Third year for festival rakes in talent, filmmakers from across nation
In its third year, the Louisiana Film Prize is poised to make another boom to the local economy and as one of largest cash prizes for a short film.
Filmmakers will reunite Oct. 9-12 in downtown Shreveport to show each of their 20 films and vie for the $50,000 prize.
“The Film Prize has nationally claimed its place in the indie filmmaking world as one of its premiere competitions,” Gregory Kallenberg, executive director for the Film Prize, said. “We are incredibly excited about this year’s group of films and being able to show this work to our jury and the Film Prize audience.”
The award-winning Louisiana Film Prize is a competition in which filmmakers must create a short film (five to 15 minutes), and the production must be shot in Northwest Louisiana.
This year, the Film Prize netted over 100 registrations from all over the nation with two-thirds of the entries being from outside of Northwest Louisiana. The participating films utilized close to 1,000 individuals in cast and crew, and over the past two years the participating films have injected over $5 million into the area through payment of cast, crew, food, lodging and equipment. The Film Prize hasn’t tabulated this year’s economic impact yet.
Aside from the $50,000 winner, the Top 5 films will receive distribution through Shorts International on iTunes and will also screen at various festivals across the country. The Film Prize will also distribute $15,000 in filmmaking grants and is introducing $1,000 Best Actor and Best Actress awards.
During the festival, all 20 films will be shown and the grand prize winner will be chosen based on the votes of a panel of film industry judges and the festival audience. Finalists are encouraged to heavily promote their film and enlist support from friends, family and the public to heighten their chances of winning.
“Louisiana Film Prize Fest Weekend has become part Sundance, part Lollapalooza, part American Idol,” Kallenberg said. “As the filmmakers lobby for their vote and interact with the public, there is an atmosphere in the air that can only be described as ‘electric.’” The vote is 50 percent judges and 50 percent audience participation, and in order to be able to vote for your favorite film, you must see all 20. The first film will show at noon Oct. 9. Kallenberg has high hopes for the festival and its effect on the film industry in Shreveport.
“We are hoping to help galvanize the idea that Louisiana is a film capital, and that we’re open to helping and nurturing an indigenous filmmaking community in Northwest Louisiana,” Kallenberg said. “While the Film Prize is about short film, the real goal of the Film Prize is help show filmmakers that you can create all types of films here.”
For filmmakers with entries in the Film Prize, the event is significant in the industry. Eric Gibson wrote and directed the film “Scotch on the Rocks,” his third submission to the Film Prize but the first to reach the Top 20.
Gibson’s film is about the evolution of two friends, one a successful screenwriter and the other a struggling teacher.
“I want nothing more to direct and be a part of films. When the Film Prize came, it one – it gave a reason to [make a short film], and two – it’s got to be good! It pushes you to do better and it’s made me get better,” Gibson said. “It definitely makes you up your game. I know that definitely it’s put Shreveport on the radar of young filmmakers trying to bust out but not knowing what to do. Where do we go, what do we do? Trying to win $50,000 is a good start. This is worth it. I think it’s been really important event for people in my situation that want to make films.”
The festival is also an excellent opportunity for those interested in breaking into the film industry to network.
“Everyone that is helping on this film are people I have met at previous Film Prize events,” Gibson said.
Writer and director Andrew Bryan agrees about the impact the Film Prize is having with young filmmakers in the industry. “The Film Prize is not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s going to continue to get more competitive, as far as I’m concerned, because there’s not really anything like it for short film competitions in the country,” Bryan said.
“I first heard about it last year and wanted to do it, because where else do you have the opportunity to win $50,000 for a short film? That just doesn’t happen anywhere else.”
His film “Angel of Joy” is about the story of a mother searching for her missing child and features his wife Chelsea and daughter Adriana as the two leads. If “Angel of Joy” wins the $50,000 prize, Bryan said he is donating the winnings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“I’ve encouraged my friends to [enter a film in the Film Prize] because there aren’t any opportunities like it anywhere. So many of the other huge festivals like South by Southwest are so competitive and the reward isn’t that much. Very rarely do they have a cash prize for films and distribution deals don’t really ever happen for short films. To only be competing against 100 films for $50,000 is pretty significant.”
Tickets will allow guests entry into the Louisiana Music Prize events as space allows, and for the first time, entrance into the Red River Revel.
For all-access VIP passes are available for $500. VIP tickets include all-access with filmmakers and judges in the exclusive VIP Lounge, free food and drinks, preferred seating at all screenings and events, access to special panels, and the famous LAFP VIP bag. Every VIP ticket purchase supports the Founder’s Circle filmmaking grants that are awarded to the Top 5 finalists. Visit www.lafilmprize.com.
– Mandy Byrd
