PlanetOut Short Movie Awards At MGLFF

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Print this article PlanetOut Short Movie Awards At MGLFF (released 3/31/2005) By Douglas Lorah PlanetOut Inc., a global online media company serving the gay and lesbian market, today announced the winners of the 6th Annual PlanetOut Short Movie Awards, presented by Scion and hosted by the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The Grand Prize Winner Leanna Creel's "Prom-troversy", a hilarious look at a lesbian's life at an all-straight high school, takes the top honors in this year's edition of the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards. In this fresh and biting short comedy, Cassie Stephenson, Sherman High School's only lesbian student, gets invited to the prom by a popular girl who is determined to win the title of prom queen. To do so, she enlists Cassie as her candidate for the school's prom king. When "concerned" community members strike out at them, Cassie and her date become overnight gay activists and household names, until the fame fades away. "Prom-troversy's" director, Leanna Creel, will be awarded a $10,000 cash prize which will be collected on her behalf by actor Jane Lynch, star of TV's "The L Word". The short was produced by non-profit women's media organization POWERUP, which has produced the grand prize-winning short for four consecutive years. Honey Labrador, of "Queer Eye for the Straight Girl" fame, was one of the winning short's producers. In addition to the cash prizes, the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards winners will have their work screened in a special showcase at the famed Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Sunday, April 24th 2005, which will be followed by a reception at the National Hotel for all the prize-winning filmmakers. Full details can be found online at the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's website at: http://www.mglff.com. "We at PlanetOut are consistently impressed with the quality of the submissions that we receive year after year, and this year was no exception," said Beth Callaghan, senior director of Programming and editor-in-chief for PlanetOut. "This year's winners should be an inspiration to LGBT filmmakers who are just starting out." In the various competition categories, the winners are: First Prize, Comedy: Feltch Sanders, directed by Abe Sylvia. First Prize, Documentary: Irene Williams... Queen of Lincoln Road, directed by Eric Smith. First Prize, Animation: Listen, directed by Susan Justin. First Prize, Drama: starcrossed, directed by James Burkhammer. First Prize, Experimental: Solitude, directed by Jesus Rodriguez. This year carmaker Scion is the presenting sponsor for the awards, which boast a six-year history of recognizing extraordinary gay and lesbian filmmakers. "Scion is always happy to lend its support to endeavors that recognize up and coming artistic talent," said Brian Bolain, National Sales Promotions Manager for Scion. "Scion salutes all of the winners for their persistence, dedication, and commitment to their craft." Winners of the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards were determined by a distinguished jury of industry professionals: Carol Coombes, program director, Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; Kelly DeVine, supervisor, Film Acquisitions, Independent Film Channel (IFC); Jonathan Ferrantelli, head of Development & Production, Ross Katz Productions ("Lost in Translation"); Joseph LaPolla, vice president, Programming & Acquisitions, HD Cinema 10 (VOOM); Shannon Kelley, senior programming consultant, Sundance Film Festival, and programming director, Mexico's Morelia International Film Festival; Marc Leonard, vice president, Programming and Scheduling, LOGO, and co-founder, Out in Television and Film; Mark Reinhart, executive vice president, Acquisitions & Distribution, here! Films; Jenny Stewart, entertainment editor, PlanetOut.com and Gay.com. Digg this article

Print this article

PlanetOut Short Movie Awards At MGLFF
(released 3/31/2005)
By Douglas Lorah

PlanetOut Inc., a global online media company serving the gay and lesbian market, today announced the winners of the 6th Annual PlanetOut Short Movie Awards, presented by Scion and hosted by the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

The Grand Prize Winner

Leanna Creel's "Prom-troversy", a hilarious look at a lesbian's life at an all-straight high school, takes the top honors in this year's edition of the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards. In this fresh and biting short comedy, Cassie Stephenson, Sherman High School's only lesbian student, gets invited to the prom by a popular girl who is determined to win the title of prom queen. To do so, she enlists Cassie as her candidate for the school's prom king. When "concerned" community members strike out at them, Cassie and her date become overnight gay activists and household names, until the fame fades away.

"Prom-troversy's" director, Leanna Creel, will be awarded a $10,000 cash prize which will be collected on her behalf by actor Jane Lynch, star of TV's "The L Word". The short was produced by non-profit women's media organization POWERUP, which has produced the grand prize-winning short for four consecutive years. Honey Labrador, of "Queer Eye for the Straight Girl" fame, was one of the winning short's producers.

In addition to the cash prizes, the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards winners will have their work screened in a special showcase at the famed Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on Sunday, April 24th 2005, which will be followed by a reception at the National Hotel for all the prize-winning filmmakers. Full details can be found online at the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's website at: http://www.mglff.com.

"We at PlanetOut are consistently impressed with the quality of the submissions that we receive year after year, and this year was no exception," said Beth Callaghan, senior director of Programming and editor-in-chief for PlanetOut. "This year's winners should be an inspiration to LGBT filmmakers who are just starting out."

In the various competition categories, the winners are:

First Prize, Comedy: Feltch Sanders, directed by Abe Sylvia.
First Prize, Documentary: Irene Williams... Queen of Lincoln Road, directed by Eric Smith.
First Prize, Animation: Listen, directed by Susan Justin.
First Prize, Drama: starcrossed, directed by James Burkhammer.
First Prize, Experimental: Solitude, directed by Jesus Rodriguez.

This year carmaker Scion is the presenting sponsor for the awards, which boast a six-year history of recognizing extraordinary gay and lesbian filmmakers.

"Scion is always happy to lend its support to endeavors that recognize up and coming artistic talent," said Brian Bolain, National Sales Promotions Manager for Scion. "Scion salutes all of the winners for their persistence, dedication, and commitment to their craft."

Winners of the PlanetOut Short Movie Awards were determined by a distinguished jury of industry professionals: Carol Coombes, program director, Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; Kelly DeVine, supervisor, Film Acquisitions, Independent Film Channel (IFC); Jonathan Ferrantelli, head of Development & Production, Ross Katz Productions ("Lost in Translation"); Joseph LaPolla, vice president, Programming & Acquisitions, HD Cinema 10 (VOOM); Shannon Kelley, senior programming consultant, Sundance Film Festival, and programming director, Mexico's Morelia International Film Festival; Marc Leonard, vice president, Programming and Scheduling, LOGO, and co-founder, Out in Television and Film; Mark Reinhart, executive vice president, Acquisitions & Distribution, here! Films; Jenny Stewart, entertainment editor, PlanetOut.com and Gay.com.

Digg this article