ATLFF '16 Jury & Audience Award Winners Announced!
Congratulations to all of our Jury and Audience award-winning films from an incredible 2016 festival!
Photo: Border Union Photography
2016 Jury Award Winners
- Narrative Feature Jury Award - HUNKY DORY (directed by Michael Curtis Johnson)
- Documentary Feature Jury Award - DRIVING WITH SELVI (directed by Elisa Paloschi)
- Documentary Feature Special Jury Award - JUANICAS (directed by Karina Garcia Casanova)
- Narrative Short Jury Award - THUNDER ROAD (directed by Jim Cummings)
- Documentary Short Jury Award - KRAINA (directed by Christina Tynkevych)
- Animated Short Jury Award - SHELL ALL (directed by Zaven Najjar)
- Music Video Jury Award - "Dove" performed by Pillar Point (directed by Jacob Krupnick)
- Filmmaker-to-Watch Award - ZELOS (directed by Thoranna Sigurdardottir)
- New Mavericks Award (presented by SPANX & The Sara Blakely Foundation) - DRIVING WITH SELVI (directed by Elisa Paloschi)
- Southern Spotlight Award (presented by Cineverse) - QUE SERA (directed by Robyn Hicks)
- Seed&Spark Award (for Crowdfunded Films) - EAT WHITE DIRT (directed by Adam Forrester) and THE NEW ORLEANS SAZERAC (directed by James Martin)
2016 Audience Award Winners
- Audience Award Feature - THE FOUNDERS (directed by Charlene Fisk & Carrie Schrader)
- Audience Award Short - HOTEL CLERMONT (directed by Heather L. Hutson)
Jen West Debuts Electric Campaign for First Feature
ATLFF alumnus and New Mavericks board member Jen West has launched a Seed & Spark campaign to turn her directorial debut into a reality. Support local indie film & become a punk in the name of ELECTRIC BLEAU.
“I love the thriller and horror genre because it allows us to go to those scary places buried deep within. As is evident in my short films Bubble and Little Cabbage, I also appreciate fantastical elements as story vehicles. I want to bring the viewer to a world that I created all on my own, full of the human experience that I’ve come to know first-hand. That’s all film really is… an intimate peek into someone else’s universe. You’ve officially been invited to be a part of Bleau’s story and universe.”
We mentioned ATLFF alumnus Jen West ("Little Cabbage," ATLFF '15) most recently when announcing the local filmmakers selected for participation in the Atlanta Film Society's 2016 Airport Shorts program. Shortly before, "Crush" became a Film Festival Collective selection.
West's ongoing indie film reign steps into next level grandeur with the launch of a Seed & Spark campaign for her debut feature, "Electric Bleau." Every generation, the gift of a rare blue moon bestows biracial twins upon the Benoit family. Each pair of sisters inherits an unwanted yet irresistible harmonica cursed with the evil spirit of Josephine who is determined to find her long-lost babies from another time past.
Thanks to Trey Jordan from Banjo Media, "Electric Bleau" has four days left in a $5,000 matching campaign. Perks range all the way from customized digital postcards to private screening invitations to film credit. This initial $28,500 will fund the developmental phase of an ultimate $1.8 million goal, but this will be the only crowdfunding opportunity. Join the team while you can:
Help Us Raise #40Kin40days to Bring Filmmakers to Atlanta for ATLFF '16!
It is our 3rd year running a Kickstarter campaign, but its our 40th birthday, so we have to do it bigger than ever! Help us raise money for our travel budget so that all filmmakers can attend next year's festival.
It is our 3rd year running a Kickstarter campaign, but its our 40th birthday, so we have to do it bigger than ever! Help us raise money for our travel budget so that all filmmakers can attend next year's festival.
We need #40Kin40days to meet our goal, or we don't get a dime of it. This is an ambitious goal, but you have helped us drastically exceed our goal in the last two years, so we are confident that by December 15, we will be on our way to a successful 40th ATLFF!
Memberships to the Atlanta Film Society are tied to Atlanta Film Festival passes, so if you buy a pass through the Kickstarter campaign, you get membership to ATLFS through December 31, 2016. If you had a pass to ATLFF '15, your membership expires at the end of this year, so renew now by purchasing through Kickstarter!
You can also become one of our Founding Patrons by giving at levels from $1,000 to $10,000.
Please visit, give and share this link: atlantafilmfestival.com/fund
ATLFF '13 and '14 Alum Erik Mauck Needs Your Help to Make His Next Feature, "Dough!"
