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Media contact:
Alex Bimonte
(561) 716-1062, [email protected]
Florida Students Win Big at Palm Beach International Film Festival’s 20th Annual Student Showcase of Films
Stars Burt Reynolds, Vanilla Ice and Emily Brooke Presented Awards
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (March 17, 2015) — Florida student filmmakers were honored on March 12 at the
Star Trek inspired, Palm Beach International Film Festival’s 20th Annual Student Showcase of Films (SSOF) held at
Lynn University’s Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center in Boca Raton, FL. This next
generation of Florida filmmakers was awarded with more than $10,500 in cash and scholarships. SSOF is the
largest statewide film competition for students enrolled in high school and college film and television programs,
and entries are judged by 27 industry professionals from around the United States and winning student films will
be screened in their entirety during the film festival in March 2015. Florida residents, Burt Reynolds, Vanilla Ice,
and Emily Brooke presented the students with the awards.
Winning student films will be screened in their entirety on the "big screen" at the students' own premiere during
PBIFF on Sunday, March 29th at 4:15 PM at Cobb Theaters located at Downtown at The Gardens in Palm Beach
Gardens, FL.
The winners that were revealed during the live award show included:
Burt Reynolds Scholarship ($2,500)
Lauryn Eisenstein, G-Star School of the Arts
Sara Fuller Scholarship ($500)
Julia Carlin, Palm Beach Central High School
Audience Award ($500)
Dave Merrill and Adam Watkins, Calvary Christian Academy, Picturesque
Feature/Short, College Award:
1st Place: John Francis and Kendall McCrory, Florida State University, Apalachicola
2nd Place: Kendall McCrory and Jessic Swalchick, Florida State University, Ruby Woo
3rd Place: Elizabeth Serral and Jill Somers, Florida State University, Southern Roots
High School Feature/short:
1st Place: Alexandra Barletta-Chacon, G-Star School of the Arts, Cold Morning
2nd Place: Dave Merrill and Adam Watkins, Calvary Christian Academy, Picturesque
3rd Place: Lyndsie Zimmerman, Mikaela-Rose Piotrowski, Dixie Hollins High School, Grief
Other award winners included:
1st Place Commercial/PSA Award Winner
Raymond Knudsen, Erik Lucatero and Jesse Miller, Palm Beach State College, Be Yourself and No One Else
1st Place Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful Environmental PSA Award Winner (New for 2015)
Brandon Sims, Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School, Drink Tap Water, Save Our Planet
1st Place Documentary Award Winner
Sarit Sandler and Maddison Hobbing, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Fred
1st Place Music Video Award Winner
Cristian Aguiar, G-Star School of the Arts, Unbreak my Heart
1st Place Animation Award Winner
Michael Bidinger and Michelle Kwon, Ringling College of Art and Design, Jinxy Jenkins and Lucky Lou
1st Place Nellie & Fred Chasin Screenwriting Award Winner
Jessica Prescott, Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, Red and Blue
1st Place Poster Design Award Winner
Joshua Legis, North Miami Beach Senior High School, 2016 Poster Design
For more information about the Student Showcase of Films, please visit pbfilm.com or Facebook. This program is
funded by the PBIFF, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, the Palm Beach County Office of
Economic Sustainability and the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission.
Photos from the event are available via DropBox and can be found by clicking here.
About the Palm Beach International Film Festival (March 26 – April 2, 2015)
Celebrating the festival’s 20th anniversary, the PBIFF has secured its place as one of America’s top film festivals
including a long history of representing the best in American independent and foreign films from around the
globe. The festival thrives in the true spirit of independent cinema. The 2014 festival hosted 164 feature films
from 42 countries such as Argentina, Australia, Hong Kong, India, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Turkey, and the United Kingdom, to name just a few. Over 80 features were presented, including 30 World,
International, North American and US Premieres. Over 90 filmmakers, cast and crew from 20 different countries
attended the festival. In a first-ever collaboration of its kind, the PBIFF joined forces with the world-renowned
Toronto International Film Festival to present a spotlight on Canadian films. The festivals sidebar “The Jewish
Experience” featured 26 Jewish and Israeli-centric films, including 15 from Israel.
Visiting filmmakers enjoy the hospitality of a film friendly community, welcoming audiences and making new
industry contacts from around the world. Dedicated to making a difference in the lives of future filmmakers; the
festival hosts insightful industry panels, student filmmaking programs and unique networking opportunities all
set against the background of Palm Bach County’s tropical beaches, waterways and elite venues.
The PBIFF has hosted a bevy of top celebrities and filmmakers including: Academy Award® Winners: Adrien
Brody, Anthony Hopkins, Tommy Lee Jones, Faye Dunaway, Dennis Hopper, Louise Fletcher and Michael Caine;
Academy Award® Nominees: Salma Hayek, Edward Norton, Robert Evans, Sylvester Stallone, Woody Harrelson,
Richard Jenkins and Burt Reynolds. Along with countless other legends, stars and filmmakers that have created
movie magic for the past 80 years, including: Roger Moore, Faye Wray, Esther Williams, Anouk Aimee, Samuel L.
Jackson, Cyd Charisse, Richard Zanuck, William Friedkin, Brett Ratner, Jacqueline Bisset, Michael Clarke Duncan
and Rod Steiger.
For more information about the PBIFF go to pbifilmfest.org. ###