What an amazing weekend of screenings! We hope you loved seeing your film on the big screen as they were enjoyed and celebrated by the audience.
So much great work! Every film was worthy and each of you should be very proud of the accomplishment!
Announcing the nominations and top 10 is always both exciting and also difficult. This year was no exception, there were so many films that were excellent and yet did not make the top 10.
Our panel of over 25 judges made the extremely hard choices. Remember art is subjective and these results are only the opinion of our collective judges.
We highly encourage all of our participants to enter their new 2023 films into other festivals. Many of our filmmakers who didn’t make top 10 have done very very well.
And now the moment you have been waiting for..
Official 2023 Nominations List
Best Actor Nominations
Jesse Griffith – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Rod Kasai – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Mike Bredon – MacGuffin – Team 40
Bryan McDonald – TUFFY – Team 41
Kobe Markworth – The Dumpling – Team 49
Mike Bredon – Alien Hunter – Team 71
Best Actress Nominations
Laila Sahir – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Abbey Lowenstein – Look Back and Laugh – Team 13
Erin Pecha – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Rachel Weber – Paprika – Team 22
Michelle Perdue – Don’t Wait – Team 68
Megan Mac – Alien Hunter – Team 71
Best Supporting Actor
Joe Swanson – No Way, Bidet! – Team 14
Joshua Krauskopf – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Rod Kasai – Episode 3; Ghosts – Team 29
Lee Fillingsness – MacGuffin – Team 40
Brian Kim McCormick – Lavomatique – Team 52
Anthony Hunke – The Roommates – Team 59
Best Supporting Actress
Anna Hashizume – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Michelle Perdue – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Gael Palen – The App – Team 27
Amanda Day – TUFFY – Team 41
Gael Palen – Skip – Team 57
Joy Ford – Alien Hunter – Team 71
Best Child Actor
Mark Turcotte – TAP – Team 3
Aidan Strand – No Way, Bidet! – Team 14
Benny Hughes – Paprika – Team 22
Henry Hayes – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Carter Monohan – MacGuffin – Team 40
Henry Radil – Love, Revenge, and Karate – Team 48
Best Child Actress
Arianna Buhr – Ghillie Suit – Team 7
Hawthorne Oachs – No Way, Bidet! – Team 14
Nina Perkins – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Annabelle Layland – Sleepover – Team 24
Evelyn Dahl-Odima – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Hannah Theisen – The Shepherds – Team 38
Ludmila Hart – TUFFY – Team 41
Best Villain
The Dule Tree – Team 15
Surrogate – Team 21
MacGuffin – Team 40
TUFFY – Team 41
Love, Revenge, and Karate – Team 48
The Dumpling – Team 49
Best Hero/ Heroine
The Dule Tree – Team 15
The Best of Friends – Team 17
Surrogate – Team 21
The Part We Keep – Team 26
MacGuffin – Team 40
The Dumpling – Team 49
Best Anthropomorphic Character
TAP – Team 3
Surrogate – Team 21
The Cold That Follows – Team 39
The Dumpling – Team 49
Sally’s Secret – Team 50
Improve – Team 67
Best Directing
Allan H. Johnson – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Vanessa M.H. Powers – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Owen Royce – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Nathan Block – The Shepherds – Team 38
Dan Delano – MacGuffin – Team 40
Ryan Becken – TUFFY – Team 41
Best Cinematography
Zak Rivers – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Thomas VandenDolder – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Thomas VandenDolder – The Part We Keep – Team 26
David Mair – Unwelcome – Team 28
Dan Delano – MacGuffin – Team 40
Bryce Wandling and Spencer Selby – TUFFY – Team 41
Best Editing
Allan H. Johnson – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Vanessa M.H. Powers – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Penn Pauletich – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Dan Delano – MacGuffin – Team 40
