The 8th annual Wild Rose Independent Film Festival announced this year’s award winners last month at the Awards Ceremony at the Fleur Cinema & Café. A total of 41 films were selected from over 400 submitted to the 2010 Wild Rose, with an additional 8 films invited to screen during the non-competitive portion; the Iowa Film Showcase series running Nov 7-11.

Winning ten awards was “16 to Life,” the coming-of-age comedy filmed in the Marquette, IA region including among others; Best Iowa Film, Best Feature and Best Director – Becky Smith. Ben-Hur Sepehr’s riveting short film, “The Desperate,” garnered seven awards including; Best Director Short Film, Best Short Film and Best Actor – Peter Mark Richman. Iowa native and rising Hollywood star, Tanna Frederick, earned top honors as Best Actress for her luminous performance in Henry Jaglom’s fascinating feature, “Queen of the Lot,” which also earned four more awards. Also in attendance at this year’s Wild Rose was Iowa native and well known international model and actor, Joel West, co-writer and lead actor for the hilarious short film, “Withstand One Night,” which earned three awards. The gripping Vietnam-era action/drama, “A Lonely Place for Dying,” by Justin Eugene Evans, received two awards, including Best Visual Effects. Films were submitted to the Wild Rose from across America, as well as from 16 different countries.

Ben-Hur Sepehr, a protégé of iconic filmmaker, Ingmar Bergman, attended the WRIFF, offering advice both during the Filmmakers Panel Discussion and during his ongoing conversations with filmmakers and Wild Rose attendees.

“I have won awards around the world for previous films I have made,” said Sepehr, “and the recognition I have received here in Iowa has been the best. Everyone genuinely has been touched by my film, and, for that, I am grateful.”

Tanna Frederick, a Mason City native, returned to her home state to share the Midwest premiere of “Queen of the Lot” before it premieres in Los Angeles. Joining Frederick at the Wild Rose was Ron Vignone, who won an award for his editing work and also appeared in a supporting role in the film.

“I can’t express how much this Best Actress Award means to me,” exclaimed Frederick during her acceptance speech. “This film opens in Los Angeles this week, and will open in New York next month, so having it presented here and do so well in the Wild Rose is fantastic and means so much to me and my family. This is an exceptional festival!”

West, who earned a top honor for his role as the lead in, “Withstand One Night”, showed his chiseled model physique is filled with great acting talent.

“It was great to return to Iowa with this film,” claimed West during his acceptance speech.
Justin Eugene Evans, moving his production operation to Wisconsin, actually adjusted his travel plans so he could drive all night to Des Moines to attend Saturday’s screening of his feature, “A Lonely Place for Dying,” and the Awards Ceremony.

“I’m grateful for the recognition this film received here,” acknowledged Evans. “Through great independent festival such as this, I hope my film as well as well as others will reach many audiences.”

All Wild Rose Independent Film Festival winners is listed below, with other information.

Best Student Film – High School
LOVE…FOREVER & ALWAYS
Hannah Sullivan – Writer/ Director / Producer (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Sniff
Ariel Pomerantz, Writer/Director/Producer (IA)

Best Student Film – College /University
DUMBSHOW
Jason Hooper – Writer /Director / Producer (OR)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Me, Myself & Your Husband
Susan Hippen, Writer/Director/Producer (NY)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Speak Heaven
Lauren Auricchio, Writer/Director/Producer (NY)

Best Animated Film
THE SACRIFICE
Stephen Jennings – Director, Grasshorse (IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
The Bean Society
Antonio Pérez Garrido (Spain)

Best Production Design
QUARTER ‘TIL TWO
Alexandra Bonovich – Art Direction
Tim Connery – Director (IL)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Red Princess Blue
Alex Ferrari (CA)

Best Visual Effects
A LONELY PLACE FOR DYING
Marc Leonard & Daniel Broadway – Visual Effects
Justin Eugene Evans – Director (NM)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
The Elusive Man
Marc Roussel & Mark Sanders (Canada)

