For the last eight years, Prize Fest has brought thousands of people to Shreveport, Louisiana for a celebration of independent film, music, fashion and food. But this year, for the first time ever, the Prize Foundation is giving people from all over the world the opportunity to see the 20 finalists’ films and help decide the winner of the world’s largest cash prize for a short film. The festival and Louisiana Film Prize run from October 2-11, and tickets can be bought at www.prizefest.com/tickets.
“What makes this festival super-special is that the audience and judges combine to name the winner. That’s unheard of in the film world,” said Gregory Kallenberg, the festival’s executive director. “What we wanted to do is create active viewing and have the audience become a part of the process.”
Based on the votes of both viewers and judges, the winner will receive $25,000, the largest cash prize for a short film in the world. For up-and-coming and independent filmmakers, the influx of funds can help transform careers. Although turning the festival into a virtual event wasn’t the original plan, it may have unexpected benefits, particularly the chance to reach fans across the world.
“We have already had ticket sales from people in 26 states, Canada, England and Australia,” Kallenberg said. “The filmmakers are incredibly excited. I feel like this will be one of the most incredible, emotional and creative years we have ever had.”
Typically, to be eligible for entry, the film must be shot in the northwest region of Louisiana, encouraging filmmakers from around the world to travel to the area in order to qualify. But to accommodate this year’s unprecedented circumstances, the “shooting zone” was expanded to include the entire state. That has opened the door for more filmmakers from south Louisiana, including Cam Owen. Owen is a north Louisiana native who has lived and worked in New Orleans for the past several years.
Owen’s movie, “in [APP] licable” is one of the 20 Prize Fest finalists this year. The semi-autobiographical movie follows a gay man who moves from a small Louisiana town to New Orleans and uses a dating app to navigate his new environment.
“Being able to film in New Orleans was to my advantage because I’ve worked here for the past four years, so it was the perfect opportunity for me,” said Owen.
Filmmakers had to adhere to strict safety and health protocols while making the movies included in this year's Prize Fest. Here, the crew of in [APP] lipcable work in 2020.
He wrote the film a few years ago, but was waiting for the right time to put it in production. If it wins this year’s $25,000 grand prize, Owen hopes to expand the work into a web series.
“I’m excited to be a part of the first year of the festival going digital,” Owen said. “I’ve been talking about it with a lot of people in New Orleans because I want them to see the reach of a digital festival. I think it’s definitely going to have a wider overall reach this year, so we’re just excited to show the film to as many people as possible.”
Kallenberg said he has been impressed with the quality of the films, especially since most were produced under COVID-19 restrictions that meant filmmakers had to adhere to strict safety protocols. It presented new creative challenges, but the filmmakers all rose to the occasion.
“I wrote it knowing that we were going to be filming in the middle of a pandemic, so I knew we would be working with a small cast and a more open setting,” said writer/director/producer Eva Contis. Her film, “Stuck In The Middle” is also one of this year’s Prize Fest finalists and explores how a mother confronts a school principal when her biracial son is bullied. The film was shot at Morris Jeff Community School in New Orleans.
“In some ways, it was kind of freeing because we had to have a small crew,” Contis continued. “Logistics and safety were the biggest challenge. I was fortunate to have a doctor friend from Shreveport who was on set with us. Another friend was the safety coordinator. We definitely dove in and reviewed all the documents and made sure everybody was safe.”
Writer/director Suzanne Racz was in a different place with her Prize Fest finalist, “Baked Potato Night.” Racz and her team filmed the movie last November at various locations in Shreveport, meaning there were no restrictions. As she has watched the events of the last several months unfold, Racz considered how it might affect her movie, which explores how twin sisters navigate aging and relationships as they turn 80 years old.
“I wanted to talk about how we are still the same people with these full lives that can still have drama even as we age,” Racz said. “I did wonder if the film would still be relevant, but I think it really resonates now. One major theme in the pandemic has been around age and people with pre-existing conditions, and that speaks to the idea about how everyone’s lives are just as important as anyone else’s. That’s also what this film explores.”
Filmmakers had to adhere to strict safety and health protocols while making the movies included in this year's Prize Fest.
This year’s other finalists are:
- “Away”: A troubled teenager tries to save his sister from what appears to be an abusive home (Directed by Anne Nichols Brown, written by Jeroen Frank Kales)
- Becky’s Big Catch”: After accidentally killing her tennis teammates, Becky tries fishing, but catches more than she bargained for (Directed by Hannah Dorsett, written by Jennifer Moorhead)
- “A Cry For Help”: When a man of color is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, his life and death are in the hands of a woman afraid to stand for the truth (Directed by Steven Esteb, written by Shanna Forrestall)
- “Double Date Night”: When a planned double date night turns into a dinner for two, Paul tries to help his Canadian friend’s confidence and reputation (Directed by Paul Petersen and Alexander Jeffery, written by Benjamin Williamson)
- “Find Her”: A family wakes up to find their young daughter missing and races to find her before something goes horribly wrong (Directed and written by Dexter Duran)
- “The Gazebo”: Tough girl Nina tries to curb small town corruption, but questions linger about her motivation. Meanwhile, she must work with Charlie, who has a questionable past (Directed and written by Barry Larson)
- “Green’s Alley”: In a complicated moment, we can forget about the vulnerable and those considered unfit. We may also turn to imagination and color to escape reality (Directed and written by Abigail Kruger)
- “Imminent”: A hardworking, everyday man is startled by an imminent threat to his family (Directed by TOPHERSIMON, written by TOPHERSIMON and Benjamin Ash)
- “Ms. Blue”: A charismatic elderly woman spends her days on her porch and talking to those who pass by, bringing up both good and bad memories (Directed and written by Mary McDade Casteel)
- “Nice To Meet You”: When a recently separated couple meets up at a local bar, it brings up feelings of bitterness, remorse and love (Directed by Michael Landry, written by Kyle Russell Clements, Brandon Haynes and Michael Landry)
- “Ronnie”: This tells the story of an unemployed robot eager to find purpose (Directed and written by Justin LaCalamita)
- “Strangers In The Stall”: Three distinct women try to overcome their circumstances in the women’s restaurant bathroom (Directed and written by Hattie Haggard Gobble)
- “Thin Slicing”: While fighting outside a bar, Greg and Anne forge a connection that surprises both of them (Directed and written by Catherine Ann Taylor)
- “Three Mile Hell”: A haunted man is forced to face the consequences of his past and tries to set things right (Directed and written by Jeremy Enis)
- “Untitled Post-Baby Project”: A young woman struggles with postpartum depression while trying to adjust to motherhood (Directed and written by Lorna Street Dopson)
- “Value Inn”: A young woman dealing with alcoholism and her fiance’s death seeks redemption in his hometown (Directed by Ken Burton, written by Darby Taylor)
- “Vouee”: A man chooses to accept his fate and sacrifice in the name of love (Directed and written by Christine Chen)
“We weren’t even sure we would get to 20 films,” Kallenberg said. “Usually, we have over 100 registrations. This year, we thought we would get 20 to 25 and we almost quadrupled that, which is astounding in this time. It shows how resilient these people are and how creative and how safe. The pictures that were coming back were amazing and we could see that people weren’t taking any chances on safety. I think a lot of film studios will be looking to these to see how to create in this new world.”
To purchase a virtual pass or learn more about this year’s event, visit www.prizefest.com.
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