Tag: awards

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Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Indie Memphis Announces 2021 Award Winners

Reel Rock: Black Ice won both the jury and audience award for Hometowner Feature at Indie Memphis 2021.

The Indie Memphis Film Festival announced the winners of its festival awards for 2021 in an online ceremony broadcast from Black Lodge last night. The 24th annual festival wrapped on Monday, October 25th, with screenings of Spencer and the films chosen for the Hometowner Narrative Shorts Competition.

Four films pulled off the rare feat of winning both the jury and audience awards. Queen of Glory by director Nana Mensah unified the Narrative Feature category. Larry Flynt for President was chosen as Best Documentary Feature by both audience and jury. Reel Rock: Black Ice took home both of the Hometowner Feature awards, while “The Devil Will Run” by Noah Glenn did the same in the Hometowner Narrative Shorts.

Memphis filmmaker Jordan Danelz shared two Audience Awards for his work with other directors: one for Hometowner Music Video “Buzzsaw Kick” by Idi X Teco, which Danelz co-directed with Sharrika Evans; and the other for the documentary short “Firebird Rising,” which he co-directed with David Roseberry.

The Hometowner Music Video Jury Award went to Don Lifted’s “Brain Fluid”, directed by Nubia Yasin and Joshua Canon. Director Aaron Baggett’s “Nuestra” won the Hometowner Documentary Short jury award. Former University of Memphis film professor Angelo Madsen Minax won the Departures Audience Award for his experimental documentary North by Current.

Two film proposals, both documentaries, were awarded IndieGrants worth $15,000 in cash and in-kind filmmaking services: “I Am” by Jessica Chaney and “Soil and Clay” by Emmanuel Amido.

While the audience awards are determined by popular ballot, and the jury prizes are awarded by panels of filmmakers and industry experts, the festival prizes are voted on by the staff and board of Indie Memphis. The Vision Award, honoring the service of longtime indie film supporters, went to Mark Jones, the filmmaker and philanthropist who originated the IndieGrant program. Jones used the occasion of his acceptance speech to announce a new grant program for LGBTQ+ filmmakers, which will begin next year. The Indie Award, which goes to crew members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, went to cinematographer Jason Thibodeaux. The Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker Award went to Andrew Infante for Ferny & Luca. The Ron Tibbett Excellence In Filmmaking Award went to Yasmine Mathurin for One of Ours.

Winning features Ste. Anne, One of Ours, Larry Flynt for President, The Pill, and Queen of Glory, as well as a retrospective of the work of late Memphis actor/director Don Meyers, are currently available for encore screenings on Eventive, Indie Memphis’ partner for streaming content, and a Memphis-based company.

Here’s the full list of awards from Indie Memphis 2021:

Jury Awards:

Narrative Features

  • Best Narrative Feature, Queen of Glory (Dir. Nana Mensah) – $1000 Cash Prize
  • Duncan Williams Best Screenplay Award, The Pill (Dir. Franco Clarke) – $1000 Cash Prize
  • Special Jury Mention to Narrative Feature, Actors Anna Cobb (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair) + Lauren Kelisha Muller (Ferny & Luka)

Documentary Features

  • Best Documentary Feature, Larry Flynt for President (Dir. Nadia Szold) – $1,000 Cash Prize Presented by Classic American Hardwoods
     

Hometowner

  • Best Hometowner Feature, Reel Rock: Black Ice (Dir. Zachary Barr, Peter Mortimer) – $1,000 Cash Prize
  • Best Hometowner Narrative Short, “The Devil Will Run” (Dir. Noah Glenn) – $500 Cash Prize
  • Best Hometowner Documentary Short, “Nuestra” (Dir. Aaron Baggett) – $500 Cash Prize
  • Special Jury Mention, Hometowner Narrative Short, “Main Street” (Dir. Joshua Woodcock)
  • Special Jury Mention, Hometowner Documentary Short, “Letter to My Son” (Dirs. Brittany Butler + Joshua Woodcock)


Departures

  • Best Departures Feature, Ste. Anne (Dir. Rhayne Vermette) – $500 Cash Prize
  • Best Departures Short, “A Few Things I’m Beginning to Understand” by Xenia Matthews

Sounds

  • Best Sounds Feature, Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché (Dirs. Celeste Bell + Paul Sng) – $500 Cash Prize
  • Best National Music Video, “Hideaway” by Nîm (Dir. Etienne Fu-Le Saulnier)
  • Best Hometowner Music Video, “Brain Fluid” by Don Lifted (Dirs. Nubia Yasin + Joshua Cannon)

Shorts

  • Best Documentary Short, “You Can’t Stop Spirit” (Dir. Vashni Korin) – $500 Cash Prize
  • Best Narrative Short, “Cousins,” (Dir. Mandy Marcus) – $500 Cash Prize
  • Special Jury Mention, Documentary Short “Rebyrth” (Dir. Cydney Tucker)
  • Special Jury Mention for Actor Felix Alexis in “Last Summer on Bainbridge St”
  • Special Jury Mention for the Main Participant, Brandi,  in “A Fine Girl” (Dir. Darcy McKinnon, BIliana Grozdanova)

IndieGrants

  • “I Am” (Dir. Jessica Chaney) – $15K Grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K In-Kind Filmmaking Services)
  • “Soil and Clay” (Dir. Emmanuel Amido) – $15K Grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K In-Kind Filmmaking Services)

Poster Design

  • Jury Award for Best Poster Design, Juju Stories (Dirs. Michael Omonua, Abba Makama, + C.J. Obasi)

Festival Awards:

Ron Tibbett Excellence in Filmmaking 

  • One Of Ours (Dir. Yasmine Mathurin)

Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker

  • Ferny & Luca (Dir. Andrew Infante)

Vision Award

  • Mark Jones

Indie Award

  • Jason Thibodeaux

Best After Dark Short

  • “I’m So Sorry” by Chester Toye – $500 Cash Prize

Audience Awards: 

Narrative Feature

Queen of Glory (Dir. Nana Mensah)

Documentary Feature

Larry Flynt for President (Dir. Nadia Szold)

Sounds Feature

Elder’s Corner (Dir. Siji Awoyinka)

Departures

North by Current (Dir. Angelo Madsen Minax)

Hometowner Feature

Reel Rock: Black Ice (Dirs. Zachary Barr + Peter Mortimer)

National Narrative Short

“Desperate LA” (Dir. Jeanetta Rich)

National Doc Short

“You Can’t Stop Spirit” (Dir. Vashni Korin)

Departures Short

“A Few Things I’m Beginning to Understand” (Dir. Xenia Matthews)

Hometowner Narrative Short

“The Devil Will Run” (Dir. Noah Glenn)

Hometowner Documentary Short

“Firebird Rising” (Dirs. David Roseberry + Jordan Danelz)

Hometowner Music Video

“Buzzsaw Kick” by Idi X Teco (Dirs: Jordan Danelz + Sharrika Evans)

National Music Video

“Fire” by Fimone (Dir. Fimone)

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Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Oxford Film Festival Announces 2021 Winners

Women Is Losers won Best Narrative Feature at the 2021 Oxford Film Festival.

For 17 years, the Oxford Film Festival awarded the Hoka, which was named for the cotton warehouse turned art house cinema run by “Oxford’s cultural ambassador,” Ron “Ronzo” Shapiro. This year, the name of the award was changed to the Ronzo, in honor of the longtime OFF supporter who passed away in April, 2019. 

Oxford Film Festival 2021 announced its slate of winners on Sunday night, after a long weekend of outdoor film screenings, interrupted occasionally by the severe weather that blew through the Mid South. The first ever Best Narrative Feature Ronzo went to Women Is Losers, the feminist coming-of-age story by first-time writer-director Lissette Feliciano. Best Documentary Feature went to In A Different Key, directors Caren Zucker and John Donovan’s adaptation of the bestselling book on autism. Best Mississippi Feature went to Bastard’s Crossing, director Travis Mills’ Western produced during COVID lockdown.

Bastard’s Crossing won the Best Mississippi Feature Ronzo.

The winner in the LBGTIA category was Dramarama, a ’90s teen coming-out comedy by director Jonathan Wysocki. The Best Music Documentary Ronzo went to Bleeding Audio by director Chelsea Christer. 

Bleeding Audio won Best Music Documentary at Oxford Film Fest 2021.

In the shorts, “The Recess,” directed by Navid Nikkhah Azad, a story of a young girl in a conservative Muslim society who dresses as a boy to attend a soccer game, won Best Narrative. “Snowy,” co-directors Alex Wolf Lewis and Kaitlyn Schwalje’s quest to bring happiness to a neglected pet turtle, brought home the Best Documentary Short Ronzo. Manual Marmier’s “Kiko’s Saints” was named Best LBGTIA short. In the music videos, Lemon Demon’s “Touch Tone Telephone” won Best overall, and the Mississippi award went to The Vacant’s “American Automatic.”

Lemon Demon’s Best Music Video Ronzo winner

The Oxford Film Festival continues virtually through the month of April, with all of the winners, along with more than 100 other films, streaming online. The virtual portion of the fest will kick off on Friday, April 2nd, with the 35th anniversary screening of Labyrinth, the epic fairy tale by Mississippi native and Muppet creator Jim Henson, starring David Bowie. You can find tickets to the screening and information about online passes at the Oxford Film Festival website, ox-film.com. 

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Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Nomadland Wins Five Southeastern Film Critic’s Association Awards

Francis McDormond won the SEFCA’s Best Actress award for her performance in Nomadland.

The Southeastern Film Critic’s Association (SEFCA) has released the results of their annual members’ poll of the best films of the year. The big winner was Nomadland, which topped the list of best films released between January 1, 2020 and Feb. 15 2021—an extended voting period due to COVID pandemic-related delays. The film also earned the Best Actress award for Francis McDormand, Best Director for Chloé Zhao, Best Cinematography for Joshua James Richards, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Zhao. The film, in which McDormand plays a van-dwelling itinerant worker in the American west, is currently playing in Memphis theaters and available on Hulu. “Nomadland was an overwhelming favorite among our members in this year’s award season,” says SEFCA president Matt Goldberg. “It’s clear that Zhao’s thoughtful, deeply humanistic, and heartfelt portrait of life at the fringes of our country connected with our members across the Southeast, and it is our pleasure to name it the Best Film of 2020.”

Youn Yuh-jung (center) won the SEFCA’s Best Supporting Actress award for Minari.

The #2 film Minari took home three trophies, including Best Original Screenplay for writer/director Lee Issac Chung, Best Supporting Actress for Youn Yuh-jung, and the Gene Wyatt Award, dedicated to the film that best embodies the spirit of the South. Minari is director Chung’s semi-autobiographical story of growing up as a Korean immigrant to rural Arkansas in the 1980s.

Best Actor went to Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Boseman, famous for his role as Black Panther, was suffering from terminal cancer when he portrayed a volatile trumpeter in the jazz-era saga. The Best Ensemble acting award went to The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Sacha Baron Cohen won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Abbie Hoffman in Aaron Sorkin’s historical drama.

The SEFCA first began polling their members for their annual awards in 1992. Here is the complete list of this year’s recipients.

Top Ten Films of 2020
1. Nomadland
2. Minari
3. The Trial of the Chicago 7
4. Promising Young Woman
5. Sound of Metal
6. One Night in Miami...
7. Da 5 Bloods
8. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
9. Soul
10. Mank

Best Actor
Winner: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Runner-Up: Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal

Best Actress
Winner: Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Runner-Up: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Runner-Up: Paul Raci, Sound of Metal

Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Youn Yuh-jung, Minari
Runner-Up: Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Best Ensemble
Winner: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Runner-Up: One Night in Miami…

Best Director
Winner: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Runner-Up: Regina King, One Night in Miami…

Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Runner-Up: Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Runner-Up: Kemp Powers, One Night in Miami…

Best Documentary
Winner: Time
Runner-Up: Dick Johnson Is Dead

Best Foreign-Language Film
Winner: Another Round
Runner-Up: Bacurau

Best Animated Film
Winner: Soul
Runner-Up: Wolfwalkers

Best Cinematography
Winner: Joshua James Richards, Nomadland
Runner-Up: Erik Messerschmidt, Mank

The Gene Wyatt Award
Winner: Minari
Runner-Up: One Night in Miami…

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Intermission Impossible Theater

Dramatis Personae: Observations from the Ostranders

CREDIT: Jon W. Sparks

The 2019 Ostrander Awards ceremony held Sunday at the Orpheum was, as one has come to expect, packed with soigné theatre lovers in character and out, in their heads and out, cheering or consoling as needed.
Jon W. Sparks

Debbie Litch, executive producer at Theatre Memphis. TM won 10 of the Ostrander trophies this year.

The event alternated musical numbers and clusters of awards, keeping things going at a good clip. Among the highlights were Debbie Litch, executive producer at Theatre Memphis, giving the Behind the Scenes Award posthumously to Mike Lupfer. Lupfer died last year at age 81 and is remembered as a worldly man with diverse interests.

As described by Chris Davis recently in Memphis magazine, he was “a teacher, a world traveler, a family man, a theater lover, a friend to many, a past chair of the psychology department at the University of Memphis, a sometimes scoutmaster, and a paragon of local leadership and volunteerism.”

Jon W. Sparks

Kenneth Neill, publisher at Ostrander sponsor Contemporary Media, Inc., and Elizabeth Perkins, Ostrander director.

The estimable Chris Ellis transported himself from Hollywood to introduce Christina Wellford Scott, the recipient of this year’s Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award. Scott and Ellis are longtime friends from back in the Pleistocene era of Memphis theater. Ellis departed the local theater scene and ended up in Hollywood where he books films and television shows with some frequency. Among his credits: Armageddon, Apollo 13, My Cousin Vinny, The Dark Knight Rises, Godzilla, Catch Me If You Can … you get the idea. He is also an illustrator who does work for Memphis magazine as well as posting death anniversary drawings on his Facebook site, occasionally serious, frequently funny, and typically offensive.
Jon W. Sparks

From left: Chris Ellis, Kenneth Neill, and Christina Wellford Scott arguing over how to pronounce Ms. Scott’s first name.

Ellis’ intro of Scott was, by the way, occasionally serious, frequently funny, and typically offensive. He insisted on pronouncing the award winner’s first name as “ChrisTYNE-a,” causing occasional moments of apoplexy in the audience, members of which would holler “ChrisTEEN-a” to no avail.

Jon W. Sparks

Kell Christie directed the all-woman Lizzie: The Musical at New Moon Theatre, which won Best Ensemble in a Musical, and earned awards for Annie Freres as Best Supporting Actress, and for Gene Elliott for Best Sound Design for a Musical.

The director Dennis Whitehead Darling got the gold of the evening, winning Best Direction of a Drama in the community and professional division for The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders at Hattiloo Theatre, and Best Direction in the collegiate division for Intimate Apparel at the University of Memphis. Parchman also won Best Production of a Drama and Intimate Apparel won Best Overall Production. Yes, but what has he done lately you ask? Go to Hattiloo this weekend and see Jelly’s Last Jam through September 1st.

Jon W. Sparks

Veteran actor Curtis C. Jackson (left) with Karl Robinson, winner of this year’s Larry Riley Rising Star Award.

It was also a splendid evening for Jason Spitzer who picked up two awards for Little Women: Best Original Script and Best Production of an Original Script. Spitzer is somewhat of a fearless genius who adapts and directs stories that he loves. A few years ago he revamped a turgid version of A Christmas Carol at TM and, well, God bless us every one for that improvement.
Jon W. Sparks

Jason Spitzer (left) nabbed two awards for Little Women at Theatre Memphis’ Next Stage: Best Original Script and Best Production of an Original Script. The play also got a Best Costume Design for a Drama award for Heather Steward. At right is Jim Palmer, who won the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016 along with his wife, Jo Lynne Palmer.

Jason Gerhard was on both sides of the awards ceremonies, first getting his own plaque as Best Featured Performer in a Drama for his work in Junk at Circuit Playhouse, and then introducing the winner of the Larry Riley Rising Star Award, Karl Robinson.
Jon W. Sparks

Jason Gerhard, winner of Best Featured Performer in a Drama for his work in Junk at Circuit Playhouse.

First time winners are predictably excited, but few were as over the moon as Ariona Campbell, who won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama in the collegiate division for Crumbs from the Table of Joy at Southwest Tennessee Community College. She attended the ceremonies with daughter London.
Jon W. Sparks

Ariona Campbell won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama in the collegiate division for Crumbs from the Table of Joy at Southwest Tennessee Community College. With her at the Orpheum ceremonies is her daughter London.

After the ceremonies, attendees adjourned to the Halloran Center next door to further schmooze, emote, pose, crack wise, and try to impress potential directors. After all, these are theater people, people.

Jon W. Sparks

John Maness was one of two winners for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his work in TM’s 1776. The other awardee was Michael ‘Quick Change Artist’ Gravois in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Playhouse on the Square.

Categories
Intermission Impossible Theater

Theater Honors Its Own at the Annual Ostrander Awards

CREDIT: New Moon

Jon W. Sparks

A stellar Ostranders: Dennis Whitehead Darling won two awards for best direction.

It was a brilliant evening at the Ostranders for busy director Dennis Whitehead Darling. The annual theater award event sponsored by Memphis magazine and ArtsMemphis was held at the Orpheum Sunday honoring people and productions around the city, and he earned two nods for best direction, one for The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders at Hattiloo Theatre and the other for Intimate Apparel at the University of Memphis.

The former was in the community and professional category and the latter in the collegiate division. Transcending categories is what Whitehead Darling does — he was the first Opera Memphis McCleave Fellow in Directing, named a year ago, and will be directing at Opera Birmingham next year. And for good measure, he directed Jelly’s Last Jam now showing at Hattiloo.

The Parchman Hour racked up five Ossies for Hattiloo, for Best Production of a Drama, Sound Design for a Drama, Choreography/Fight Choreography for a Drama, Ensemble in a Drama, as well as for Whitehead Darling’s direction.

Awards.

In the College category, Intimate Apparel took 12 of the awards. U of M’s Be More Chill won 6.

The community/professional side was dominated by Theatre Memphis with awards for Hairspray, 1776, Little Women, and Newsies.

The Ostranders ceremonies often include special awards, the most distinguished of which is the Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement honor that went to stage veteran Christina Wellford Scott. Other distinctions included the Larry Riley Rising Star Award to Karl Robinson, the Gypsy Award to Brittany Church, and the Behind the Scenes Award given posthumously to Michael Lupfer.

As in the past, financial support for the awards event was provided by Michael McLaren and Judge Diane Vescovo.

If you’re keeping score of multiple winners in the community/professional division, Theatre Memphis walked away with 10 awards, Playhouse on the Square 6, Next Theatre at TM 5, Hattiloo Theatre 5, New Moon Theatre 5, and Circuit Playhouse 3.

New Moon

New Moon’s Lizzie: The Musical won three Ostranders.

Hattiloo’s The Parchman Hour earned 5 and TM’s Hairspray 4. Winning 3 each were POTS’ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, New Moon’s Lizzie: The Musical, TM’s Little Women, Newsies, and 1776. TM’s Clean House and POTS’ Tuck Everlasting got two apiece.

In the college division, U of M ran away with 19, 12 of which were for Intimate Apparel and 6 for Be More Chill.
Theatre Memphis

Timothy Marsh and Erica Peninger in the Theatre Memphis production of Hairspray, which won four Ossies, including one for Peninger as Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

Here is the complete list of winners:

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL

Best Set Design of a Drama: Bryce Cutler, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, POTS
Best Set Design of a Musical: Jack Yates, Hairspray, TM
Best Costume Design for a Drama: Heather Steward, Little Women, Next Stage, TM
Best Costume Design for a Musical: Amie Eoff, 1776, TM
Best Hair/Wig/Makeup for a Drama: Lindsay Schmeling, The Legend of Georgia McBride, CP
Best Hair/Wig/Makeup for a Musical: Barbara Sanders, 1776, TM
Best Props Design for a Drama: Jack Yates, The Clean House, Next Stage, TM
Best Props Design for a Musical: Brandyn Nordlof, Tuck Everlasting, POTS
Best Lighting Design for a Drama: Justin Gibson, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, POTS
Best Lighting Design for a Musical: Justin Gibson, Tuck Everlasting, POTS
Best Sound Design for a Drama: Ashley Davis, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo
Best Sound Design for a Musical: Gene Elliott, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon
Best Music Direction: Jeff Brewer, Newsies, TM
Best Choreography/Fight Choreography for a Drama: Naivell Steib, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo
Best Choreography for a Musical: Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, Newsies, TM
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Aliza Moran, The Clean House, Next Stage, TM
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Annie Freres, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon
Best Leading Actress in a Drama: Kim Sanders, Sweat, CP
Best Leading Actress in a Musical: Erica Peninger, Hairspray, TM
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Oliver Jacob Pierce, Twelfth Night, New Moon
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical: Luke Conner, Newsies, TM
Best Leading Actor in a Drama: Ryan Duda, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, POTS
Best Leading Actor in a Musical (2 winners): John Maness, 1776, TM and Michael Gravois, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, POTS
Best Featured Performer in a Drama: Jason Gerhard, Junk, CP
Best Featured Performer in a Musical: Daniel Kopera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Harrell
Best Ensemble in a Drama: The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo
Best Ensemble in a Musical: Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon
Best Direction of a Drama: Dennis Whitehead Darling, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo
Best Direction of a Musical: Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, Hairspray, TM
Best Production of a Drama: The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo
Best Production of a Musical: Hairspray, TM
Carla McDonald

Playhouse on the Square’s Tuck Everlasting won two Ostrander Awards.

COLLEGE

Best Set Design: Kenton Jones, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Costume Design: Jen Gillette, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Hair/Wig/Makeup: Jen Gilette, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Props Design: Karen Arredondo, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Lighting Design: Zoey Smith, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Sound Design: Anthony Pellecchia, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Music Direction: Jacob Allen, Be More Chill, U of M
Best Choreography: Jill Guyton Nee, Be More Chill, U of M
Special Award: Intimacy Choreography: Roberta Inscho-Cox, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Ariona Campbell, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Southwest Tennessee Community College
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Lea Mae Aldridge, Be More Chill, U of M
Best Leading Actress in a Drama: Simmery Branch, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Leading Actress in a Musical: Aly Milan, Be More Chill, U of M
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Toby Davis, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical – College: Landon Ricker, Be More Chill, U of M
Best Leading Actor in a Drama: Christian Hinton, Shaming JANE DOE, U of M
Best Leading Actor in a Musical: Toby Davis, Be More Chill, U of M
Best Featured Performer: Jasmine Roberts, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Ensemble: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2018 version), Rhodes College
Best Direction: Dennis Whitehead Darling, Intimate Apparel, U of M
Best Overall Production: Intimate Apparel, U of M

OTHER AWARDS

Best Original Script: Little Women, Next Stage, TM
Best Production of an Original Script: Little Women, Next Stage, TM
Larry Riley Rising Star: Karl Robinson
Gypsy: Brittany Church
Behind the Scenes: Mike Lupfer (posthumously)
Eugart Yerian Lifetime Achievement: Christina Wellford Scott

Categories
Intermission Impossible Theater

Ostrander Nominations Announced for 2019

CREDIT: Carla McDonald

Carla McDonald

Tuck Everlasting at Playhouse on the Square

The 36th annual Ostrander Awards comes together on August 25th at the Orpheum, honoring the best of most of Memphis theater for the 2018-2019 season. The judges have conferred and come up with the nominees listed here.

The one winner we know for certain this year is veteran actor Christina Wellford Scott, who will receive the Eugart Yerian Award for Lifetime Achievement. That honor is given to those who have distinguished themselves for years of contributions to the local performance community.

More information on the Ostranders is here. Tickets are available in advance for $15 plus fees, and at the door for $20. A ticket includes the post-event reception at the Halloran Centre. They’re available here.

In the collegiate division, dramas and musicals are in one category for the majority of awards. In the community and professional division, awards are split by drama or musical.

If you’re counting, Theatre Memphis (Lohrey Stage) has 43 nominations, TM’s Next Stage 30, Playhouse on the Square 37, Circuit Playhouse 22, New Moon Theatre 13, Hattiloo Theatre 8, Harrell Theatre 4, and POTS@TheWorks 3.

Thanks as always to Memphis magazine, ArtsMemphis, and the Orpheum Theatre Group for making it possible.

Community & Professional Division

Best Set Design of a Drama
• Andrew Mannion, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Brian Ruggaber & Melanie Mulder, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre
• Bryce Cutler, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• Jack Yates, Heisenberg, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Jack Yates, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Best Set Design of a Musical
• Jack Yates, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Jack Yates, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Jack Yates, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Jack Yates, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Tim McMath, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square

Best Costume Design for a Drama 
• Amie Eoff, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Theatre Memphis
• Ashley Kopera, Twelfth Night, New Moon
• Heather Steward, Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Lindsay Schmeling, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Circuit Playhouse
• Waverly Strickland, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square

Best Costume Design for a Musical
• Amie Eoff, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Amie Eoff, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Amie Eoff, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Kathleen R. Kovarik, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Playhouse on the Square
• Kathleen R. Kovarik, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square

Best Hair/Wig/Makeup for a Drama
• Lindsay Schmeling, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Circuit Playhouse
• Barbara Sanders, Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Heather Steward and Lindsay Taylor, Dracula, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Buddy Hart & Rence Phillips, Steel Magnolias, Harrell Theatre
• Alexandria Perel-Sams, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Theatre Memphis

Best Hair/Wig/Makeup for a Musical
• A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Playhouse on the Square
• Barbara Sanders, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Buddy Hart & Rence Phillips, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Kathleen R. Kovarik, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square
• Waverly Strickland, Madagascar, Circuit Playhouse

Best Props Design for a Drama
• Betty Dilley, Steel Magnolias, Harrell Theatre
• Brandyn Nordlof, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Brandyn Nordlof, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• Jack Yates, Heisenberg, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Jack Yates, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Best Props Design for a Musical
• Brandyn Nordlof & Abby Teel, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Playhouse on the Square
• Brandyn Nordlof, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square
• Brandyn Nordlof, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Jack Yates, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Jack Yates, Newsies, Theatre Memphis

Best Lighting Design for a Drama
• Alyssandra Docherty, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre
• Justin Gibson, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• Mandy Kay Heath, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Trey Eikleberry and Justin Gibson, Junk, Circuit Playhouse
• Trey Eikleberry, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse

Best Lighting Design for a Musical
• Justin Gibson, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Mandy Kay Heath, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Mandy Kay Heath, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Mandy Kay Heath, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Melissa Andrews & Thomas Halfacre, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre

Best Sound Design for a Drama
• Ashley Davis, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre
• Carter McHann, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Joe Johnson, Heisenberg, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Joe Johnson, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Travis Bradley, Carter McHann, & Jordan Nichols, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square

Best Sound Design for a Musical
• Carter McHann, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Gene Elliott, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Jason Eschhofen & Reyn Lehman, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Joshua Crawford, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Joshua Crawford, Newsies, Theatre Memphis

Best Music Direction
• Eileen Kuo, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Gary Beard, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Jeff Brewer, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Jeff Brewer, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Nathan McHenry, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Playhouse on the Square

Best Choreography/Fight Choreography for a Drama
• Brittany Church, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Courtney Oliver & Donald Sutton, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Daniel Stuart Nelson, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Circuit Playhouse
• Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• Naivell Steib, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre

Best Choreography for a Musical
• Daniel Stuart Nelson, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Travis Bradley, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square
• Whitney Branan, Madagascar, Circuit Playhouse

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
• Aliza Moran, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Annie Freres, Twelfth Night, New Moon Theatre
• Danika Norfleet, A Song for Coretta, Hattiloo Theatre
• Susan Brindley, Agnes of God, New Moon Theatre
• Tamara Wright, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
• Annie Freres, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Edna Dinwiddie, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Jaclyn Suffel, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Rebecca Johnson, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square
• Whitney Branan, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis

Best Leading Actress in a Drama
• Jaclyn Suffel, The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Jessica Jai Johnson, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Kim Sanders, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Natalie Jones, Heisenberg, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Sarah Jo Biggs, Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Best Leading Actress in a Musical
• Christina Hernandez, Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Erica Peninger, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Jenny Wilson, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Kelly McCarty, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Whitney Branan, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
• Andrew Chandler, Dracula, Theatre Memphis
• JS Tate, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Justin Allen Tate, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Circuit Playhouse
• Michael Gravois, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• Oliver Jacob Pierce, Twelfth Night, New Moon Theatre

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
• Donald Sutton, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Javier Pena, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Luke Conner, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Michael Gravois, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Talen Piner, Madagascar, Circuit Playhouse

Best Leading Actor in a Drama
• Danny Crowe, 1984, Circuit Playhouse
• Gabe Beutel-Gunn, Junk, Circuit Playhouse
• Jason Spitzer, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Theatre Memphis
• Ryan Duda, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• TC Sharpe, The Miraculous and the Mundane, POTS@TheWorks

Best Leading Actor in a Musical 
• Bradley Karel, Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Donald Sutton, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square
• John Maness, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Michael Gravois, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Playhouse on the Square
• Ryan Gilliam, The Producers, Harrell Theatre

Best Featured Performer in a Drama
• Christina Wellford Scott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• Jason Gerhard, Junk, Circuit Playhouse
• Jimbo Lattimore, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Theatre Memphis
• Lena Wallace Black, Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Steven Brown, Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis

Best Featured Performer in a Musical
• Ann Marie Hall, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Daniel Kopera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Harrell Theatre
• Jason Eschhofen, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Jimbo Lattimore, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Kirie Walz, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Kristin Doty, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Playhouse on the Square

Best Ensemble in a Drama
• Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre

Best Ensemble in a Musical
• 1776, Theatre Memphis
• 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Newsies, Theatre Memphis

Best Direction of a Drama
• Dennis Whitehead-Darling, The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre
• Irene Crist, Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• Jason Spitzer, Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• John Maness, Twelfth Night, New Moon Theatre
• Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square

Best Direction of a Musical
• Cecelia Wingate, 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Dave Landis, Cabaret, Playhouse on the Square
• Dave Landis, Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square
• Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• Jordan Nichols & Travis Bradley, Newsies, Theatre Memphis

Best Production of a Drama
• Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• Sweat, Circuit Playhouse
• The Clean House, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Playhouse on the Square
• The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ‘61 Freedom Riders, Hattiloo Theatre

Best Production of a Musical
• Hairspray, Theatre Memphis
• 1776, Theatre Memphis
• Newsies, Theatre Memphis
• Lizzie: The Musical, New Moon Theatre
• Tuck Everlasting, Playhouse on the Square

College Division

Best Set Design
• Brian Ruggaber, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Kenton Jones, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Nicholas Jackson, Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis

Best Costume Design
• Kennon Cliche, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Jen Gillette, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Jen Gillette, Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis

Best Hair/Wig/Makeup
• Emily Greene, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Jen Gilette, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Rebecca Koenig & Keyauna Shorter, Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis

Best Props Design
• Kenton Jones, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Karen Arredondo, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Hattie Fann, Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis

Best Lighting Design
• Anthony Pellecchia, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Melissa Andrews, Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine, Rhodes College
• Zoey Smith, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis

Best Sound Design
• John Phillians, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Anthony Pellecchia, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Sophia Deck, Rose and the Rime, Rhodes College

Best Music Direction
• Jacob Allen, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Eileen Kuo, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2018 version), Rhodes College

Best Choreography
• Jill Guyton Nee, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2018 version), Rhodes College

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama 
• Ariona Campbell, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Southwest Tennessee Community College
• Hiawartha Jackson, Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine, Rhodes College
• Eboni Cain, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
• Erica Peninger, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Lea Mae Aldridge, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Marlee Wilson, Be More Chill, University of Memphis

Best Leading Actress in a Drama
• Jessica Jai Johnson, Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine, Rhodes College,
• Simmery Branch, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Grace Small, Rose and the Rime, Rhodes College

Best Leading Actress in a Musical
• Aly Milan, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Jess Brookes, Closer Than Ever, Southwest Tennessee Community College

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
• Adrian Harris, Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine, Rhodes College
• Toby Davis, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical  (one nominee)

Best Leading Actor in a Drama
• Brandon Lewis, Imagination, Southwest Tennessee Community College
• Willis Green, Rose and the Rime, Rhodes College
• Christian Hinton, Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis

Best Leading Actor in a Musical
• Toby Davis, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Winston Mize, Closer Than Ever, Southwest Tennessee Community College

Best Featured Performer
• Riley Thad Young, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Jasmine Roberts, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• John Ross Graham, Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis

Best Ensemble
• Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2018 version), Rhodes College

Best Direction
• Justin Braun, Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Dennis Whitehead-Darling, Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• Joy Brooke Fairfield, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2018 version), Rhodes College

Best Overall Production
• Be More Chill, University of Memphis
• Intimate Apparel, University of Memphis
• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2018 version), Rhodes College

All Divisions

Best Original Script
• Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis
• Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• The Miraculous and the Mundane, POTS@TheWorks

Best Production of an Original Script
• Shaming JANE DOE, University of Memphis
• Little Women, Next Stage, Theatre Memphis
• The Miraculous and the Mundane, POTS@TheWorks

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Commercial Appeal Film Critic John Beifuss Honored at Indie Memphis Film Festival Awards Ceremony

CREDIT: Breezy Lucia

Film critic John Beifuss was honored with the Indie Memphis Vision Award at the awards ceremony last Saturday night at Circuit Playhouse. The Vision Award is given to “someone who has made a lasting impact” on the Indie Memphis Film Festival and the Mid South cinema community as a whole. Presenter Ryan Watt, the festival’s executive director, presented the award, called Beifuss “Memphis’ pre-eminent film journalist and critic” and praising his “dedicated coverage of the film festival as well as independent film in general, giving the art of filmmaking and unwavering presence in the press due to his efforts.” The normally unflappable Beifuss’ voice cracked with emotion as he accepted the award. After the takeover of the Commercial Appeal by Gannett earlier this year, Beifuss was taken off the film criticism beat and reassigned as an entertainment reporter, leading to a letter writing campaign and social media protests from his readers.

Breezy Lucia

Film critic John Beifuss accepts his Vision Award at the Indie Memphis Film Festival’s awards ceremony on Saturday, November 5 2016 at the Circuit Playhouse.

Other awards at the 19th annual festival includes Deb Shoval’s AWOL receiving both the Best Narrative Feature and the Audience Award, Maise Crow’s Jackson receiving both the Best Documentary Feature and the Audience Award, and Ala Har’el’s LoveTrue receiving both the Best Departures and Audience Awards for experimental features. This is the first time in the history of the festival that three films have won both audience and jury awards.

The Hometowner Feature awards went to Madsen Minax’s Kairos Dirt and the Errant Vacuum and the Audience Award went to Kathy Lofton’s I Am A Caregiver. The jury awarded Best Hometowner Narrative Short award to Graham Uhleski and Daniel Ray Hamby’s “Doppleganger”, while Best Hometowner Documentary Short went to “A.J.” by Melissa Anderson Sweazy and Laura Jean Hocking. Hocking also won the Hometowner Narrative Short Audience Award for “How To Skin A Cat”, which she co-directed with C. Scott McCoy (which, full disclosure, is this columist’s filmmaking nom de guerre). The winner of the Hometowner Narrative Short Audience Award was “The Rugby Boys of Venice” by Jared Biunno. Special Jury Prizes when to Kevin Brooks for his skateboarding short “Keep Pushing” and actress Gabrielle Gobel for her role in “Teeth”.

The Indie Award went to Sarah Fleming for her roles as first assistant director and cinematographer on multiple productions in the festival, although the presenter did single her out for serving on the crew of Free In Deed while both six months pregnant with her first child and sporting a broken foot.

Early estimates suggest a record turnout for Indie Memphis 2016, which spanned seven days and screened films at downtown’s Halloran Centre, Overton Square’s Circuit Playhouse, the Malco Ridgeway Cinema, and Collierville. For more information on Indie Memphis’ year-round programming schedule and a complete list of the winners, visit the Indie Memphis website.

