UFFyc Announces 2017 Awards
The Underexposed Film Festival yc announced the jury prizes on Saturday, March 4, 2017. The awards were presented at a ceremony immediately following the final block of films screened at the Winthrop University's Plowden Auditorium at the Withers Building. The 2017 program included 35 Official Selections, and 9 Director’s Choice films, curated by Festival Director Karen Collins. Not included in the original program, Writer's Block, starring Jane Lynch, was a late addition. Writer's Block is a comedy about a veteran songwriter past her prime who is afflicted with a severe case of writer's block. Unexpectedly, she finds new inspiration in a bird that takes up residence outside her home.
The Official Selections included films that have been nominated for Academy Awards, are eligible to be nominated for an Academy Award in 2018, and that have been collecting accolades far and wide. La Femme et le TGV was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 89th Annual Academy Awards in 2017. Thus far, two films screened at the 2017 UFFyc are Oscar-qualifying films – A Love Story, "THE TALK" True Stories About the Birds and the Bees. The films After All, Bonsai, Closet, I Love New York, and The Ningyo made their WORLD PREMIERE at the 2017 UFFyc.
The jurors for the 2017 UFFyc were Ellen Barnard (Counter Histories: Rock Hill), Joanna Davidovich (Monkey Rag), Carol Green (American Horror Story), Joanne Hock (GreyHawk Films), Nick Hough (critic, actor), Sharon Liese (The Gnomist), Tess Martin (The Lost Mariner), Michael Rivers, Terry Roueche (filmmaker, writer, photograher), Jim de Sève (Tying the Knot), Dr. Karen Stock, and Dr. David Wohl.
The Underexposed Film Festival yc presented nine awards to Official Selections in 2017 - the Grand Jury Prize; the best of each category – animation, documentary, experimental, and narrative; Cinema Carolina - awarded to the best independent film made in North or South Carolina, regardless of category, content, or subject; Woman to Watch (best female director); Best Student Film; and the Terry Roueche Audience Choice Award. An honorary award, the Cotton Alley Award, sponsored by Founders Federal Credit Union, was awarded to Joanne Hock. This award recognizes a filmmaker’s outstanding contributions and commitment to the world of independent filmmaking.
COTTON ALLEY AWARD
Sponsored by Founders Federal Credit Union
Joanne Hock
The Underexposed Film Festival yc has named Joanne Hock as the recipient of the 2017 Cotton Alley Award. First presented in 2015, the Cotton Alley Award is an honorary award that recognizes outstanding contributions and commitment to the world of independent filmmaking.
Joanne is passionate and prolific storyteller. She has written and directed feature films and documentaries, lensed and directed countless television commercials and directed national and international television shows. With more than 30 years in this ever-changing industry – and among a small population of women to break the glass ceiling in directing and cinematography, Joanne’s career continues to expand and grow.
Hock has spearheaded film projects for Fortune 500 companies and has been recognized by the prestigious New York International Film Festival with the Gold Medal Award for direction as well as the coveted Grand Prize Award.
Joanne’s latest feature film directorial work, The Ultimate Legacy can be currently seen on the Hallmark Movie Channel. Her other features include Trinity Goodheart for Aspire TV and Redneck Roots on Amazon. Joanne is in rewrites and early pre-production for her fourth feature film.
Two documentaries that Joanne directed, Purple Dreams and Martin Hill: Cameraman are just starting out on the festival circuit. Her documentary, From Poverty to Power, The James B. Duke Story is currently airing as a co-production of UNC-Public TV.
Joanne also worked as Director of Photography on several feature length documentaries including, In the Footsteps of Ellie Wiesel, narrated by Richard Gere, and served as Director of Photography on three PBS and APT feature length documentaries including Laugh at Us, The Spirit of Sacagawea and most recently, The Newport Effect. In 2014 Joanne lensed 13 episodes of Dr. Maya Angelou’s television series, The Spirit Table. Per Joanne, the experience of working side by side with Dr. Angelou was life changing.| more info
In her acceptance speech, Hock urged filmmakers and artists to continue creating, acknowledging that in a time when funding of the arts lies on uncertain ground, those in the creative field must persevere.
Grand Jury Award | $500
La Femme et le TGV
Narrative | 2016 | 30 min.
Country: Switzerland
Director: Timo von Gunten
Sometimes life seems to pass at 300km/h. A touching story between a lonely woman and a TGV train driver. Inspired by true events and with actress Jane Birkin in the leading role. La Femme et le TGV is inspired by true events and stars actress Jane Birkin in the leading role.
Best Animated Film | $100
Four Faces of the Moon
Animation | 2016 | 12 min. 56 sec.
