International Film Festival - The Results Are In

Montezuma hosted the second half of the fourth annual 2009 Costa Rica International Film Festival (the first four days were held in Manuel Antonio).

The 2009 festival, which involved three local film venues, as well as other activities (after show parties, Tortuga Island tour, Butterfly Gardens, Waterfall Visit). The event saw attendance double from last year and Festival Director, Eric Panter, hopes to double it again next year.

The fact that the festival is now mentioned in both Frommers (2009) and Lonely Planet is sure to help promote it.

The category winners are listed below. Film descriptions can be found at the Montezuma Film Festival website. From the 2009 schedule, just click on the film title.

While many countries (Spain, Phillippines, Guatemala, Denmark, Bahamas, Greece, Germany, Paraguay, Canada, UK to name a few) are represented in the shorts, the USA still dominates the offerings. All but one feature length film was from the US (the other was Turkish, and also the majority of the shorts, and, as you can see, the awards reflect this too.

The Organizers are limited by what is submitted, so maybe for next year, as a community, we can think of ways to promote submissions from more countries, including Costa Rica itself. The only Costa Rican entry was a Canada/Costa Rica co-production.

The preparations for 2010 are already in progress

Submissions can be made through the website and also progress on the 2010 festival progress at the following address. www.montezumafilmfestival.com

The organizers have already received entries from Lebanon, Spain, Japan and Venezuela among other countries. Excitement is already beginning to build about the 2010 event to be held in Montezuma November 18-21.

They encourage everyone in the Montezuma to become involved. Not just film-makers, but all kinds of musicians, artists, and performers are invited to present their work.

Interested participants can email: montezumafilmfestival@gmail.com

Festival Director, Eric Panter is based in Atlanta, USA and is the organizer of numerous festivals, including Independent Film Month in Atlanta, and the Atlanta Horror Film Festival. See the website below for more information.

Do you have an entry to submit? Enter it at www.montezumafilmfestival.com/home.html
Viva el festival!

2009 Awards: The Winners Are:
Best Feature Film
The Nature of Existence (El Sano Banano)
Director: Roger Nygard (USA)

Best Comedy Feature
Love Conquers Paul (El Sano Banano)
Director: Colin Bannon (USA)

Best Documentary Feature
Ni Aqui, Ni Alla / Neither Here nor There (Luz de Mono)
Director: Betsy Haley Hershey (USA)

Best Director(s)
Zombie Girl: The Movie (El Sano Banano)
Directors. Justin Johnson, Aaron Marshall, Erik Mauck (USA)

Best Short Film
Promise Kept (Narrative Shorts – Organico)
Directors. Yasmine Temraz and Farah Andersen (USA)

Best Drama Short
Solid State (Drama Shorts – Luz de Mono)
Director: Le Nouveau-Pauvre (Canada)

Best Narrative Short
Grace (Narrative Shorts – Organico)
Director: Alrick Brown (USA)

Best Comedy Short
Donut Heaven ( Comedy Shorts - Organico)
Director: Annetta Marion (USA)

Best Animated Short
Puffer Girl (Animated Shorts – Organico)
Director: Joan Gratz (USA)

Best International Short
Landskaber (European Shorts – Luz de Mono)
Director: Kristoffer Kioerboe (Denmark)

Best Documentary Short
Waiting for Women (Documentary Shorts – Luz de Mono)
Director: Estephan Wagner (Spain)

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