2008 WV FILMmakers Festival Awards
Kevin Carpenter, president of the Sutton-based WV Filmmakers Festival, announced the 2008 winners of the festival that took place last weekend. Shawn Bennett, 2008 WV Filmmaker of the Year, flew in from L.A. to receive his award. ”Burning the Future - Coal in America” was chosen as “best film”, Bob Wilkinson’s “Shades of Gray” about WV author Gray Barker, won as “best feature documentary” and “Johnny Boy” received the audience award. See below for a complete list of winners and news about the WV Filmmakers Guild. Congrats to all the winners, and losers - this was probably the strongest year since the festival’s inception in 2001 for WV filmmakers.
2008 winners at Ninth West Virginia Filmmakers Festival
(Charleston, October 9, ) The Ninth Annual West Virginia Filmmakers Film Festival announced its winners today. “Burning the Future – Coal in America” won “best film” and “Johnny Boy” received the “Audience Choice Award.” Eleven films won awards in ten categories in the regular competition. Five films received awards of excellence. Shawn Bennett, a native of Parkersburg, flew from Los Angeles to accept the 2008 West Virginia Filmmaker of the Year Award. His award-winning feature documentary, “The Battle of Local 5668,” is about the Ravenswood Aluminum Lockout. Bennett’s father worked at the plant during the events shown in the film. The film won the award as “best feature documentary” in 2007 and was shown again this year. He received a unique sculpture created by Sutton artist Bill Hopen, sponsored by the West Virginia Film Office. The previous winners were– 2003 – Daniel Boyd. 2004 – Ray Schmitt 2005- B.J. Gudmundsson. 2006 – Gerald Milnes. 2007 – Steve Gilliland.
Mr. Bennett e-mailed President Carpenter after his return to LA, writing, “I had a great time at the festival. I didn’t quite know what to expect. I have been to a handful of them now from Sundance (3x) to the LA Film Fest. WV Filmmaker’s Festival is something very special. I enjoyed every film that I saw which I cannot say about any other festival I’ve been to. I found all the filmmakers to be genuinely talented and passionate about their projects and their work. I have met so many people that get paid lots of money to do, full time, what many of West Virginians do in their “spare” time and here’s the kicker - West Virginian filmmakers do it BETTER. You really know how to put on a party and create a good time for all. I am already looking forward to next year.”
The audience selected “Johnny Boy” as the “Audience Choice Award.” A three-person jury that included President Kevin Carpenter, WVFF publicity person Steve Fesenmaier, and Lucas deGruyl from Motion Masters of Charleston, WV selected the other winners.
Awards
Best Film Burning the Future – Coal in America directed by David Novack
Audience Choice Award Johnny Boy directed by Seth Martin
Best documentary feature Shades of Gray directed by Bob Wilkinson
Best narrative feature Crash Gordon directed by Bill Richardson
Best student film Panacea directed by Kent Hastings
Best narrative short Two winners – Play by Sam Holdren and Casting by James Lineback
Best animation The Bells of Prague directed by Amy Trent
Best animation – student Meshullam directed by Red House Church Project
Best documentary short Human Perception of Time directed by Charles Kleine
Awards of Excellence
Feature documentary Rise Up! West Virginia directed by B.J. Gudmundsson
Narrative short Deadly Beauty directed by Chandeline Nichole
Documentary short Listen to the Women directed by B.J. Gudmundsson
Documentary short Dead Girl Walking directed by Ray and Judy Schmitt
Documentary short Spring, 1386 produce by Holler Presents
At the annual West Virginia Filmmakers Guild meeting held during the festival, the following officers were elected –OfficersPresident – Terry LivelyVice President – Leann Hughes
Secretary – Steve Gilliland
Treasurer – BJ Gudmundsson
Board of Directors
Kevin Carpenter
Bob Gates
Sam Holdren
Joseph Ng
President Lively wrote me, “Looking forward to leading WVFG another year. The guild worked out plans for the spring meeting and fundraising plans to assist the Landmark Theater for the Arts in purchasing and installing a ceiling mounted roll-down film screen. The town of Sutton and the people at the Landmark have been very good to the Guild over the years and we plan to repay their kindness.”
Twenty-one films were shown this year during the three-day event that began on Friday night at the Elk Theater. The Saturday reception at the Elk Hotel was one of the best-attended receptions held since the founding of the festival in 2001. The people who bring you this film festival -
Kevin Carpenter, Director
K. Westley Carpenter, Assistant Director
Steven Reynolds, Secretary
Kerry Drennen, Treasurer
Charles Murphy,
Board of Directors Ray Schmitt,
Board of Directors Kathy Walker, President, Landmark Studio
Mitzi Morris, House Manager
Dorreen Carpenter, Coordinator
Steve Fesenmaier, Publicity - Co-Founder
Paula Sanders, Landmark Youth Theater Project Director
Tad Boyal, Rusty Carpenter, Jane Murphy, Marium Kroller, Christine Allen,
Lex deGruyl, Lucas deGruyl, Olga Geoulis
President Carpenter wrote 2008 WV Filmmaker of the Year Shawn Bennett, “I do believe that the more independent filmmakers that make film for the sake of art, humanity, expression etc the better our world will be. I hope that the festival continues to attract great people and great films and allow filmmakers, producers, actors to meet and plan how we can make the WV film industry/ economy grow. Plans are being for the 10th annual WV Filmmakers Festival to be held October 2, 3 and 4, 2009. The festival continues to grow each year. The films were especially outstanding this year that made the juror’s job very difficult. Many first time festival attendees promise that they shall return. Besides the films themselves, WV Filmmaker Guild meeting, Luncheon at La Dolce Vita, Dinner at Cafe Cimino and especially the Elk Hotel Reception were highlights of the festival.” For more information on the festival -www.wvfilmmakersfestival.org #30
for more info contact:
Kevin Carpenter, Director
WV Filmmakers Film Festival
kevincarpenter1@gmail.com
www.wvfilmmakersfestival.org
Letter From David Novack, director of Burning the Future: Coal in America
Thank you so very much for the festival and for the award.
It is truly an honor to have received the Best of Festival award from the West Virginia Filmmaker’s Festival, especially as an outsider who worked very hard to create a film that is an authentic piece of one aspect of WV today. I owe gratitude to the industry and the Governor’s office for granting me access not only to locations and people, but to their personal perspectives on the complex economic, environmental and social world by which the coal fields are defined. And of course, I owe unending thanks to the people of West Virginia who opened their homes and their hearts, trusting this NYC filmmaker to tell their story with the respect and dignity that they deserve. Countless folks deserve special mention, but most of all, Maria Gunnoe and Billy Sammons must be recognized for the endless hours they spent with me and my cameramen and the infinite support they granted us.
My undying thanks for the award, and for the opportunity to tell this story.
David Novack