Chauncey Crail’s JULY RISING leads Deep in the Heart Film Fest filmmaker awards following successful innovative fest

Chauncey Crail’s JULY RISING leads Waco’s Deep in the Heart Film Festival announced the award winners for the 4th edition of the film festival which concluded on Sunday following an inventive and enthusiastic virtual presentation.

The awards haul was led by Chauncey Crail’s JULY RISING (Best Narrative Feature Film), Aaron and Amanda Kopp’s LIYANA (Best Documentary Feature), and Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE (Audience Award).

Chauncey Crail’s JULY RISING, Deep in the Heart Film Fest
JULY RISING
Amanda Kopp’s LIYANA, Deep in the Heart Film Fest
LIYANA
Chris Hansen’s SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE, Deep in the Heart Film Fest
SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE

This year’s edition of the popular film festival featured an ambitious lineup of themed short film programs, multiple first-time team ups with local arts organizations, and more innovations within the virtual space and filmmaker hospitality from afar.

Deep in the Heart Shorts Programmer Maverick Moore, said, “I’m really thrilled about our award-winning films this year. A wide variety of styles, techniques, and genres, all are uniquely and unforgettably excellent in their craft and effectiveness.”

Additional winners in the feature film categories were O. Corbin Salekin, who won Best Director for his film, THE DUMMY FACTOR, Michael Erger, who got the nod for Best Performance for his work in PESCADOR.

MINOR KEY
MINOR KEY
THE TRAVELING HATTER
THE TRAVELING HATTER

Leading the award winners in the short film categories were; Ivan Sainz-Pardo’s MINOR KEY, which took the prize for Best Short Film; Ya’Ke Smith’s BROTHER, which garnered the Best Texas Short Film award; Brian Blum’s MY DAUGHTER YOSHIKO, which won Best United States Short Film; Dekel Berenson’s ANNA, which was named Best Foreign Short Film; and Joshua DeFour’s THE 11TH ORDER, which won Best Student Short Film. Short films cited with Special Jury Awards included; CASH STASH (Directors: Martin Darondeau, Enya Baroux); FATALE COLLECTIVE: BLEED (Directors: Megan Rosati, Lola Blanc, Francesca Maldonado, Danin Jacquay, Linda Chen, Natasha Halevi); MIRACLE BABY (Director: Michelle Bossy); and MY HERO (Director: Logan Jackson). Alejandro Salcido’s THE TRAVELING HATTER was the popular choice among the Deep in the Heart film fans, winning the Audience Award in the Short Film category.

REHEARSAL
REHEARSAL
WE GOT A MONKEY'S PAW
WE GOT A MONKEY’S PAW

Film awards by genre in the Short Film category went to; Courtney Hope Thérond’s REHEARSAL for Best Drama Short; Aaron Pagniano’s WE GOT A MONKEY’S PAW, which took Best Comedy Short; and Michele Noble’s RECLAMATION: THE RISE AT STANDING ROCK, which was named Best Documentary Short. Eliaz Rodriguez’s COMPARTMENTALIZATION STORAGE FACILITY was named Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi Short; Marc Cartwright’s WE DIE ALONE scared up the award for Best Horror/Thriller Short; Lorraine Lordan’s A CAT CALLED JAM received the award for Best Family Short; and Ryan Schorman won Best Music Video for Zach Pack’s “Panther Branch Road.”

Filmmaking craft awards were given to; JC Doler and Taylor Bracewell for Best Director – Short Film for WAR PAINT; Melissa Jackson won Best Performance – Short Film (Drama) for her role in HUNG UP; and Madeleine Coghlan won Best Performance – Short Film (Comedy) for her work in OH, SORRY. Best Cinematography – Short Film went toJames Burniston (MOTHER’S DAY), Best Editing – Short Film was given toLee Rothenflue for THE METHOD OF PLACES, and Best Screenplay – Short Film went to the writing team of Courtney Hope Thérond and Emily Claire Utley for THE DRESS YOU HAVE ON. M R Fitzgerald’s “People in a Box” was cited as the Best Unproduced Screenplay. while Michael Kearby received an Honorable Mention for his script “The Problem with Time Travel.”

WAR PAINT
WAR PAINT
THE DUMMY FACTOR
THE DUMMY FACTOR

This year’s Deep in the Heart Film Festival established a tone early on of enthusiastic participation in the virtual sphere with the Opening Night presentation of Chris Hansen’s romantic drama, SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE. Following the film, a full slate of the film’s creatives including Hansen, the film’s stars Drez Ryan and Chynna Walker, DP Aaron Youngblood, and producer Dan Beard, took part in a fun conversation on the making of the locally shot film. That experience re-played itself over the course of the two weekends as filmmakers tuned in from around the world to participate in virtual Q&As, filmmaking panels, a game night, and the virtual awards announcement and after party.

