Here are your winners! 2014 Highway 61 Film Festival competition results

Wow! It‘s been a long and remarkable journey to get here. We received more than 600 submissions from 57 countries, and we’re grateful to each and every filmmaker who sent in their work for our 2014 competition. It was thrilling to receive such a number and variety of films by so many talented directors. It made judging very tough, and we’d like to thank our festival prescreeners and the 18 judges who carefully and thoughtfully went through this remarkable group of short and feature films to pick the very best.

Here are the semifinalists, finalists and winners of the 2014 Highway 61 Film Festival competition.

 

ACTION HORROR FEATURE FINALISTS

1st Place • Profile of a Killer • Director: Caspian Tredwell-Owen – United States

2nd Place They Came from the Ether • Director: James Pronath – United States

Late Night Double-Feature • Director: Christopher Mimh – United States

SEMIFINALISTS

Let’s Play Ghost • Director: Damien Dematra – Indonesia

TORN: a SHOCK YOUmentary • Director: Justin Carter – United Kingdom

 

ACTION HORROR SHORT FINALISTS

1st Place TimothyDirector: Marc Martínez Jordán – Spain

2nd Place DisaffectionDirector: Charles Thomas – France

(finalists in alphabetical order)

10K • Director: Hendrix Caudill – United States

B.A.M.Director: Andrew Dymond – United Kingdom

He’s Not Looking So Great • Director: Gregory G. Kurczynski – United States

Insane • Director: Adam O’Brien – United States

Necrotic • Director: Ross Williams – United States

Pixel Theory: Pandora’s Box • Director: Daniel Hernández Torrado – Spain

Run • Director: Josh Mruz – United States

Second Wind • Director: Sergey Tsyss – Russian Federation

Sleeping with the Dead • Director: Allison Beda – United States

The Amulet of the Dragon • Director: João Paulo Andrade – Brazil

SEMIFINALISTS

Days End • Director: Thomas C. Gaunt – United States

Decon • Director: Luke Snailham – United States

Freedom Deal: The Story of Lucky • Director: J “Jack RO” Rosette – Cambodia

Home Sweet Home • Director: Carlos Carpallo – Spain

Let God Sort Them Out • Director: Cédric Le Men – France

Medicine Men • Director: Freddy Lond – Belgium

Spectral Transmission • Director: Bryan Liberty & Bryan Kastelan – United States

The Chosen • Director: Guillermo Ruotolo – Germany

The First Step • Directors: Kate McMeans & Daniel Brown – United States

The Visitor • Director: Matt James – United Kingdom

 

ANIMATION FEATURE

1st Place Bubble Bubble Meows and the Meteor StomachacheDirector: Matt Orefice – United States

 

ANIMATION SHORT FINALISTS

1st Place • What RemainsDirector: Liv Scharbatke

2nd Place Two GhostsDirector: Amy Lee Ketchum

(finalists in alphabetical order)

Enlightenment • Director: Marat Narimanov • Russian Federation

How to Catch a Bird • Director: Vera van Wolferen • Netherlands

Humanexus • Director: Ying-Fang Shen • United States

I Need My Monster •  Director: Stephen Baker • United States

Keli • Director: Ranjitha Rajeevan • India

Never Stop Cycling • Director: Colin Lepper • Canada

The Little Girl • Director: Hakan Berber • Turkey

The Pride of Strathmoor • Director: Einar Baldvin • United States

To Edgar • Director: Ewa Łuczków • Poland

Wallflower • Director: Nils Westergard • United States

SEMIFINALISTS

A Bottle of Lives • Director: Ching Yu Yang • Taiwan

Heavy Metal Recollections • Director: Shawn Wickens • United States

Mean Teddies • Director: Tyler Novo • Canada

Mirage • Director: Yaya Xu • United States

Something Important • Director: NaiWei Liu • United States Jarann Pan

Tiki Hot • Director: Jarann Pan • United States

Tick and Cow • Director: Mehr Chatterjee • United States

 

COMEDY FEATURE FINALISTS

1st Place • A Brand New YouDirectors: Kathryn Palmateer & Shawn Whitney • Canada

2nd Place FatherLikeSonDirector: Mac Alsfeld • United States

The Karaoke Brothers • Director: Joe Richardson • United States

 

COMEDY SHORT FINALISTS

1st Place MousseDirector: John Hellberg • Sweden

2nd Place Melon HeadDirector: Andy Fortenbacher • United States

(finalists in alphabetical order)

