by Film Prize Official Press Release
Kelly Pederson
SHREVEPORT — The 2023 Louisiana Film Prize has revealed its 20 finalists who will contend for the coveted grand prize of up to $50,000 (the largest cash prize in the world for a narrative short film). The announcement was made in front of a packed house of filmmakers and Film
Prize fanatics at the Robinson Film Center. Now in its 12th year, the award-winning Louisiana Film Prize returns to the streets of downtown Shreveport, taking place during Prize Fest 2023’s second weekend, from October 19 to 21. To provide accessibility to a global audience, the
festival will offer a virtual option, allowing for online viewing and voting. The grand prize winner, which will be determined by a blend of audience and film professionals voting, will be announced at an invite-only brunch on October 22.
Loving you is complicated,Written and Directed by Charles Christian Jones
Gregory Kallenberg, the founder of Film Prize and executive director of the Prize Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the exceptional lineup of Film Prize finalists, representing the one of largest and most diverse collection of Film Prize submissions in the event’s history.
“Film Prize serves as a catalyst for cultivating the potential of independent filmmakers in Northwest Louisiana,” remarked Kallenberg. “We wholeheartedly encourage all those who value and champion the indie filmmaking community to join us at Film Prize, as together, we can illuminate the brilliance of these remarkable films and the talents behind them.”
I Am… Directed by Matthew Eli Judd and Carlos Jimenez
In addition to filmmakers from all over Louisiana vying for this year’s grand prize check, the class of 2023 includes filmmakers from across the state and the country including Shreveport; Baton Rouge; New Orleans; Lafayette; Dallas, Texas; Smackover, Arkansas; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; Coral Springs, Florida; and Lincoln, Nebraska. Each of those out of state filmmakers (along with many others) made the trip to Louisiana to shoot their films, so they would qualify for the Film Prize competition.
“This year, Film Prize will continue the longstanding tradition of elevating filmmakers to the next level of their journey as creative professionals,” said Chirs Lyon, Film Prize Director.“You won’t want to miss watching this year’s slate of films and voting for the grand prizewinner!”
The Capitalist,Written and Directed by Gian Smith
Over the past 12 years, the event has made an undeniable impact on both filmmaking in Northwest Louisiana and the local economy, generating over $30 million in economic activity for the region. Filmmakers from around the world are enticed to come to the area to produce their films and subsequently return to Shreveport for the film festival and competition itself.
To be eligible for the Louisiana Film Prize, filmmakers were required to create a short film lasting 5 to 15 minutes, with the production taking place within the state of Louisiana. The winning filmmaker, determined by public voting and a panel of film industry judges, will receive a cash prize of $25,000. However, if the film was shot in Caddo Parish, the cash prize is doubled to an impressive $50,000. Additionally, the Top 5 films will each receive a cash prize of $1,000. Up to five films will be awarded a $3,000 reimbursable grant to support a film project for the 2024 Louisiana Film Prize Competition. Furthermore, cash awards will be presented to the “Best Performer” winner. To date, the Film Prize Foundation has granted over $500,000 in cash prizes to independent filmmakers.
For more information about the festival and to purchase passes, visit prizefest.com.
Louisiana Film Prize 2022 Top 20 Films and Filmmakers
The Artiste
Written and Directed by David Long
The Ballad of Rose Mae
Directed by Gray Fagan & Bailey Wax
Bug
Directed by Caleb Lemon
The Candy Lady
Written and Directed by Monique Morton Derouselle
The Capitalist
Written and Directed by Gian Smith
Caught on Tape
Directed by Chris Alan Evans and Alexander Jeffery
Clownfish
Written and Directed by Clayton Henderson
Criterion
Written and Directed by Jeremy Enis
Dead Flesh
Written and Directed by Gianfranco Fernández-Ruiz
For the Love of Balls
Directed by Geno and Josh Munds
I Am…
Directed by Matthew Eli Judd and Carlos Jimenez
Jamgasm
Written and Directed by Christine W. Chen
Legacy
Directed by RJ Rosasco
Loving You is Complicated
Written and Directed by Charles Christian Jones
Off Sides
Written and Directed by Kaitlyn Brown
Pink Suit Black Suit
Directed by Jacob McSharma
Tongues of Fire
Written and Directed by Carlos Jimenez
Wedding War
Directed by Hannah Dorsett Floyd
Xulectra
Directed by Brandon Kotfila
The Louisiana Film Prize invites filmmakers across the country to make a short film between five and fifteen minutes long to compete for the largest short film cash prize offered in the world. The chief requirement is that the films must be shot in Louisiana. The top twenty films that have been submitted are then screened for audiences and judges in October and a winner is chosen based on the voting from those two factions.