Samuel Z. P. Thomas, Deep in the Heart Film Festival’s Artistic Director, said, “Shifting to a virtual festival presented a slew of new challenges, but our volunteer staff always approached it with the goal of making this online festival feel as personal as possible. With the engagement that we had on Facebook, Instagram, and our streaming platform, we are thrilled about the connections made between our filmmakers and our community.”

To strengthen the sense of community among Waco’s arts, cultural, and social organizations, the film festival partnered with and co-presented screenings with those organizations, including; Waco Immigrants Alliance, Waco Pride Network, and The Waco Cultural Arts Foundation. Adding to the film festival experience beyond the screenings and Q&As for film fans, Deep in the Heart FF added a virtual Red Carpet on Opening Night, virtual script readings, filmmaker panels, and an interactive movie scavenger hunt to find “Easter eggs” to the film schedule. Taking its role as the city’s film ambassador to the next level, the film festival also created special filmmaker swag bags to deliver Waco (via products and gifts from local businesses and organizations) to the front door of the people that, in any other year, would be able to discover and enjoy the city personally.

For more information on the Deep in the Heart Film Festival, please go to: https://www.deepintheheartff.com/.


2020 Deep in the Heart Film Festival Filmmaker Award Winners

Feature Film Awards

Best Feature Film

JULY RISING

Director: Chauncey Crail

Best Director – Feature Film

O. Corbin Salekin (THE DUMMY FACTOR)

Best Performance – Feature Film

Michael Erger (PESCADOR)

Best Documentary – Feature Film

LIYANA

Directors: Aaron and Amanda Kopp

Audience Award – feature Film

SEVEN SHORT FILMS ABOUT (OUR) MARRIAGE

Director: Chris Hansen


Short Film Awards

Best Short Film

MINOR KEY

Director: Ivan Sainz-Pardo

Best Texas Short Film

BROTHER

Director: Ya’Ke Smith

Best United States Short Film

MY DAUGHTER YOSHIKO

Director: Brian Blum

Best Foreign Short Film

ANNA

Director: Dekel Berenson

Best Student Short Film

THE 11TH ORDER

Director: Joshua DeFour

Special Jury Award – Short Films

CASH STASH (Directors: Martin Darondeau, Enya Baroux)

FATALE COLLECTIVE: BLEED (Directors: Megan Rosati, Lola Blanc, Francesca Maldonado, Danin Jacquay, Linda Chen, Natasha Halevi)

MIRACLE BABY (Director: Michelle Bossy)

MY HERO (Director: Logan Jackson)

Audience Award – Short Film

THE TRAVELING HATTER

Director: Alejandro Salcido


Short Film Awards by Genre

Best Drama Short

REHEARSAL

Director: Courtney Hope Thérond

Best Comedy Short

WE GOT A MONKEY’S PAW

Director: Aaron Pagniano

Best Documentary Short

RECLAMATION: THE RISE AT STANDING ROCK

Director: Michele Noble

Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi Short

COMPARTMENTALIZATION STORAGE FACILITY

Director: Eliaz Rodriguez

Best Horror/Thriller Short

WE DIE ALONE

Director: Marc Cartwright

Best Family Short

A CAT CALLED JAM

Director: Lorraine Lordan

Best Music Video

“Panther Branch Road”

Artist: Zach Pack

Director: Ryan Schorman


Short Film Craft Awards

Best Director – Short Film

JC Doler and Taylor Bracewell (WAR PAINT)

Best Performance – Short Film (Drama)

Melissa Jackson (HUNG UP)

Best Performance – Short Film (Comedy)

Madeleine Coghlan (OH, SORRY)

Best Cinematography – Short Film

James Burniston (MOTHER’S DAY)

Best Editing – Short Film

Lee Rothenflue (THE METHOD OF PLACES)

Best Screenplay – Short Film

Courtney Hope Thérond and Emily Claire Utley (THE DRESS YOU HAVE ON)

Best Unproduced Screenplay – First Place

“People in a Box” (Writer: M R Fitzgerald)

Best Unproduced Screenplay – Honorable Mention

“The Problem with Time Travel” (Writer: Michael Kearby)

Chauncey Crail’s JULY RISING leads Deep in the Heart Film Fest filmmaker awards following successful innovative fest