Envelope, Please: Magnolia Film Festival Announces 2009 Winners

Just in from the Magnolia Film Festival:

It’s a Wrap! We are pleased to report another successful season for the Magnolia Independent Film Festival. With a strong line-up of quality independent films and the addition of a new lat-night screening at the State Theater, audiences filled the seats for every show. After the final credits rolled on Saturday February 21st, judges Jack Barbera, Alec Howkings and Ania DeBicka-Dyer conferred and announced the winning films for the twelfth season of “The Mag”. That same evening, winning filmmakers were presented with stained glass magnolia  awards handcrafted in Starkville by Kathryn Davis, owner of Ally Kat’s Glass. Winners are as follows:

Best Feature: MAKE-OUT WITH VIOLENCE by Tennessee directors The Deagol Brothers

Best Short Drama: RIFLE WORKBOOK by Oregon dreictor Vincent Caldoni

Best Feature Documentary: DESIRE by New Orleans director Julie Gustafson

Best Short Documentary: FARM TEAM by Georgia director Scott Balzer

Best Comedy: THE SHOVEL by Starkville, MS Director Stephen Lehman

Best Student Film: WHAT HAPPENED? By Columbus, MS Director April Wren

Best Home Grown: ALONE WITH THE GOLDFISH by Starkville, MS Director Brock Hanson

Best Director: YESTERDAY by Canadian director Robert Grant

Best Experimental: FAITHFUL DEPARTED by Blue Springs, MS director Daniel Lee

Elana Zastawnik Award for Best Written Film: LUCY JAMES PART 1 by Canadian director Alexander Carson

Ron Tibbett Award for Excellence in Film: INVISIBLE GIRLFRIEND by Texas directors Ashley Sabin and David Redmond

Festival director, Elaine Peterson shares “I am pleased with the line-up we had to offer this year. Every film was interesting and many became personal favorites that I was excited to share with my friends.  It was an honor to have so many filmmakers in attendance; It has been a joy to get to know them, and also a pleasure to work with my fellow volunteers who make this festival possible.  We continue to have a great venue and the ability to offer great hospitality thanks to our sponsors. Our audience is absolutely one of the best aspects of our event. The sell-out crowds we draw are unusual for small film festivals. It is heartwarming and empowering to the filmmakers and to me to see that there is a genuine interest in independent film in our community. It has been an honor to be involved with “The Mag” for the past two years. Thank you to everyone for making this event possible!” For more information about the film festival, see www.magfilmfest.com.