Best Costumes
THE DESPERATE
Erin Tanaka – Costume Designer
Ben-Hur Sepehr – Director (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Speak Heaven (NY)

Best Music
16 to Life (CA/IA)
H. Scott Salinas – Original Score
Cathi Black – Music Supervision
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Kora
Burt Chojnowski (IA)

Best Makeup & Hair
The Elusive Man
Laura Gilmore & Traci Loader – Makeup
Marc Roussel & Mark Sanders – Directors (Canada)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
No One Island
Jennifer Jackson (CA)

Best Lighting Design
The Spirit of Isabel
Robert Joseph Butler – Director (MI)
Michael F. Cody – Cinematographer
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Fading Away (Zwischen Licht und Schotten)
Fabian Giessler, Director (Germany)

Best Sound Design
THE GREAT CELEBRATION (Mec Ton)
Levon Hakhverdyan – Sound Design
Vahe Kevorkov – Director (Armenia)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Unrepentent
Jaxon Kempnich, Director (Australia)

Best Editing
RED PRINCESS BLUES
Alex Ferrari – Director / Editor (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Queen of the Lot
Ron Vignone (CA)

Best Cinematography
16 to Life
Quyen Tran – Cinematographer
Becky Smith – Director (CA/IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
A Lonely Place for Dying
Nick Bongianni & Justin Evans (NM)

Best Screenplay
THE DESPERATE
BEN-HUR SEPEHR – Screenwriter (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
16 to Life
Becky Smith (CA/IA)

Best Short Film
THE DESPERATE
Ben-Hur Sepehr – Writer/ Director / Producer (CA)
Short Film CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Withstand One Night
Ryan Sage (CA)

Best Documentary
KORA
BURT CHOJNOWSKI – Director / Producer (IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
The Art of Courage
Katie Amesbury, Director (NC)

Best Foreign Film
THE GREAT CELEBRATION (Mec Ton)
Vahe Kevorkov – Director (Armenia)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
The Cortege (El Cortejo)
Director – Marina Seresesky (Spain)

Best Director – Short Film
BEN-HUR SEPEHR – Director
The Desperate (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Ryan Sage
Withstand One Night (CA)

Best Supporting Actress
THERESA RUSSELL
16 to Life
Becky Smith – Director (CA/IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Bridget Flanery
Something Blue (IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Emily Foxler
16 to Life (CA/IA)

Best Supporting Actor
Greg Mullavey
The Desperate
Ben-Hur Sepehr – Director (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Nicholas Downs
16 to Life (CA/IA)

Best Actress
TANNA FREDERICK
Queen of the Lot
Henry Jaglom – Director (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Hallee Hirsh
16 to Life (CA/IA)

Best Actor
PETER MARK RICHMAN
The Desperate
Ben-Hur Sepehr – Director (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Joel West
Withstand One Night (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Noah Wyle
Queen of the Lot (CA)

Best Ensemble
THE DESPERATE
Neely Gurman – Casting
Ben-Hur Sepehr – Director (CA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
16 to Life
Sunday Boling & Meg Morman (CA)
Iowa Casting – PMS Casting

Best Director – Feature
BECKY SMITH – Director (CA)
16 to Life
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Henry Jaglom
Queen of the Lot (CA)

Best Feature
16 TO LIFE
Becky Smith – Writer/ Director / Producer (CA/IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Queen of the Lot
Henry Jaglom, Director & Rosemary Marks, Producer (CA)

Best Iowa Film
16 TO LIFE
Becky Smith – Writer/ Director/Producer (CA/IA)
CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTIVE ACHIEVEMENT
Something Blue
Writer/Director, Sean Gannon (IA)
Producers, Pat Boddy & Sean Gannon

Audience Choice
Queen of the Lot (CA)
Henry Jaglom, Director
Rosemary Marks, Producer

source: WRRIFF