New Mexico State Film Office Director Nick Maniatis today announced the winners of the 2015 New Mexico Filmmakers Showcase which took place January 24 - 25 at the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe. The following winners were announced in eight categories:
Best Animation Category: "Number Two" - Director Michelle Catalanotto, Albuquerque, TRT 3 min. Two solitary forest creatures prove how far they would go for friendship.
Best Comedy Category: "The Matter of Magic" - Director Anna Darrah, Santa Fe, TRT 14 min. 47 sec. This short film stars Colin Cunningham (Falling Skies) as Sam, an ad man who hasn't slept in a week from the stress of an upcoming presentation. His wife has had enough, his boss is putting on the pressure and Sam feels like he's losing his mind. Especially because lately, when Sam reaches for something like a pen or his razor, they seem to fly into his hands on their own accord.
Best Documentary Category: "A Horseback Ride to the Soul" - Director Aimee Barry Broustra, Santa Fe, TRT 28 min. For the rider and non-rider alike, "A Horseback Ride to the Soul" explores the ways in which humans and horses interact and how better understanding of this relationship leads to a deeper knowledge of ourselves and our relationship with the world.
Best Drama Category: "Ballad of the Boatman" - Director Andy Kastelic, Albuquerque, TRT 23 min. The boatman is growing weary of his post as the toll taker and ferryman into the afterlife. The faces he sees and the stories he hears are wearing down on him. When someone very dear to him shows up at his post he must decide whether it is in him to continue his current job and player in the system or to take up arms against a sea of troubles.
Best Experimental Category: "This is Me" - Director Marcus Romero, Albuquerque, TRT 4 min. The film illustrates the ideology behind the loss of childhood and the development of adulthood.
Best Horror Category: "The Carving" - Director Benjamin Pierce, Portales, TRT 4 min. Hal and his protégé undertake a grotesque experiment in the spirit of Halloween.
Best Other Category: S.H.I.L.O. "Good Times" - Director Dusty Deen, Roswell, NM TRT 3 min. 20 sec. The music video for S.H.I.L.O's "Good Times" was created from 2,380 original artworks from over 500 artists, about half Junior High students. The original video was shot and cut and then exported as individual images. Each image was printed, in black and white, and artists used oil pastels, markers, and paint to color the image as they chose. The images where then photographed and sequenced over the original frames creating a unique and surreal experience.
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Category: "Death in Time" - Director John Broadhead, Albuquerque, TRT 45 min. Time and Death, both personified, engage in an eternal argument over the meaning of death and the value of life.
"We commend the local filmmakers who worked hard on these projects and look forward to traveling the winning films across the state," said Nick Maniatis, Director of the New Mexico State Film Office. "This is one way we can do our part to bring local, independent films to a wider audience. We encourage everyone to attend."
The winning films will travel New Mexico throughout the year in collaboration with local film festivals and theaters. Below are the participating film festivals:
Belen Flight & Film Festival: belen-nm.gov
March 14 - 16
Taos Shortz: taosshortz.com
March 19 - 22
Experiments in Cinema: experimentsincinema.com
April 15 - 19
Albuquerque Film and Media Experience: abqfilmexperience.com
June 1 - 8
Roswell Sci-Fi Film Fest: filmroswell.com
July 2 - 4
Filmstock New Mexico: filmstockfilmfestival.com
September 5-6
The Dark Frame Film Festival: darkmattersfilmfest.com
October 23 - 25
Santa Fe Film Festival: santafefilmfestival.com
December 2 - 6
The total running time for the winning films is 132 minutes. For more information visit www.nmfilm.com or call 505-476-5600.
Information from NM Film Office