The filmmaker behind "The Road to Livingston," which played ATLFF '14, is making a new narrative feature—"Dough"—and needs your help to fund the project!
After playing the 2013 Atlanta Film Festival with documentary short film "See the Dirt," filmmaker Erik Mauck followed it up with a feature documentary, "The Road to Livingston," that was an official selection at ATLFF '14. Now, Mauck is making a new narrative feature, "Dough," but needs help financing the post-production.
In "Dough," Adam is a man at a crossroads. He's turning thirty but still works delivering pizzas— the same job he held since he was a teenager. Outside of work, his activities of smoking pot and hanging out with friends have done little to inspire growth and maturity. Although he has been able to amass many of the comforts of adulthood, including his own place, for the first time Adam questioning where his future is headed. But how do you grow up when you're already an adult?
Erik Mauck, has been making film and video projects in Austin, Texas since 2003, including his two ATLFF officially selected films. He has received support from the Austin Film Society through the Texas Film Production Fund and his work has been broadcasted and screened around the world. "Dough" is expected to be completed by September and made available to the public this Fall.
Support these ATLFF Alumni through their Crowdfunding Campaigns!
One of our favorite things about hosting an annual film festival, is keeping up with the filmmakers that grace us with their beautiful work! Help these filmmakers from ATLFF '14 and '15 continue their projects or start new ones!
One of our favorite things about hosting an annual film festival is keeping up with the filmmakers that grace us with their beautiful work! Help these filmmakers from ATLFF '14 and '15 continue their projects or start new ones!
Italian filmmaker Vincenzo Cosentino lit up Atlanta during ATLFF '14. He wants to take his film, "Handy," into cinemas everywhere. Jared Callahan, who lives in Atlanta, won all of us over at ATLFF '15 with "Janey Makes a Play." He is raising money for distribution and to put finishing touches on the film. Short filmmakers Daniel Moshel (ATLFF '14) and Brian Lonano (ATLFF '14 and '15) are looking to raise funds for their next projects!
Vincenzo Cosentino
"Handy" (ATLFF '14)
Vincenzo Cosentino is an Italian filmmaker hailing from Sicily who completed his first, self-produced feature film named "Handy," starring Franco Nero. Now, he needs our helping hand. A goal of $30,000 dollars will allow him to release the movie in cinemas. He wants to bring a new and fresh image of Italy with this movie, and to bring people together.
Jared Callahan
"Janey Makes a Play" (ATLFF '15)
"Janey Makes a Play" follows a dynamic 90-year-old playwright as she produces and directs her new original community theatre production for the small town in which she lives. They already hit their goal of $12,000 with 11 days to go so they have moved on to stretch goals! This project, and the needs listed in the video (licensing fees, insurance, festival costs, publicity, etc.) actually cost more than the first goal of 12K. Your contributions will still help cover the finishing costs of the movie AND the filmmakers will support students from Rio Vista pursuing the arts. If they hit $20,000, they can travel to festivals and send the director to a national conference for drama teachers for promotion. If they hit $30,000, they can release this current director's cut of the movie, including every archival clip and song.
Daniel Moshel
"MeTube" (ATLFF '14)
Daniel Moshel's first short, "MeTube" was a viral sensation (not the kind you report to the doctor) and has reached over 1.6 Million Views on YouTube! It was an homage to all the amazingly silly and talented people that create videos from their living rooms every single day around the world. "MeTube 2" is all set to be bigger, bolder and better than the first! This time, they've got an opera house on our side—the Bayerische Staatsoper!
Brian Lonano
"Welcome to Dignity Pastures" (ATLFF '14), "CROW HAND!!!" (ATLFF '15)
"Gwilliam" will be Brian Lonano's tenth short film, all of which are low budget and use practical effects like miniatures, puppets and fake blood. "Gwilliam" will test your stomach's endurance and challenge your sexual functioning for weeks after viewing. What could be so disturbing you ask? Let's just say that it's a love story. A terrible, terrible love story between man and goblin (that's right, I said goblin) that will leave you shaking your head in disgust and laughing at the same time.
Trying to fund your film? Join us at Eat, Drink, & B-Indie next Tuesday!
This month's Eat, Drink, & B-Indie presented by Stella Artois is all about crowdfunding. Whether you are considering Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Seed&Spark or some other crowdfunding website for your film, or you are a frequent backer, join us as we discuss the different platforms, the dos and don'ts of campaigning and our very own Kickstarter campaign.