A Frenchman In Barrow • Director: Paul Peterson • United States

Kosher • Director: Alexanderson Bolaño • Mexico

Pint • Director: Nic Barker • Australia

Saturday • Director: Keif Gwinn • United Kingdom

Serve and Protect • Director: Scott Granville • New Zealand

Sophie’s Fortune • Director: Phil Meachem • United Kingdom

The Goat • Director: James Button • United Kingdom

The First Date • Director: Mason Makram • United States

The Late Bird • Director: Sascha Vredenburg Germany

Tough Case • Director: Stefan Perez United States

SEMIFINALISTS

A Noble Quest • Director: John Gigrich • United States

Bathroom Scribes • Director: Cassandra V.H. Petersen • United States

Blue Division • Director: Sergi Marti • Spain

Cyberlife 2030 • Director: Rudy Carpio • Norway

Did You Like the Movie? • Director: Adrià Guxens • United States

Hollywood, Extra! • Director: Ryan Gilmer • United States

G-T • Director: Mark Krol • Russian Federation

Internal Revelation • Director: Eden Hadad • Israel

Love in the Kitchen • Director: Teresa Hayer Germany

Love Unmasked • Director: Cole Meyer • United States

Margie: A Retirement Tale • Director: Charlie Sporns • United States

Michel • Director: Romain Richard France

Out of a Limb • Director: Patrick Loy • United States

Shotgun • Director: Maverick Moore • United States

Strong Coffee with Vodka • Director: Vladimir Scheiermann • Germany

That Bitch Becky • Director: Rebecca Rochon • Canada

The Kid Who Made the Face • Director: Michael Gingras • Canada

Zugzwang • Director: Yolanda Centeno • Brazil

 

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FINALISTS

1st Place American HeartDirector: Chris Newberry • United States

2nd Place Wicker KittensDirector: Amy C. Elliott • United States

(finalists in alphabetical order)

Existentia • Director: Matt Utecht United States

Teddy – A Tour of the Guide • Director: Justin Steigely • United States

The Organic Life Director: Casey Beck • United States

Thicker Than Water • Director: Bradley Rappa • United States

SEMIFINALISTS

Adelante • Director: Noam Osband • United States

Rewilding America: Lessons Learned from the Cape Cod Bear • Director: Maryanne Galvin • United States

 

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FINALISTS

1st Place Straight Up: Tennessee WhiskeyDirector: Caleb Watson • United States

2nd Place Not Anymore: A Story of RevolutionDirector: Matthew VanDyke • Syria

(finalists in alphabetical order)

87 Topaz • Director: Bill Kersey • United States

Art of Motion • Director: Rhodri Williams • United Kingdom

Breaking the Cycle • Director: Philip Coleman • United Kingdom

CottonDreams • Director: Sandeep Balhara • Poland

Hotel Bellvue • Director: Claire Walka • Germany

Michael S.Recollected • Director: Steven Swirko • Austria

Puppet Man • Director: Yang Wu • United States

Sayachapis • Director: Marie Soleil Henri Foisy • Canada

The Characteristics of C-Minor • Directors: J.Ollie Lucks and Max Bellamy • New Zealand

The Real Story: Media Coverage of Disability Issues in Minnesota Directors: Tim Benjamin and Jerry Smith • United States

SEMIFINALISTS

Atletico Clube Serido • Director: Fritz Delangelo • Brazil

City Hearts • Director: Yang Wu • United States

Community Acupuncture • Director: Brian Lindstrom • United States

Going Country • Director: Barry Leigh-Delaney • United Kingdom

I, Artist • Director: Yang Wu • United States

My Uncle Bob • Director: David Jensen • United States

Once Upon Another Time • Alexandre Baevi • Georgia

The Man in the Booth • Director: Justin Ayd • United States

Zio Ninnucio • Director: Noriko Sugiura • Italy

 

DRAMA FEATURE 

1st Place • A Soft Scent of CinnamonDirector: Giovanna Ribes • Spain

2nd Place Redemption of the CommonsDirector: KT Terry • United States

Bittersweet Monday • Director: Jaime Lee • United States

SEMIFINALISTS

(in alphabetical order)

Agnus Dei • Director: Agim Sopi • Kosovo

Amberpark: The Beginning • Directors: Lance Meaux and Terri L. Bea • United States

Coin Toss • Director: Satya Kharkar • United States

 