Ryan Becken – TUFFY – Team 41
Jordan Lynn – Don’t Wait – Team 68
Best Lighting
Tom VandenDolder, Tristan Corrigan, and Chance Reiniesch – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Spencer Klover, Jorge Saavedra and Noah Gunderson – The Part We Keep – Team 26
David Mair, Rebecca Jo Malmström, Valarie Falken and Colleen O’Brien – Unwelcome – Team 28
Daniel Owens and Jorge Saavedra – The Shepherds – Team 38
Cole McDonald – MacGuffin – Team 40
Bryce Wandling – TUFFY – Team 41
Best Color Correction
Vanessa M.H Powers – No Way, Bidet! – Team 14
Allan H. Johnson – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Vanessa M.H. Powers – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Nick Michael – Surrogate – Team 21
Jay Ness – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Nicolas Jamarillo – The Artist Stool – Billy Hawk – Team 55
Best Visual Effects
David Mair – Unwelcome – Team 28
Jeremy Wanek – The Shepherds – Team 38
Dan Delano – MacGuffin – Team 40
Keith Langsdorf – TUFFY – Team 41
Tristan Crawford – The Dumpling – Team 49
Tony Mills – Skip – Team 57
Best Credits
Holli Buhr and Daniel Stordahl – Sticks & Stones – Team 8
Laura LaBree – No Way, Bidet! – Team 14
Laura LaBree – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
David Mair – Unwelcome – Team 28
Jeremy Wanek – The Shepherds – Team 38
Josh Bartyzal – MacGuffin – Team 40
Best Original Music
Ramona Penny – Dear Jenna – Team 5
Will Van De Crommert – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Jesse Griffith – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Ben Osterhouse and Madison Hotlze – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Alton Bennett II – MacGuffin – Team 40
Bryan McDonald – TUFFY – Team 41
Andrew Crowley – Don’t Wait – Team 68
Best Audio/Sound Design
Raymond Bell Jr – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Seth Pioske and Benjamin Roembach-Clark – The Part We Keep – Team 26
David Mair – Unwelcome – Team 28
Alton Bennett II – MacGuffin – Team 40
Nathan Eby – TUFFY – Team 41
Tristan Crawford and Kobe Markworth – The Dumpling – Team 49
Alex Alverson – Skip – Team 57
Best Script
Abbey Lowenstein – Look Back and Laugh – Team 13
Steve Miles – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Erin Pecha – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Kyle Thornton – Paprika – Team 22
Laura Runge-Hunt – After – Team 37
Best Production Design
Matt Eckholm and Jacquelyn Eckholm – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Holli Buhr – Ghillie Suit – Team 7
Vanessa M. H. Powers and Laura LaBree – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Maddy Gilbertson – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Damian Walker and Dan Delano – MacGuffin – Team 40
Megan Auckenthaler and Maddy Gilbertson – Skip – Team 57
Best Orchestral Score
Nick Montopoli – TAP – Team 3
Eric Richardson and Isaac Sobczak – Dear Jenna – Team 5
Will Van De Crommert – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Seth Pioske and Benjamin Roembach-Clark – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Michael Trosvig – Unwelcome – Team 28
Eric Richardson and Isaac Sobczak – MacGuffin – Team 40
Bryan McDonald – TUFFY – Team 41
Best WTF Moment
TAP – Team 3
Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Surrogate – Team 21
Sleepover – Team 24
Eve – Team 45
If A Tree Falls in The Woods – Team 54
Best Fight Scene
Ghillie Suit – Team 7
MacGuffin – Team 40
TUFFY – Team 41
Love, Revenge, and Karate – Team 48
The Dumpling – Team 49
If A Tree Falls in The Woods – Team 54
Best Costume
Holli Buhr, Dee Miller and Bronson Talcott – Ghillie Suit – Team 7
Laura Runge-Hunt – Vittles – Team 12
Vanessa M.H Powers and Laura LaBree – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Laura Runge-Hunt – The Shepherds – Team 38
The Cast – MacGuffin – Team 40
The Cast – TUFFY – Team 41
Best Makeup