This month, ATLFF will launch its second annual Kickstarter campaign, focused on bringing more filmmakers to town for the 2015 festival.
This month's Eat, Drink, & B-Indie presented by Stella Artois is all about crowdfunding. Whether you are considering Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Seed&Spark or some other crowdfunding website for your film—or if you are a frequent backer—join us as we discuss the different platforms and the dos and don'ts of campaigning. We will have a panel of experienced crowdfunders who will give you tips and tricks based on their campaigns for organizations like Dad's Garage and ATLFF and films like "AKA Blondie" and "Little Cabbage."
Join us on the third Tuesday of every month at Manuel's Tavern for Eat, Drink, & B-Indie presented by Stella Artois! The first 40 (age appropriate) attendees will receive a ticket good for a free Stella Artois.
Tuesday, November 18
7:30 PM
Manuel's Tavern
Podcast: Crowdfunding with Sundance Institute's Joseph Beyer
Episode #15, in which Chris Holland talks crowdfunding with Joseph Beyer, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Sundance Film Festival & Institute. As one of the founders of Sundance's Artist Services program, Beyer has worked with Kickstarter on the successful funding of more than 90 crowdfunding campaigns, raising more than 2.8 million dollars since 2011. Joe now faces his biggest challenge in his first personal crowdfunding campaign — and because of the nature of the project, he can't use Kickstarter as his platform. Tune in for an informative and personal look at the technical, strategic, and emotional aspects of fundraising online.
Use the player above or download the full episode here. You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.
Episode #15, in which ATLFF Marketing & Operations Director Chris Holland talks crowdfunding with Joseph Beyer, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Sundance Film Festival & Institute. As one of the founders of Sundance's Artist Services program, Beyer has worked with Kickstarter on the successful funding of more than 90 crowdfunding campaigns, raising more than 2.8 million dollars since 2011. Joe now faces his biggest challenge in his first personal crowdfunding campaign — and because of the nature of the project, he can't use Kickstarter as his platform. Tune in for an informative and personal look at the technical, strategic, and emotional aspects of fundraising online.
Links mentioned in this episode include:
The Math of Spike Lee, Zach Braff and Kickstarter
Will the Braffs and the Lees of the world destroy crowdfunding? Are they corrupting the spirit of it? Is it millionaires supporting millionaires? Let's step back and do the math in ascending order.
Spike reminding you of his long track record.
The last few months have seen a spike in conversations about crowdfunding as properties such as VERONICA MARS and established talent like Zach Braff have jumped into the fray. Spike Lee now has his own project raising funds through Kickstarter. That, not unexpectedly, has received its fair share of criticism and support, with even the likes of Steven Soderbergh pledging $10,000.
Will the Braffs and the Lees of the world destroy crowdfunding? Are they corrupting the spirit of it? Is it millionaires supporting millionaires? Let's step back and do the math in ascending order.
Zach Braff's successful Kickstarter campaign was supported by 47,000 followers.
The third most funded film project on Kickstarter is Video Game High School: Season Two, at $800k.
More than 4.5 million people have pledged to Kickstarter since 2009.
Amount raised by the top 3 Kickstarter projects in all categories other than film (art, comics, dance, design, fashion, food, games, music, photography, publishing, technology and theater) is $49 million.
There are 209 million adults over 18 in the United States.
NEA appropriations for 2009 - 2012 was $622 million.
Amount pledged since 2009 via Kickstarter alone, not including IndieGoGo et al., is $723 million.
What all this arithmetic adds up to is the conclusion we have only begun to tap into crowdfunding's full potential. Filmmakers such as Lee and Braff bring awareness to a process that has burrowed into the collective good will and willing wallets of less than 2% of the country. Every day there's someone new who discovers what crowdfunding is, and most often that's because of an artist they want to personally support or they have a vested interest in.
We definitely have to keep our eyes focused on ways we can use crowdfunding to innovate. As of this posting, too much of crowdfunding is a replacement for aging funding models, yet not part of a larger rethink of how one goes from conception to completion. Nor included in these conversations are discussions on how this can lead to careers and help build bodies of work, not just a finished project. We also have to keep in mind that securing funding does not secure distribution, and that's a nut that always has to be cracked--and should be intricately woven into a crowdfunding campaign, regardless of level of the project, from the start.
Let's not get lost in an us vs. them debate that doesn't benefit anyone, that isn't currently supported by the numbers, and doesn't lead us to ask larger questions that will lead to solutions.