DRAMA SHORT FINALISTS

1st Place • 216 MonthsDirectors: Valentin Potier & Frédéric Potier • France

2nd Place Int. Café–NightDirector: Adriraj Bose – India

(finalists in alphabetical order)

Amongst Laughs and Tears • Director: Rubens Marinelli Neto • Brazil

Erase Una Vez • Director: Alexanderson Bolaño • Mexico

Father • Aleksandr Razbash • Russian Federation

Jung-Mi • Director: Juhyoung Ra • United States

Lea • Director: Dario Gorini • Italy

Little Things • Director: Rati Tsiteladze • United Arab Emirates

Redeploy • Director: Nuria Dixon • United States

The Border • Director: Rene Rhi • United States

The Story of M. • Director: Anna Arlanova • Russian Federation

SEMIFINALISTS

Aemorrage • Director: • Patrick Devaney • United States

Being James • Haolu Wang • United Kingdom

Citizen • Director: Dale Driver • United Kingdom

Damage • Director: Maya Meiri • Israel

Diminished • Director: Konstantina Palli • Greece

Diving In • Director: Simon Intihar • Slovenia

Eternal Vendetta • Director: Oscar Rodriguez Gorriz • Mexico

Four Leaf Clover • Director: Hakan Berber • Turkey

Last Ditch • Director: Mahi Bena • France

Last of You • Director: Dan Sachar • Israel

Moths • Director: Andy Fortenbacher • United States

RamblerDirector: Patrick QuaglianoUnited States

Silent SpringDirector: Antoine Nassif Lebanon

Spirit of NegationDirector: Alexander KuribayashiUnited States

SweetnessDirector: Joseph LuebenUnited States

The Bounty HunterDirector: Gordon S. WilliamsUnited States

The CageDirector: Natalka Gordiy • Ukraine

War of ConscienceDirectors: Daniel Chudy and Melanie WiegmannGermany

The Dolphin Skin City • Director: Pierre Gaffie • France

The Last I Look Upon Your FaceDirector: Jed Tune and Glen Kirby United Kingdom

The Last SightDirector: Douglas StahlGermany

The Man Who Walked on the MoonDirector: Jenny LuUnited Kingdom

The Real Evidence: Laptop • Director: Egor Gavrilin • Russian Federation

 

STUDENT SHORT FINALISTS

1st Place GiftsDirector: Morgana McKenzie • United States

2nd Place We’re Okay • Director: Kira Bursky • United States

(finalists in alphabetical order)

Angel for HireDirector: Katy HoggardUnited Kingdom

Because I Am a GirlDirectors: Students of Christel House India, Bangalore India

Camping MisadventuresDirector: Chris Choyce United States

ConscriptionDirector: Nick Ramey United States

EvolutionDirectors: Alexia and Sophia Salingaros United States

Let’s Try this AgainDirector: Doug KeelingUnited States

Looking Up: Sami Stoner & ChloeDirector: Brittney LybargerUnited States

ShirzadDirector: Ahmed NegmEgypt

The Bag IIDirectors: Teagan Gosling and Avery Stefanson Canada

Trust MeDirector: Jenna MenziesUnited Kingdom

SEMIFINALISTS

Black Rock Creek Director: Malone LumardaUnited States

Cave Director: Abbey SacksUnited States

Chained Colours Director: Leo Vitasovic and Jozo JozipovicCroatia

Ne Kopeyka Director: Maria AlinaRussian Federation

Shards Director: Charisma Dozier United States

Sink or Swim Directors: Max Wilson, Fiaona Macintosh, Kai Dougan

Speed Bumps Director: Abbey Sacks United States

Take a Nap Director: Anton WongCanada

Three-O-Seven Director: Spencer Howson United States

The Waiting Game Director: Maria AlvarezUnited States

To Kill a Mockingbird Trailer Director: Annie NelsonUnited States

Warm RushDirector: Kira BurskyUnited States

YashodaDirector: Yuvraj Mahagaonkar India

Z-DayDirector: Chloe BilladeauUnited States

 

A special recognition to our fellow local filmmakers who submitted this year:

Alone with his Thoughts • Director: A.L. Terry • Rock Creek, MN

Burning Memories • Director: Pete Garsow • Cloquet, MN

Do It! • Director: Payton Koehler • Stewartville, MN

SnowBound | Lightning Strikes Twice • Director: Doug Phillips • Rice Lake, WI

Waiting to Scream • Director: Nate Johnson • Kettle River, MN