Jessica Hart – TAP – Team 3
Ben Gersch – Vittles – Team 12
Alex Arredondo – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Summer Rose – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Ashlyn Aanerod, Ben Gersch and Evan Gersch – Eve – Team 45
Ben Gersch – Skip – Team 57
Best Kiss
The Bulletin – Team 16
Surrogate – Team 21
The App – Team 27
TUFFY – Team 41
Eve – Team 45
Love, Revenge, and Karate – Team 48
Best Prop
The Dule Tree – Team 15
Surrogate – Team 21
Paprika – Team 22
Sleepover – Team 24
TUFFY – Team 41
The Dumpling – Team 49
Student Film
Allard LaRue – Slaughter Bond – Team 46
Tristan Crawford – The Dumpling – Team 49
Tenley Boushek – Sally’s Secret – Team 50
Tony Brist – If A Tree Falls in The Woods – Team 54
Gene Halverson – Happy Hour – Team 73
Strong Female Filmmaker Award Nominees
Danna Gilbertson – Dear Jenna – Team 5
Holli Buhr – Ghillie Suit – Team 7
Vanessa M.H. Powers – Look Back and Laugh – Team 13
Kari Layland – Sleepover – Team 24
Best Comedy
Kari Layland – Sleepover – Team 24
Ryan Becken – TUFFY – Team 41
David and Theresa Alvarado – Love, Revenge, and Karate – Team 48
Mike Bredon – Alien Hunter – Team 71
Best Drama
Danna Gilbertson – Dear Jenna – Team 5
Jennifer Prettyman and Jesse Griffith – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Reyna Rios – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Eamon Walsh – The Point of Departure – Team 65
Best Fantasy/Adventure/Scifi
Matt Eckholm – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Holli Buhr – Ghillie Suit – Team 7
Kyle Thornton Paprika – Team 22
Logan Giese – Melancholy Darkness – Team 53
Best Action/Suspense/Horror
Vanessa M. H. Powers – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Kyle Thornton – Surrogate – Team 21
David Mair – Unwelcome – Team 28
Damian Walker – MacGuffin – Team 40
Best Music Video
Eric Patton – Bound – Team 62
Eric Brustad – Gates of Paradise – Team 64
Best Documentary
Penn Pauletich – 301 Steps – Team 2
Kyle Thornton – The Baby Stays in the Picture – Team 23
Nicolas Jaramillo – The Artist Stool – Billy Hawk – Team 55
Spencer Knott – Moral Victories – Team 66
Best Movie Poster Contest
Laura LaBree – No Way, Bidet! – Team 14
Allan H. Johnson – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Kari Layland – Sleepover – Team 24
Aaron Isaac Vasquez – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Ryan Becken – TUFFY – Team 41
Jordan Lynn – Don’t Wait – Team 68
The following 16 films will be screened at the Best of Fest Theater Presentation on Friday, May 12th at the Willow Creek Emagine Theater
All Stars
Reyna Rios – The Part We Keep – Team 26
Ryan Becken – TUFFY – Team 41
Top Ten
Danna Gilbertson – Dear Jenna – Team 5
Holli Buhr – Ghillie Suit – Team 7
Jesse Griffith and Jennifer Prettyman – The Dule Tree – Team 15
Vanessa M. H. Powers – Peanut Butter and Jelly – Team 18
Kyle Thornton – Surrogate – Team 21
Kyle Thornton – Paprika – Team 22
David Mair – Unwelcome – Team 28
Laura Runge-Hunt – The Shepherds – Team 38
Damian Walker – MacGuffin – Team 40
Mike Bredon – Alien Hunter – Team 71
Honorable Mentions
Matt Eckholm – Biggest Fan – Team 6
Peter Groynom – Lavomatique – Team 52
Eamon Walsh – The Point of Departure – Team 65
Jordan Lynn – Don’t Wait – Team 68
First Time Filmmaker Award
To Be Announced at Best of Fest Award Show
The Louie Anderson Award
To Be Announced at Best of Fest Award Show
Audience Favorite Awards
To Be Announced at Best of Fest Award Show
Trailer Contest Winners
To Be Announced at Best of Fest Award Show
BENT Brewstillery Shout Out
To Be Announced at Best of Fest Award Show
Congratulations to all!
We look forward to the Best of Fest Screening on Friday May 12th at the Emagine Theater Willow Creek!
We look forward to everyone gathering on May 19th at the Radisson Blu for the Best of Fest Awards ceremony. We as a Minnesota filmmakers collective, will celebrate the creation of some amazing, high caliber, works of art!
Adam, John and Margie
