Wizard World Film Festival Wraps Up 2014 As Five Earn Culmination Awards

NEW YORK - Dec. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- Five short films earned overall honors as Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) completed the 2014 Wizard World Film Festival in 12 cities on its 2014 pop culture convention tour. The “Grand Jury Award” was claimed by “The Portal,” directed by Jonathan Williams; the “Soul of Comic Con” went to “Trustworthy,” directed by Gerik Gooch; “Grand Student Film Award” was won by “A Better Life,” directed by Conor Holt; “Best Music Video Of The Con” was awarded to “Sad Monster,” directed by Kurt Dettbarn; and the “Audience Favorite” was “Losers,” directed by Carlos del Rosario.

At each of the Wizard World Comic Cons which featured the Film Festival, numerous films were screened over two to three days and awards presented at the conclusion.

Winners at each event in 2014 were as follows:

Portland (January 24-26)
Best In Show - The Hole (directed by Steven Stiller)
Best Animation - Creamen (directed by Esther Casas)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Splinter Cell - Extraction (directed by Jason Satterlund)

New Orleans (February 7-9)
Best In Show - Jack Attack! (directed by Antonio Padovan And Bryan Norton)
Best Thriller - Girl At The Door (directed by Colin Campbell)
Best Quirky Comedy - Curtis (directed by Bruno Doria)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Psa & Phoenix Run (directed by TJ Walker And Rick Waters)

Sacramento (March 7-9)
Best In Show - Ghost Light (directed by PJ Germain)
Best Super Short - Stolen Homework (directed by Amy Lawrence)
Best Student Short - Transmissions (directed by Brian Trotter)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Red Cloud: Deliverance (directed by Sioux Cloud)

St. Louis (April 4-6)
Best In Show - Tea Time (directed by J. Derek Howard)
Best Student Short - Provocation (directed by Lilton Stewart III)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Forever Friends (directed by Ashley Seering)

Minneapolis (May 2-4)
Best In Show - The Garage (directed by Joe Filipas)
Best Student Short - A Better Life (directed by Conor Holt)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Meanwhile, At The Citadel Of Superheroes (directed by Andrew Neill And Marcus Mann)

Atlanta (May 30-June 1)
Best In Show - Friends Like Mine (directed by Nicole Kovacs)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Black Tiger: Hunter Hunted (directed by Patricio Ginelsa)

Philadelphia (June 19-22)
Best In Show - Genetic Drift (directed by Stephanie Cristancho)
Best Student Short - Monster (directed by Jared Hirsch)
Best Fantasy Short - Dreams Of The Last Butterflies (directed by Zina Brown)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Losers (directed by Carlos Del Rosario)

San Antonio (August 1-3)
Best In Show - Cassandra (directed by Guy-Roger Duvert)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Point Of Interest (directed by Johnny Bones)

Chicago (August 21-24)
Best In Show - The Portal (directed by Jonathan Williams)
Best Student Short - Play Date (directed by Mike Wytrykus)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Little Man Of Steel (directed by Larry Ziegelman)

Columbus, Ohio (September 20-22, 2013)
Best In Show - Rose, Mary and Time (directed by Hardeep Giani)
Best Super Short - Une Balade à la Mer (directed by Damien Stein)
Best Pop Culture Themed Short - Kirk v Picard (directed by John Riddell)
Spirit Of Comic Con - 'Til Death (directed by Jason Tostevin)

Nashville (October 18-20, 2013)
Best In Show - Twine Sleep (directed by Drew Paslay)
Best Super Short - Sad Monster (directed by Kurt Dettbarn)
Best Fantasy Themed Film - Avarice (directed by Rachel M. Taylor)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Trustworthy (directed by Gerik Gooch)

Austin (November 22-24, 2013)
Best In Show - There Will Be Blocks (directed by Ben Bays)
Best Comedy - People With Issues (directed by Dan Siegelstein)
Spirit Of Comic Con - Through The Woods (directed by Mike McAleer)


At select 2013 and 2014 events, independent student filmmakers were awarded a $2,500 scholarship to The Los Angeles Film School via the Wizard World Creative Success Scholarship.

Plans for the 2015 Wizard World Film Festival are currently in development. Submission, judging and other information will be available soon. Fans can visit www.wizardworldfilmfestival.com for details as they are announced.

Wizard World opens its 2015 schedule with New Orleans Comic Con, January 9-11 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center at Wizard World. The calendar is currently comprised of 24 events.

About Wizard World
Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD) produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A's, the Wizard World Film Festival, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World also produces socialcon featuring social media stars and will be launching ConTV, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM).

Wizard World 2015 schedule available at: http://wizardworld.com