Team Perruche wins Best Picture at Winter Film Awards 48-Hour Film Challenge

NEW YORK - Nov. 30, 2014 - PRLog -- WINTER FILM AWARDS (http://winterfilmawards.com/) challenged the local community to create a 4-7 minute short film in a specified genre, tagline and prop in just a single gonzo weekend! Thirty teams of the most creative people in the tri-state area had just 48 sleepless hours to decide what they were going to do, write the screenplay, assemble their props, costumes and actors, then rehearse, shoot, score and edit their film. Students, amateurs, and seasoned industry veterans alike learned the importance of caffeine, team work and time management in successful filmmaking.

The 2014 WFA 48-Hour Film Challenge (http://winterfilmawards.com/2014-wfa48/) began Friday November 7 at 8pm. The prop was CITIBIKE, and the tagline was from NYC Mayor Ed Koch ... "Well, I’m still in New York. Thank you, God.".  Over $14k in prizes were awarded to the outstanding winners!  Winning films to be screened at the WFA 2015 Indie Film Festival, February 25-28 2015.

And the winners are ....

BEST PICTURE - "My Little Nut", Team Perruche (Buddy Film)
Team Perruche comprises 4 members who came together for the 48-Hour Challenge.  They are all friends who want to create while having fun together, and all work in the entertainment industry in different fields.  All had a touch in this short film, each playing a part in writing, filming and directing - the team didn’t follow regular crew rules of hierarchy and it worked because all were on the same page right from the beginning. Director Johan Perruchoud is an independent filmmaker (www.goodwiine.com),  actor Shivantha Wijesinha is a professional Actor and Singer (www.shivantha.com), Henry McGowan is a filmmaker currently studying at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston and our beatmaker N-DRIN is a music producer, composer and writer (www.n-drin.com).

Best Picture winner receives a $6800 package including a Canon EOS 70D Digital Camera and three Canon lenses, courtesy of B&H Photo & Video, season passes to Lime Rock Park racetrack,  Jungle Software Gorilla 5 and tickets to City Wine Tours Soho or West Village tour. Peanut the dog also took home a squeezy toy and delicious doggy treats for his outstanding performance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZF6c79VG1o



FAN FAVORITE - "Blood Drops of Love", Team Rosenguez (Horror)
Rosenguez Productions (http://rosenguezproductions.com) is a NY-based production company with numerous credits for short and feature length films. Team leader Larry Rosen is a director/producer and also Festival Director of the prestigious Northeast Film Festival (http://www.nefilmfestival.com) in Teaneck, NJ. Chris Cullen is Festival Director of the Hang on to Your Shorts Film Festival (http://www.hangontoyourshortsfilmfestival.com) in Asbury Park, NJ. Team members also included Marilee Hodge, Andrew Hsu, Louisa Erlich, Christine Pardos, and Ayad Shuaib. Each member of the team may have a different focus and goal, but all have a commitment to the arts and film.

Fan Favorite winner receives a $4800 package including a Canon EOS 70D Digital Camera and three Canon lenses, courtesy of B&H Photo & Video, go-Kart races provided by Pole Position Raceway, Jungle Software Gorilla 5 and tickets to The Paint Place basic painting class.

RUNNER UP - "Liber de Morte", Team Aphoristic Films (SciFi)
Aphoristic Films (https://www.youtube.com/user/aphoristicfilms) is a New Jersey indie film crew who have been participating in the Winter Film Awards 48-Hour Challenge the past three years. In the off-season Aphoristic Films writes, films and edits video shorts through out the year. Enjoying the process is what sets them apart.

Runner Up wins an $845 package including a copy of Jungle Software Chimpanzee, tickets for Sleep No More by the McKittrick Hotel, Chelsea Piers Passports and passes to Mission Escape Games.

HONORABLE MENTION - "Spoke For", Grape Dutches of York (Horror)
Returning champions The Grape Dutches of York (http://www.grapedutches.com) are a sketch comedy troupe based out of Astoria, NY. The Dutches have been involved in various film festivals across the country and in New York City, and took home the prize for BEST SCREENPLAY at the 2012 WFA 48-Hour Film Challenge and FIRST RUNNER UP at the 2013 Challenge. The Dutches goal is to make funny, off-centered sketches that are rooted in their askew view of the world and the people that inhabit it. Grape Dutches puts on a Monthly show at the Videology theater in Brooklyn.

Honorable Mention receives an $845 package including a copy of Jungle Software Chimpanzee, tickets for Sleep No More by the McKittrick Hotel, "Learn to Boulder" classes from Brooklyn Boulders and passes to Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunts

BEST SCREENPLAY - "Caught Up in The Clouds", Team Mystic Row / Edge in Motion (Sci Fi)
Mystic Row (www.mysticrow.com) and Edge In Motion (www.edgeinmotiontheatre.com) are two NYC-based production companies that collaborated together for The Winter Film Awards 48-Hour Film Challenge this year. Andrea Kfoury and Lindsay-Elizabeth Hand, the respective owners, met over a year ago, and in that short amount of time, produced two TV Pilots and two short films. "Caught Up In The Clouds" was directed by Andrea Kfoury, written by and starring Lindsay-Elizabeth Hand, Simon Miller, and Andrea Kfoury, cinematography by Jeff Nash, editing and special effects by Alon Gelnik, sound mixing by Jacopo Messina, and original music by Simon Miller.

Best Screenplay wins Gray Line NY Double-Decker Bus Tour tickets and NY Harbor Tour tickets.

FUNNIEST FILM - "KungFu Takeout", Team BLVCKPICASSO (Martial Arts)
Wes Darbouze is a NY-based director, cinematographer and editor (http://www.xxtheblackpicasso.com). Having met the majority of his team the week prior at the Writers and Actors Group (WAG), the group was formed entirely by chance with surprisingly electric chemistry. Hoping to form a production company in the near future, Director Wes Darbouze and Writer/Producer Vicky Darbouze look forward to making many more films with this team again.

Funniest Film wins tickets for Gray Line NY Freestyle tours and passes to NY SkyRide

Winter Film Awards congratulates all of our competitors on their amazing work! Visit our YouTube Playlist to view all of our teams’ films!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzBVHQ-z4WM&list=PLPCEYyf_YoHtrLYF0lqwNYsTLVxQ62QaR

WINTER FILM AWARDS mission is to recognize excellence and diversity in cinema and to promote learning and expression for all artists at all stages of their careers. We celebrate the cultural mixture that is New York City, showcasing emerging filmmakers from every age, ethnic, racial, religious, cultural, political and geographic perspective. The 48-Hour Challenge format gives filmmakers a chance to work closely with a team and to intensely focus while just going out and doing it