Country: Canada
Director: Amanda Strong
This intricate stop-motion animation interlaces Canada’s colonial past with writer-director Amanda Strong’s personal family history — and illuminates Cree, Métis, and Anishinaabe reclamation of culture, language, and Nationhood.
This is the third film by Amanda Strong to screen at the Underexposed Film Festival yc. Mia' was an Official Selection in the 2016 UFFyc, and Indigo screened at the UFFyc in 2015 as a Director's Choice.
Best Documentary Film | $100
Jonah Stands Up
Documentary | 2016 | 21 min. 22 sec.
Country: USA
Director: Hannah Engelson
New Orleans artist, activist, and comedian, Jonah Bascle faces his mortality. He leaves behind a legacy of comedy, visual art, and disability activism.
Best Experimental Film | $100
Thornbird
Experimental | 2015 | 8 min. 48 sec.
Official Selection
Country: USA
Director: Jonathan Stutzman
THORNBIRD is an experimental fairy-tale about a young girl who is transported into a dreamworld after finding a magic mask.
Best Narrative Film | $100
The Ningyo
Narrative | 2017 | 25 min.
Country: USA
Director: Miguel Ortega
Professor Marlowe finds a piece of a map pointing to the place where Ningyo, a mythical Japanese creature, could be found. The legend claims whomever consumes its flesh will attain remarkable longevity. He presents the project to his peers, who mock and dismiss him as a fraud. He decides to risk everything and go after the Ningyo on his own in hopes to bring to light what could be one of the greatest contributions to science. What he could not anticipate is that, in his search, he is confronted with a choice that puts the very foundation of his morality to the test.
Cinema Carolina | $100
Awarded to the best independent film made in North or South Carolina, regardless of category, content, or subject. At least 75% of the principal photography must have taken place in North or South Carolina to be eligible for this award.
Red Rider
Experimental | 2016 | 4 min. 14 sec.
Official Selection
Country: USA (SC)
Director: Sean Breitkreutz
A character study of a postmodern, intercity cowboy with more inner turmoil than he may care to admit.
Red Rider is the second film by Sean Breitkreutz to screen at the Underexposed Film Festival yc. The Missing Piece screened in 2014 as an Official Selection.
Woman to Watch | $100
Amanda Strong
Amanda Strong's artistry is rooted in photography, illustration, and media. These elements of her practice extend into her award winning work that uses complex, beautiful imagery and characters to weave together meaningful short films. The Indigenous women in her films appear in nonlinear narratives, which Amanda brings to life through the use of animation.
Four Faces of the Moon
Animation | 2016 | 12 min. 56 sec.
Country: Canada
Director: Amanda Strong
This intricate stop-motion animation interlaces Canada’s colonial past with writer-director Amanda Strong’s personal family history — and illuminates Cree, Métis, and Anishinaabe reclamation of culture, language, and Nationhood.
Best Student Film | $100
Yizhou Xu is a recent graduate of the Bejing Film Academy.
Shop of Eternal Life
Narrative | 2016 | 22 min. 50 sec.
Country: China, USA
Director: Yizhou Xu
Caught in the middle of China's most chaotic time, a desperate young man trades his heart to a pawnbroker in exchange for money to save his sick wife. Twenty years later, he goes back to the pawnshop and finds it may be too late to get back what he came for.
Terry Roueche Audience Choice Award | $100
Voted for by those in attendance.
Single. Parents. Collection.
Narrative | 2015 | 16 min. 39 sec.
Country: USA
Director: Matthew Balthrop
Four single parents meet in the park as their kids play and discuss being parents, being single, and whatever other fool thing comes up.
The 2017 Underexposed Film Festival yc took place March 1 - 4, 2017 at Dina's Place in Winthrop University’s DiGiorgio Campus Center and at Winthrop's Plowden Auditorium in Withers building.
Question and answer sessions were held after many of the blocks of films. These sessions were live-streamed on Facebook.
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Directed by Karen Collins, the Underexposed Film Festival yc is produced by the Arts Council of York County, and is sponsored by the City of Rock Hill PRT; Old Town Association; Sharp Business Systems; Carolina Fresh Farms; Comporium Communications, Founders Federal Credit Union; Winthrop University; RiverSystems I.T. Consulting; and WRHI AM/FM, Interstate 107, 104.1 The Bridge. Restaurant and hotel partners included Flipside Restaurant, McHale’s Irish Pub, Main Street Bottle Shop, Millstone Pizza + Taphouse, The White Horse Restaurant, Country Inn & Suites, and Hilton Garden Inn.
