From the Iowa Film Office: Final results are in for the Audience Choice Award at the 6th Annual Wild Rose Independent Film Festival, November 6-9, held at the State Historical Building of Iowa, in Des Moines’ Historic East Village Cultural & Entertainment District. The new venue proved to be a crowd-pleasing destination, with hundreds of film fans praising the facilities and the East Village location.
Included in the 24 Best of Festival Winners from around the world are the Iowa films To Be, by Des Moines’ Central Campus student Spencer Abbe, for Best Student Film (high school and under); A Friend Indeed-The Bill Sackter Story, by Lane Wyrick, Director/Editor from Iowa City for Best Iowa Film (read more about Bill Sackter and his inspiring story); and Beep Beep, written by Kay Rhoads and co-directed by Kay Rhoads and Patrick Gouran of Des Moines, which won the coveted Audience Choice Award.
The Certificates of Distinctive Achievement went to Iowa films, On Her Own, by Des Moines native and SUNY Purchase student, Elizabeth Hixenbaugh, for the CDA Student Film (College/University level) and the CDA Iowa Film went to Talkin’ to Loretta by Director Kent Abbott and Producer Kerry Skram.
The 2008 Wild Rose featured Keynote Speaker and Audition Skills Workshop presenter was Jamie Rose of JRose Studio, a well-known Los Angeles actress, acting coach and casting director who recently did the Iowa casting for Children of the Corn, filmed in Iowa. Rose’s acting credits include Falcon Crest, Lady Blue, St. Elsewhere, E.R., Cold Case, Two and a Half Men, Heartbreakers, Tightrope, and of course everyone's favorite, Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town.
A filmmaker’s panel discussion was led by LA director/writer/producer, John Putch of Putch Films, whose film Route 30 won eight Wild Rose Awards. This panel discussed a variety of issues which independent filmmakers encounter and must overcome to have their films reach the public. Putch, an independent filmmaker and television director for episodes of Scrubs, Ugly Betty and My Name is Earl, is an enthusiastic advocate for film festivals becoming an important grass roots movement to get quality independent films in front of audiences. Other filmmakers on the panel included: Rick Amundson (West Des Moines), James Serpento (Des Moines), Kent Abbott (Des Moines/Los Angeles), Brian Ide (Los Angeles), Lane Wyrick (Iowa City), Marc Longbrake (Omaha), and Sam Holdren (West Virginia).
The Wild Rose continues its mission to bring some of the best independent film work from around the world to Iowa, while also encouraging the continued growth of Iowa’s film industry.
2008 Wild Rose Independent Film Festival Best of Festival Winners:
Best Student Film – high school and under: TO BE, Spencer Abbe – Director/Producer
Best Student Film – College/University: THE PARADIGM SHIFT, Jon Barr – Director/Writer, Sam Holdren – Producer/Writer
Best Student Film/Documentary – College/University: ARMED AMBASSADORS,
Brian Pollack – Director
Best Debut Film: TREASURE DIVERSITY, Drew Goldsmith
Best Animation: COME BACK SWEET HEART, Chang-Pei Wu
Best Sound Design: THE SERPENT AND THE SUN: TALES OF AN AZTEC APPRENTICE, Scott Lang and Shawn Lyon – Sound Design, Shaahin Cheyene – Director
Best Production Design: CLEAR LAKE, WI, Mathew Reuland – Art Direction, Brian Ide – Director
Best Visual Effects: THE SERPENT AND THE SUN: TALES OF AN AZTEC APPRENTICE, Mike Goedecke – Visual Effects, Shaahin Cheyene – Director
Best Editing: CLEAR LAKE, WI, Chris Witt – Editor, Brian Ide – Director
Best Original Music: THE SERPENT AND THE SUN: TALES OF AN AZTEC APPRENTICE, Austin Wintory – Composer, Shaahin Cheyene – Director
Best Makeup: CLEAR LAKE, WI, Joseph Mistretta – Special Effects Makeup, Brian Ide – Director
Best Costumes: ROUTE 30, Bonnie Stauch – Costume Designer, John Putch – Director
Best Cinematography: ROUTE 30, Keith J. Duggan – Cinematographer, John Putch – Director
Best Short: LADY FEET, Christopher Toppino – Director
Best Directing – Short: Grant Barbieto – Director (A PIG’S EAR)
Best Screenplay: ROUTE 30, John Putch – Screenwriter
Best Documentary: THE SERPENT AND THE SUN: TALES OF AN AZTEC APPRENTICE, Shaahin Cheyene – Director/ Producer
Best Feature: ROUTE 30, John Putch – Director, Writer, John Putch and Jonathan Taylor – Producers
Best Directing – Feature: John Putch – Director (ROUTE 30)
Best Actress: Dana Delany (ROUTE 30), John Putch – Director
Best Actor: H. Michael Walls (THE PARADIGM SHIFT), Jon Barr – Director
Best Ensemble: ROUTE 30, John Putch, Director/ Casting
Best Iowa Film: A FRIEND INDEED – THE BILL SACKTER STORY, Lane Wyrick – Director/Editor
Audience Award: BEEP BEEP, Kay Rhoads – Writer, Kay Rhoads, Patrick Gouran – Directors
2008 Wild Rose Independent Film Festival Certificates of Distinctive Achievement Winners:
Student Film (high school and under): TREASURE DIVERSITY, Drew Goldsmith, Director
Student Film (college/university level): ON HER OWN, Elizabeth Hixenbaugh, Director
Sound Design: FRANK’S LAST SHOT, Evan Geary, Andrew Disney, Director
Production Design: FREEZER BURN, Mike Falcigno, Tony Herbert, Director
Visual Effects: ROUTE 30, Kevin Kutchaver, John Putch, Director
Editing: THE HIT, Johnnie Travis, Marc Longbrake, Director
Original Music: CLEAR LAKE, WI, Aashish Pathak, Brain Ide, Director
Makeup: FREEZER BURN, Elizabeth Good, Charles Hood, Director
Cinematography/Videography: CLEAR LAKE, WI, Morgan Schmidt, Brian Ide, Director
Short Film: A PIG’S EAR, Grant Barbieto, Director
Directing Short: LADY FEET, Christopher Toppino, Director
Screenplay: SPEED DATING, Tony Herbert, Writer/Director
Documentary: LEAVE HER TO DIE, Antonia Thomson, Director
Narrative Feature: SPEED DATING, Tony Herbert, Director
Directing Feature: CLEAR LAKE, WI, Brian Ide, Director
Actress: Helen Slayton Hughes (A PIG’S EAR), Grant Barbieto, Director
Actor: Don Wycherley (SPEED DATING), Tony Herbert, Director
Ensemble: SPEED DATING, Gillian Reynolds, Casting Director, Tony Herbert, Director
Iowa Film: TALKIN’ TO LORETTA, Kent Abbott, Director, Kerry Skram, Producer