“There are a number of amazing stories behind the scenes that go along with these projects – all shot in Memphis and Shelby County,” said David Merrill, the Memphis Prize Filmmaker Liaison. “That said, with the passion and power of these amazing films, we know this is going to be the best Memphis Film Prize Festival we’ve ever had.”
MINORITY lands us in a “reverse world” scenario where a white man in a hoodie falls under suspicion of a black convenience store clerk because he is “shopping while being white.” Countless Facebook political debates have posed this scenario to racists and racist-apologists since Trump’s political ascension in 2016 (and, frankly, long before), but Robbins astutely keeps his film as basic and direct as it gets.
The winner of the 3rd annual Memphis Film Prize (www.memphisfilmprize.com) was announced at the event’s traditional celebratory brunch at The Arcade (540 S. Main Street) held on Sunday, August 5th. The Film Prize’s coveted top award of $10,000 cash – judged by a mixture of audience and film industry judges from all over the country – went to LAST DAY directed by Kevin Brooks.
The 10 film finalists for the 3rd annual Memphis Film Prize (August 3-5) have been announced. The Film Prize’s top award of $10,000 cash – judged by both audience members and a group of judges comprised of filmmakers, film critics and journalists, will be awarded to a filmmaker following 3 days of screenings, filmmaker panels, and events in Memphis.
Inside the Loop will open with Dorie Barton’s award-winning comedy GIRL FLU, close with Ben Bacharach-White’s music comedy MOCK AND ROLL, and will include a meet-and-greet and “Conversation on Hollywood” with “Young & the Restless” star Daniel Goddard, among an exciting three-day weekend in October including a total of 7 feature-length films and 22 short films.
Let’s face it, there is a lottery aspect to all of this, except YOU have quite a bit of influence over who gets that big-ass check. I feel like I am saying the same thing over and over again here, but the fact is that the culmination is a genuinely affecting moment that sweeps every single person involved up into it. And THAT is the magic of Film Prize.
“This year’s Film Prize films were amazing, so Matteo and the cast and crew of WE GO ON should be incredibly proud to have won our $10,000 prize,” said Gregory Kallenberg, founder and executive director of the Film Prize Foundation. “The Memphis Film Prize has, once again, shown that Memphis is an upcoming indie film capital. We couldn’t be prouder of Matteo and of this city for helping to make this event so successful.”
