SHUDDERBUGS

Waco’s Deep in the Heart FF 2023 announces filmmaker award winners and a new indie name going forward

By John Wildman 3 years ago

Regarding the festival’s name change, Co-Founders and Co-Directors Louis Hunter and Samuel Thomas, said, “For seven years, this film festival, our filmmakers, and this city exemplify the spirit of independence by every definition of the word. Calling ourselves, The Waco Independent Film Festival simply puts an emphatic stamp on what we are, what we celebrate, and how our filmmakers approach making their films.” Hunter and Thomas added, “Our award-winning films this year could not have been better examples of that spirit, that energy, and the specific exuberant joy that comes from creating and making film independently, then sharing it with an audience that fully appreciates it.”

Waco’s Deep in the Heart FF 2023 grows, expands indie features lineup for this month’s fest

By John Wildman 3 years ago

The Deep in the Heart Film Festival announced the film and events lineup for its 7th edition, which will combine in-theater screenings July 20-23, followed by an online encore July 24-30. Deep in the Heart FF will kick things off with an Opening Night presentation of Dawn Mikkelson and Keri Pickett’s film festival sensation Finding Her Beat, and Anna Baumgarten’s decorated drama Disfluency will be the Closing Night selection. The festival will also present a special multi-media screening and performance of Greg Brownderville and Bart Weiss’ critically acclaimed Southern Gothic shaggy dog story Fire Bones, and a Friday Night Spotlight screening of Thaddeus D. Matula’s inspiring documentary Into the Spotlight.

Oxford Film Festival 2023 announces films and events for 20th Anniversary edition next month

By John Wildman 3 years ago

Executive Director Matt Wymer, who will be overseeing his first Oxford Film Festival as Executive Director, said, “This is our 20th Anniversary edition and we’re celebrating the audiences that allowed the Oxford Film Festival to inspire and entertain our community for the past two decades. To show our appreciation, we are providing more free screenings, more panels and bigger parties than ever before. “ 

Naples International Film Festival 2022 announces filmmaker awards after “hurricane recovery” fest

By John Wildman 3 years ago

The 2022 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners during the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, October 30. The jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $2,500) went to Alex Lehmann’s Acidman, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $2,500) was given to Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel’s The Pez Outlaw. Audience Awards went to Balbinka Korzeniowska’s Playing Through (Best Narrative Feature), Eric Bendick’s Path of the Panther (Best Documentary Feature) and Diane Moore’s Conducting Life (Best Short Film). Both feature films received cash prizes of $1,000 and the short film winner received a cash prize of $500.