‘Between the Lights’ and ‘A Little Hope for Chicago’ Lead Dances With Films: LA Winners – Film News in Brief
Michael Groom’s “Between the Lights” and Leon Lozano’s “A Little Hope for Chicago” were two of the grand jury prize winners of Dances With Films: LA. The celebration, hosted at the TCL Chinese Theatre on June 30, saw “Between the Lights” (pictured) win best narrative feature and “A Little Hope for Chicago” take home best documentary feature.
The indie film festival lineup included 232 films, with 117 making world, international, North American or U.S. premieres.
The full award list for Dances With Films: LA is as follows:
Grand Jury – Narrative Features“Between the Lights”Director/Writer: Michael GroomProducers: David Groom, Michael Groom
Honorable Mentions:“Dreaming of You”Director/Writer: Jack McCaffertyProducers: Bridgett Greenberg, McCafferty
“Tallywacker”Director/Writer: Brendan BoogieProducers: Jeremy Dubs, Chris Goodwin, Boogie
Grand Jury – Documentary Features“A Little Hope for Chicago”Director: Leon LozanoWriters: Kevin Nichols, LozanoProducers: Garrett E.B. Thompson, Kevin Nichols, Lozano
Honorable Mention:“Spyral”Director/Writer: Bill GuttentagProducer: Jennifer Hutchins
Grand Jury – Narrative Shorts“Black Silk”Director/Writer: Patrick MichaelProducers: Patrick Michael, Josh Akin, Tiffany Gist Samuel Skeen
Honorable Mentions:“Koi”Director/Writer: Taige ShiProducer: Tianyu Yang
“The Runt”Director/Writer: Christy StrattonStory by: Christy Stratton, Mark NorbergProducers: Katrina Rotondo, Daniela Inés Calvo and Christy Stratton
Industry Choice Awards
Under 40“Is it Because I’m a Girl”Director: Peter DecherneyProducer: Peter Gitau
Over 40“Fight Like a Girl”Director/Writer: Matthew LeutwylerProducers: Anton Laines, Innocent Munyeshuri, Yvette Gayle Serge Ibaka
Fever Pitch Short Script Challenge
Winner: “Judas Kiss” by Sean Cage
Runner Up (Tie):“In the Pocket” by Antjuan Ward“Merry Christmas, Colonel Shoup” by Ed Lawrence Robinson
Audience Awards
Competition (Narrative) Feature “The Man Who Saved the Internet With a Sunflower”Directors: Ori Yarden, Emil Ben ShimonWriters: Oren Safdie, Izhar Har-Lev, YardeniProducers: Kobi Hoffmann, Zehava Shekel
Documentary Feature“Saving Jones”Director/Writer: Rebecca CorryProducer: Stand Up For Pits Foundation with Angel Forever
Fusion Feature“The Disinvited”Director: Devin LawrenceWriters: Lawrence, Matthew MourgidesProducer: Mourgides
Downbeat“Bed by 9”Director: Christian KleinWriter: Max CastilloProducer: Olivia Isabel Comas
Dances with Kidz Pro“Survived By”Director/Writer: K.D. ChalkProducers: Nicole Crespo, Pinar Binay
Pilots“Exposed”Directors: Reece Melber, Rachel OthonWriter: Hannah MerrittProducer: Sina Crenshaw
Competition Narrative Shorts “I Approve This Message”Director: Craig NewmanWriter: Michael BarringerProducers: Newman, Barringer
Documentary Shorts“El Regreso”Director: Samantha Ramirez-HererraProducer: Sam Bathrick
Fusion Shorts“Puppy Love”Director: Daniel RashidWriters: Rashid, Elizabeth ValentiProducers: Reilly Anspaugh, Rashid, Valenti
The indie film festival lineup included 232 films, with 117 making world, international, North American or U.S. premieres.
The full award list for Dances With Films: LA is as follows:
Grand Jury – Narrative Features“Between the Lights”Director/Writer: Michael GroomProducers: David Groom, Michael Groom
Honorable Mentions:“Dreaming of You”Director/Writer: Jack McCaffertyProducers: Bridgett Greenberg, McCafferty
“Tallywacker”Director/Writer: Brendan BoogieProducers: Jeremy Dubs, Chris Goodwin, Boogie
Grand Jury – Documentary Features“A Little Hope for Chicago”Director: Leon LozanoWriters: Kevin Nichols, LozanoProducers: Garrett E.B. Thompson, Kevin Nichols, Lozano
Honorable Mention:“Spyral”Director/Writer: Bill GuttentagProducer: Jennifer Hutchins
Grand Jury – Narrative Shorts“Black Silk”Director/Writer: Patrick MichaelProducers: Patrick Michael, Josh Akin, Tiffany Gist Samuel Skeen
Honorable Mentions:“Koi”Director/Writer: Taige ShiProducer: Tianyu Yang
“The Runt”Director/Writer: Christy StrattonStory by: Christy Stratton, Mark NorbergProducers: Katrina Rotondo, Daniela Inés Calvo and Christy Stratton
Industry Choice Awards
Under 40“Is it Because I’m a Girl”Director: Peter DecherneyProducer: Peter Gitau
Over 40“Fight Like a Girl”Director/Writer: Matthew LeutwylerProducers: Anton Laines, Innocent Munyeshuri, Yvette Gayle Serge Ibaka
Fever Pitch Short Script Challenge
Winner: “Judas Kiss” by Sean Cage
Runner Up (Tie):“In the Pocket” by Antjuan Ward“Merry Christmas, Colonel Shoup” by Ed Lawrence Robinson
Audience Awards
Competition (Narrative) Feature “The Man Who Saved the Internet With a Sunflower”Directors: Ori Yarden, Emil Ben ShimonWriters: Oren Safdie, Izhar Har-Lev, YardeniProducers: Kobi Hoffmann, Zehava Shekel
Documentary Feature“Saving Jones”Director/Writer: Rebecca CorryProducer: Stand Up For Pits Foundation with Angel Forever
Fusion Feature“The Disinvited”Director: Devin LawrenceWriters: Lawrence, Matthew MourgidesProducer: Mourgides
Downbeat“Bed by 9”Director: Christian KleinWriter: Max CastilloProducer: Olivia Isabel Comas
Dances with Kidz Pro“Survived By”Director/Writer: K.D. ChalkProducers: Nicole Crespo, Pinar Binay
Pilots“Exposed”Directors: Reece Melber, Rachel OthonWriter: Hannah MerrittProducer: Sina Crenshaw
Competition Narrative Shorts “I Approve This Message”Director: Craig NewmanWriter: Michael BarringerProducers: Newman, Barringer
Documentary Shorts“El Regreso”Director: Samantha Ramirez-HererraProducer: Sam Bathrick
Fusion Shorts“Puppy Love”Director: Daniel RashidWriters: Rashid, Elizabeth ValentiProducers: Reilly Anspaugh, Rashid, Valenti