The fans and judges have spoken, and they’ve picked the winners in the fourth annual Teen Filmmaker Festival, co-hosted by the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and the Kalamazoo Public Library.
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Best Film:
“Memories” by Drew Marquardt, Interlochen Arts Academy
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Best Cinematography:
“Memories” by Drew Marquardt, Interlochen Arts Academy
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Best Documentary:
“West Michigan Cancer Center Documentary” by Melanie Mott, Parchment High School
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Best Editing:
“The Great Belly Race” by Eric Hoard, Gull Lake High School
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Best Screenplay:
“If It’s For Real” by Klarissa L. Delos Angeles and Madyson Brown, Kalamazoo Central High School
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Best Short Film:
“Beauty is Not Plastic” by Chelsea Graham, Portage Northern High School
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Best Special Effects:
“The Blob” by Katie Valkner, Portage Central High School
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Best Experimental Film (new category):
"Paper Town,” by Jake C. Down, Howell High School
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People’s Choice Award:
"Mmmm … Chunky Pineapple,” by Zach Terry, Mattawan High School
Festival Highlights
This year’s festival drew a record 92 entries from students throughout Western and Central Michigan, and it was the first year that entries came from outside of Michigan.
The winner of the Best Film award won six passes and transportation to the 45th Ann Arbor Film Festival on March 24. Other award-winners took home gift cards, and all of the filmmakers whose work was shown in the festival received free movie passes.
The Fifth Annual Teen Filmmaker Film Festival was sponsored by Goodrich Quality Theatres, Jones Soda and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Note: Video stills from the winning entries are available on request.
Judges
- Dave Jaconette, WKZO’s “Man at the Movies”
- Jerri Puerner, West Michigan Film and Video Alliance marketing coordinator; former director of the East Lansing Children’s Film Festival
- James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette film critic
Sponsors
- Kalamazoo Public Library
- Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
- Community Access Center
- Goodrich Quality Theatres
- Jones Soda
- Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs