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We’re thrilled to announce the winners from our inaugural festival which took place last month in Rochester, MN! Ballots from audiences and judges have been tallied, and new laurel graphics have been designed. It was an exciting competition due to the high caliber of submissions we received. We look forward to next year’s festival with even higher expectations!

BEST FILM
Operation A.N.G.E.L.

AUDIENCE CHOICE
Howlong Wolf – I’m Gonna Change One Day

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ludwig Linnekogel, For a Better Dream

BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Forstein, Meat

BEST STUNTS
Jordan Aucella, Late

BEST ROMANCE
The First Date

BEST ANIMATION
Into the Forest

BEST COMEDY
En Route

BEST DRAMA
Intersection

BEST HORROR
Mr. Dentonn

BEST SCI-FI
The Prodigy

BEST THRILLER
Absence

BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Wren – Soldiers

BEST HIP HOP
P.O.M.I. ft. Rumble DP – People Need People

BEST ELECTRONICA
Aspired – Walk Away

BEST SOFT ROCK
Lena Katina – An Invitation

Yesterday was our inaugural event, and it certainly was exciting to have an outlet for short films and music videos in Rochester, Minnesota! Attendees aged 10 to 50+ shuffled in and out through the day. We screened 55 videos and presented 3 Q&A panels with filmmakers who traveled to our festival, and also filmmakers from right here in Rochester.

Our festival was covered by PBS affiliate KSMQ and local documentary series The Rochester Experience.

When asked what the most memorable part of the event was, one of our staff answered, “Hearing kids actually know about a film they saw on our web site, and talking about how excited they were to finally see it.”

The films and music videos alike were all well received. Ballots are still being tallied, but event staff noted that both Intersection and Operation A.N.G.E.L. moved audiences to tears.

Awards will be announced soon!

Desperate for work, Darren agrees to a one-day trial as a door-to-door meat salesman.

Michael Forstein is a director and producer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. His work has screened at festivals throughout the country including Sundance, SXSW, Los Angeles Film Festival, AFI Fest, and the Rooftop Films Summer Series. Meat is his directorial debut.

A sci-fi themed music video featuring a dancing cardboard solar system, musical space beings, and an ill tempered robot.

Jesse Mercury is a sci-fi electro-pop musician, making his directorial debut with the music video “Relativity (or: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Computer).”

Preparing to embark on a major study in Norway, renowned Child Psychologist, Dr. Russell Winfield, agrees to meet with an institutionalized graduate student who has requested him by name. Hoping to quickly diagnose the young man and return his focus to the study, Dr. Winfield immediately discovers the magnitude of their encounter.

Director David Traverso is a Mathematics professor at a Pennsylvania State University. His career has afforded him ample time to pursue film. He began writing screenplays and quickly discovered a love for storytelling. As a result, he decided to fully fund his own short film project, “The Prodigy.”

A man is robbed – then offers to take his attacker to lunch.

Director Jason Honeycutt was born and raised in rural Michigan. He worked three jobs to pay for film school and moved to Los Angeles. This film is based on a true story.

An incident. A policy. A strange, seductive option…

The Platinum Plan is a unique dark comedy short film from writer, director, and producer Chris Pickenpaugh.