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 30 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 2024 films into other festivals. Many of our previous filmmakers who didn’t make top 10 have done very well in other festivals.
And now the moment you have been waiting for..
Official 2024 Nominations List
Best Actor Nominations
Joel Dammeier – Still Life – Team 25
Justin Caesar – ‘If At First You Don’t Succeed…Cry, Cry Again’ – Team 26
Bryan McDonald – THE WISH – Team 29
Jason Schommer – Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Spencer Knott – Free Market – Team 57
Best Actress Nominations
Sara Atkinson – The Ripper – Team 2
Theresa Alvarado – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Alex Rumsey – Still Life – Team 25
Erin Antilla – Concussed – Team 41
Julia Zook – Bury the Past – Team 42
Dana Sparks – Cycles – Team 50
Best Supporting Actor
William Borea – The Ripper – Team 2
Greg Coleman – ‘If At First You Don’t Succeed…Cry, Cry Again’ – Team 26
John Betchkal – THE WISH – Team 29
Ernest Howard – Ante Mortem – Team 35
Kevin McLaughlin – Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Mike Bredon – Wildcats – Team 53
Best Supporting Actress
Sally-Anne Hunt – Familiar – Team 5
Gael Palen – Dragonity – Team 13
Annika Sorensen – LOVE BITES – Team 15
Chika Chan – Concussed – Team 41
Tricia Buerke – we go to church but we do not speak to god – Team 47
Sally-Anne Hunt – Cycles – Team 50
Best Child Actor
Maddox Tabalba – Black Birds Dawn – Team 8
Spencer LaCasse – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Liam McEvoy – Bestie – Team 11
Maddox Tabalba – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Carter Monahan and Will Tyson – Wildcats – Team 53
Best Child Actress
Annabelle Layland – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Annabelle Layland – Bestie – Team 11
Arianna Buhr – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Yasmin Larson – THE WISH – Team 29
Yasmin Larson – Freshmen – Team 46
Best Villain
Bestie – Team 11
LOVE BITES – Team 15
Collette – Team 21
Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Turning Tables – Team 48
Best Hero/ Heroine
Familiar – Team 5
Bestie – Team 11
Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Cycles – Team 50
Best Anthropomorphic Character
Still Life – Team 25
Beans and Weens – Team 32
Bury The Past – Team 42
Fanny Pack Platypus – Team 52
Best Directing
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers – Still Life – Team 25
Ryan Becken – THE WISH – Team 29
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Blair Smith – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Laura Runge-Hunt – Cycles – Team 50
Best Cinematography
Kari Layland and Stephen Brewer – Dragonity – Team 13
Zac Anderson – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Chris Groschen – Still Life – Team 25
Bryce Wandling – THE WISH – Team 29
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Zak Rivers – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Best Editing
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers – Familiar – Team 5
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers – Still Life – Team 25
Ryan Becken – THE WISH – Team 29
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Jacob Kelso – Wildcats – Team 53
Best Lighting
Kari Layland – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Bryce Wandling – THE WISH – Team 29
Colton Fossen – Ante Mortem – Team 35
Noah Gunderson – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Daniel Owens – we go to church but we do not speak to god – Team 47
Spencer Klover – Cycles – Team 50
Best Color Correction
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers and Oscar Keyes – Familiar – Team 5
Kari Layland – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Kari Layland – Bestie – Team 11
Holli Buhr and Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Bryce Wandling – THE WISH – Team 29
Adam Standon – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Best Visual Effects
Keith Langsdorf – THE WISH – Team 29
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers – All Is Bright – Team 34
David Mair and Ada Mair – Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Adam Standon – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Tristan Crawford, Anna Marie Gomes, Kiera Joseph and Joe Masini – Fanny Pack Platypus – Team 52
Adam Burke – Wildcats – Team 53
Best Credits
Wayne Joyner – A Warrior Goes Home – Team 6
Vincent Risso – House Rules – Team 9
Kari Layland – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Theresa Alvarado – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Matthew Ferguson – April 14th – Team 27
Nick Michael – The Present – Team 33
Best Original Music
The Pier (Zach Jansen) – A Reasonable Man – Team 1
Gael Palen and Mick Lynch– Dragonity – Team 13
Daniel Collins and Chris Depioan – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Dennis Curley – Ante Mortem – Team 35
Megan Lenius – Cycles – Team 50
Joy Ford and Tristan Crawford – Fanny Pack Platypus – Team 52
Best Audio/Sound Design
Zach Jansen – A Reasonable Man – Team 1
Sain Levrad – Collette – Team 21
Raymond Bell Jr. – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Nathan Eby – THE WISH – Team 29