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

2016 Oxford Film Festival Winners

Big crowds attended an expanded slate of films at this year’s Oxford Film Festival, which stretched through Sunday in the Mississippi college town.

Outstanding films among the more than 130 entrants screened during the five-day festival were recognized at Saturday night’s gala award ceremony at Oxford’s Lyric Theater. The big winner was Embers, the science fiction film by Claire Carré which took home two Hokas: Best Narrative Feature and the Alice Guy Blaché Female Filmmaker Award. 

Memphis filmmakers Joann Self Selvidge, Christopher Reyes,and Sarah Fleming celebrate their Best Editing win for the short documentary ‘Viola’.

Memphis filmmaker and video artist Christopher Reyes was awarded a Hoka for Best Editing for his work on Joann Self Selvidge and Sarah Fleming’s documentary “Viola: A Mother’s Story Of Juvenile Justice”.

Best Documentary Feature was awarded to Nick Brandestini’s Children Of The Arctic, with Best Documentary Short going to “The House Is Innocent” by Los Angeles director Nicholas Coles. The Narrative Short Hoka was awarded to the Belgian film “Blazing Sun” by Fred Castadot. The Mississippi awards went to the narrative short “The Gift” by Gabriel Robertson and the documentary “Finding Cleveland” by Larissa Lamb. Clay Hardwick’s “Fallen Star” won the music video award. The Experimental prize went to André Silva’s “cyberGenesis”. The Special Jury Award for Best Director went to Kostadin Bonev for “The Sinking of Sozopol”, and the Lisa Blount Memorial Acting Award went to Robert Longstreet. Other special jury prizes were awarded to “Three Fingers” by Paul D. Heart, “They Crawl Amongst Us!” by Sihanouk Mariona, and “Fitting The Description in North Portland” by Jarrat Taylor. The ensemble acting award went to the cast of the Los Angles comedy “The Week”.

The Hoka awards are named for a Chckasaw princess, and this was the 13th year the festival has awarded them to outstanding films entered in the film festival’s competition.  

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Indie Memphis Awards Cap Exciting Weekend Of Film

22-year-old, first-time director Phoebe Driscoll won the Indie Memphis Hometowner Feature award for her Memphis dance documentary Pharaohs Of Memphis at a gala awards ceremony on Saturday night of the 4-day festival that brought top film talent and big crowds to Overton Square. 

PHARAOHS OF MEMPHIS director Phoebe Driscoll.

Nathan Silver’s Uncertain Terms was the unanimous favorite of the jury, taking home both the Best Narrative Feature and Duncan Williams Best Screenplay awards. The Documentary Feature award winner was Debra Granik’s character study Stray Dog. Canadian director Fraser Mundon’s short film “The Chaperone 3D” won both the Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Film prizes. Best Experimental Film went to “Unity” by Tobias Stretch. 

The Hometowner Shorts Awards went to Will Bryson’s “Snack TIme” and Nan Hackman and Robert Allen Parker’s documentary “Jim Dickinson: The Man Behind The Console”. The jury awarded Best Narrative Short Film to Harris Doran’s “The Story Of Milo And Annie”. 

THOU WAST MILD AND LOVELY

The Soul Of Southern Film Award for the best film from the South went to Dan Ressier’s Bigfoot film Stomping Ground. The Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker Award went to Josephine Decker for her debut feature Thou Wast Mild And Lovely. The Ron Tibbits Excellence In FIlmmaking Award went to Alexis and Bodine Boling’s sci fi drama Movement + Location. 

Four Memphis filmmakers were given grants as part of the new Indiegrants program. Sarah Fleming, G.B Shannon, Joseph Carr, and Dindle Donelson will use their grants to produce new works which will screen at the 2015 festival. 

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Marc Gasol: The League Pass DPOY

The Grizzlies once drafted center Hasheem Thabeet [left] for defense. They already had a future Defensive Player of the Year on their roster.

  • LARRY KUZNIEWSKI
  • The Grizzlies once drafted center Hasheem Thabeet [left] for defense. They already had a future Defensive Player of the Year on their roster.

I didn’t fully believe Marc Gasol was going to win this year’s Defensive Player of the Year Award until it happened. But the Grizzlies appear set to make this announcement official with a public press conference at 2:30 p.m. today.

Gasol fits the profile of the award only in that he’s a frontcourt player: Since Michael Jordan took it in 1988, 23 of 25 winners have been big men, the only exceptions being Gary Payton and Ron Artest.

But the big-man winners have tended to be overwhelming rebounders and shot-blockers. Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Ben Wallace, and Dwight Howard are multi-time winners. “Athletic” shot-blockers — quick off the floor and quick to send shot attempts into the stands — are the norm.

Gasol, by contrast, will become the first big man in more than 20 years — ever? — to win the award without finishing among the league’s Top Ten in blocks or rebounds per game. (He’s 12th and 23rd, respectively, in those categories.)

How has Gasol, with such an atypical profile, broken through? It’s tempting to compare Gasol’s victory here to Felix Hernandez winning the 2010 American League Cy Young award with a 13-12 record: It’s a triumph of “advanced” stats over more conventional — and often more limited or even misleading — measures.