipping through his every secret. Could it be his friends? His co-workers? His girlfriend? Who To Trust shows what happens when all your secrets are exposed.
The Grand Jury Prize Award went to “Little Chenier.”