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Best Script
Kari Layland – Bestie – Team 11
Jennifer Prettyman and Elliott Graber – Turning Tables – Team 48
Laura Runge-Hunt – Cycles – Team 50
Adam Burke – Wildcats – Team 53
Strong Sevens – Free Market – Team 57
Best Production Design
Tessa Torreano – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Maddy Grace Gilbertson – April 14th – Team 27
Bernadette Betchkal – THE WISH – Team 29
Rebecca Jo Malmstrom and Colleen O’Brien – Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Megan Auckenthaler – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Maddy Grace Gilbertson – we go to church but we do not speak to god – Team 47
Best Orchestral Score
Jeff Goldsmith – Bestie – Team 11
Josh Cisewski – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Eric Richardson and Isaac Sobczak – Still Life – Team 25
Bryan McDonald – THE WISH – Team 29
Mick Lynch – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Kam Jones and Maurice Jones – Fanny Pack Platypus – Team 52
Best WTF Moment
Bestie – Team 11
THE WISH – Team 29
The Present – Team 33
Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Unlucky – Team 43
Wildcats – Team 53
Best Fight Scene
Zahra and Kari Layland – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Lee Fillingsness and Theresa Alvarado – Dragonity – Team 13
Jose Martinez – LOVE BITES – Team 15
David Alvarado – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Best Costume
William Swift and Jeremy Butler – A Warrior Goes Home – Team 6
Bronson Talcott – Dragonity – Team 13
Bronson Talcott – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Bronson Talcott – April 14th – Team 27
Bronson Talcott – Ante Mortem – Team 35
Bronson Talcott – we go to church but we do not speak to god – Team 47
Best Makeup
Ben Gersch – Bestie – Team 11
Ben Gersch – Despondent – Team 12
Ben Gersch, Sonya Boushek, Ashlyn Aanerud and Alex Arredondo – Dragonity – Team 13
Ben Gersch – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Alex Rumsey – Still Life – Team 25
Best Kiss
LOVE BITES – Team 15
Still Life – Team 25
The Present – Team 33
Paradise – Team 40
Wildcats – Team 53
Best Prop
Arousal Broom – Team 17
Forbidden Zone – Team 19
THE WISH – Team 29
The Present – Team 33
Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Wildcats – Team 53
Student Film
Zahra and Annabelle Layland – Lemonade Battle – Team 10
Tenley Boushek – it’s a bet – Team 37
Sally-Anne Hunt – Bury the Past – Team 42
Sebastian Luna – Unlucky – Team 43
Strong Female Filmmaker Award Nominees
TBD – Announced Soon
Best Comedy
The Farx Brothers – The Present – Team 33
David Mair – Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Purple Penguin Club – Wildcats – Team 53
Strong Sevens – Free Market – Team 57
Best Drama
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers and Erin Pecha – Familiar – Team 5
Gael Palen – Black Birds Dawn – Team 8
Bryan McDonald and Ryan Becken – THE WISH – Team 29
Laura Runge-Hunt – Cycles – Team 50
Best Fantasy/Adventure/Scifi
Kari Layland and Anthony Hunke – Dragonity – Team 13
Arianna and Holli Buhr – Forbidden Zone – Team 19
Damian Walker and Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers – All Is Bright – Team 34
Best Action/Suspense/Horror
Jack Walterman – Collette – Team 21
David Alvarado – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Blair Smith and Wesley Johnson – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Best Music Video
Elliott Graber – TAKE A PICTURE – Team 49
Best Documentary
Tristan Corrigan – Dance Dance – Team 4
Charla Marie Bailey – Of A Certain Age – Team 20
Best Speciality Film
Alexandria Rumsey and Joel Dammeier– Still Life – Team 25
Daniel Dockery – Beans and Weens – Team 32
Luke Oleen Junk – we go to church but we do not speak to god – Team 47
Tristan Crawford – Fanny Pack Platypus – Team 52
Best Movie Poster Contest
Familiar – Team 5
House Rules – Team 9
Bestie – Team 11
Collette – Team 21
Echoes of the Raven – Team 22
Still Life – Team 25
Ante Mortem – Team 35
Concussed – Team 41
The following 16 films will be screened at the Best of Fest Theater Presentation on Saturday, May 18th at the St. Michael Cinema 15
Top Ten and All Stars
Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers and Erin Pecha – Familiar – Team 5
Jack Walterman – Collette – Team 21
David Alvarado – Tuesday and Stone – Team 23
Alexandria Rumsey and Joel Dammeier and Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers– Still Life – Team 25
Ryan Becken and Bryan McDonald – THE WISH – Team 29
David Mair – Haunt That Like Button – Team 38
Jarrod Crooks – Concussed – Team 41
Blair Smith and Wesley Johnson – No Gambling Man – Team 45
Laura Runge-Hunt – Cycles – Team 50
Adam Burke – Wildcats – Team 53
Strong Sevens – Free Market – Team 57
Honorable Mentions – (Also Screening)
Tristan Corrigan – Dance Dance – Team 4
Gael Palen – Black Bird’s Dawn – Team 8
Kari Layland and Anthony Hunke – Dragonity – Team 13
The Farx Brothers – The Present – Team 33
Joshua Will and Jordan Lynn – Ante Mortem – Team 35
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 Saturday May 18th at the St. Michael Cinema 15.
We look forward to everyone gathering on Friday May 31st at 7:00pm 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
