Jim Buchholz
Best Feature Nominee - My Name is Myeisha
Jim Buchholz
Best Screenplay Nominee - Rickerby Hinds
Jim Buchholz
Best Director Nominee - Gus Krieger
Jim Buchholz
Best Actress Nominee - Rhaechyl Walker
Jim Buchholz
Best Editing Nominee - A Sniper's War

Best Feature Nominee - My Name is Myeisha

My name is Myeisha

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 84 Minutes

Filmmaker: Gus Krieger

Gus Krieger is a Los Angeles-based director/producer/writer of stage and screen. Credits include THE BINDING (writer, director, 2016), FENDER BENDER (producer, 2016), WOULD YOU RATHER (associate producer, 2012), and THE KILLING ROOM (writer, co-producer - Sundance Midnight, 2009). On Twitter @MrGusK.

MNiM_Poster.JPG

Synopsis: In a split-second between life and death, teenager Myeisha Jackson crosses over into a hip-hop musical dreamscape and witnesses her life, what it was and what might have been.

Best Screenplay Nominee - Rickerby Hinds

My name is Myeisha

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 84 Minutes

Filmmaker: Gus Krieger

Rickerby Hinds is currently a professor of playwriting in the Department of Theater,
Film & Digital Production at the University of California, Riverside and the founder and artistic director of the
Califest Hip-Hop Theater Festival. His most recent production, “Dreamscape,” has been touring nationally and
internationally for the past four years, enjoying enthusiastic audience reception as well as outstanding critical
reviews.

MNiM_Poster.JPG

Synopsis: In a split-second between life and death, teenager Myeisha Jackson crosses over into a hip-hop musical dreamscape and witnesses her life, what it was and what might have been.

Best Director Nominee - Gus Krieger

My name is Myeisha

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 84 Minutes

Filmmaker: Gus Krieger

Gus Krieger is a Los Angeles-based director/producer/writer of stage and screen. Credits include THE BINDING (writer, director, 2016), FENDER BENDER (producer, 2016), WOULD YOU RATHER (associate producer, 2012), and THE KILLING ROOM (writer, co-producer - Sundance Midnight, 2009). On Twitter @MrGusK.

MNiM_Poster.JPG

Synopsis: In a split-second between life and death, teenager Myeisha Jackson crosses over into a hip-hop musical dreamscape and witnesses her life, what it was and what might have been.

Best Actress Nominee - Rhaechyl Walker

My name is Myeisha

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 84 Minutes

Filmmaker: GUS KRIEGER

WALKER - Rhaechyl Walker is an actor, known for Ink & Rain (2018), My Name Is Myeisha (2018) and Mirage at Zabul Province (2013). Online @rhaechyl.

ACTRESS RhaechylWalker_Headshot.jpg

Synopsis: In a split-second between life and death, teenager Myeisha Jackson crosses over into a hip-hop musical dreamscape and witnesses her life, what it was and what might have been.

Best Documentary Nominee - Steve McQueen: American Icon

Steve McQueen: American Icon

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 79 Minutes

Filmmaker: Jon Erwin and Ben Smallbone

Jon Erwin is a director who focuses on developing and producing unique stories
of redemption, faith, and triumph of the human spirit.  In 2002, Jon, together with his
brother Andrew, opened a video production company and found their greatest success in
the world of music, directing videos and producing concerts and television programs for
platinum artists like Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, Switchfoot, Skillet,
Montgomery Gentry, and many others. In 2010 the brothers shifted their focus primarily to
feature films.  In addition to Steve McQueen: American Icon, their credits include October
Baby, Moms' Night Out, Woodlawn and I Can Only Imagine.
 
 
Ben Smallbone was born in Sydney, Australia. He is a director and writer, known for Steve
McQueen: American Icon(2017), Priceless (2016), Taken (2006) and Shoulders (2015). He
has been married to Paige Smallbone since May 29, 2005. They have one child.

Synopsis: Steve McQueen truly is an American Icon. One of Americas most endearing and intriguing movie stars, he “is still the King of Cool” according to Esquire Magazine—50 years after the zenith of his career! The coolest thing about him, however, is barely known, despite countless biographies and articles. Steve McQueen was a believer in Jesus Christ.

Best Feature Nominee - We’ll Get Back to You

We'll Get Back to You

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 102 Minutes

Filmmaker: Doga Can Anafarta

The film is produced by Bulut Dogramaci and Kanat Dogramaci. This is Bulut
Dogramaci’s first producer credit and Kanat Dogramaci has produced such films as “We’ll Get
Back to You”, “Damat Takimi” and “Git Basimdan.”

Synopsis: “The only cure of being joblessness, unhappy and hopelessness is friendship, life is
beautiful together.”

Best Cinematography Nominee - We’ll Get Back to You

We'll Get Back to You

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 102 Minutes

Filmmaker: Doga Can Anafarta

Mehmet Başbaran was born in 1971 Kocaeli - Turkey. He spent his early education in Ankara
and completed high school in İzmir. In 1995 he graduated from Ankara University with a Radio-Cinema and Tv scholar.  The year he graduated, he started an intern in TRT and later that year became a cameraman in ODA PRODUCTION company. After 2004 he started working as Steadicam operator, technocrane operator, phantom operator and eventually as a cinematographer for film production and shooting commercials.

Synopsis: “The only cure of being joblessness, unhappy and hopelessness is friendship, life is
beautiful together.”

Best Feature Nominee - 1-2-3

1 - 2 - 3

Year: 2016 | Country: Philippines | Duration: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

Filmmaker: Carlos Obispo

Carlo Obispo took up Bachelor of Philosophy minor in Arts Communication at the
Saint Louis University where he also first developed his passion in directing and writing for
theater . After college, he attended film production workshops and started making short films.
His first short, ‘Esbat’ competed in Cinemanila 2008 edition. In 2011, he made another
short ‘123’ which explores child prostitution in the country. His feature debut “Purok 7”
(Cinemalaya Newbreed 2013) follows the lives of the children of an Overseas Filipino Worker
(OFW) who is facing death sentence in China. His second feature, 1-2- 3 was the opening film in
Cinemalaya 2016.

Best Editing Nominee - A Sniper's War

A Sniper's War

Year: 2018 | Country: Ukraine & Russia | Duration: 80 minutes

Filmmaker: Olya Schechter

Dmitriy Khavin is a video editor based in New York City. He's been editing
documentaries and programs for broadcast and digital for over fifteen years. His credits
include shows for HBO, PBS, Discovery, Vice and others.

Synopsis: “The story of a sniper whose anti-U.S. views lead him to join the pro-Russian rebels in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict- a primary source of political tension between the United States and Russia. When social media becomes a communication platform to schedule sniper duels, the film’s focus, Deki finds his life in jeopardy.”

Best Screenplay Nominee - Pickings

Pickings

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 95 Minutes

Filmmaker: Usher Morgan

Introduction: Usher is an award-winning screenwriter, film director, producer and studio
executive residing in New York City. Morgan started his career in book publishing and
later became involved with film production and distribution. He produced his first
documentary film The Thought Exchange starring David Friedman and Lucie Arnaz in
2012, followed by his directorial debut, the award-winning short film Prego. Morgan's
first feature narrative film, Pickings, will be released to theaters on March 2nd, 2018,
followed by the horror film short, Trapped Inside. Morgan's directing style is influenced
primarily by film-noir and spaghetti westerns.

Synopsis: “When a short-tempered mobster and his gang of thugs try to shake down a neighborhood bar, they’re soon confronted with the wrath of its owner - a mysterious southern mother with a dangerous past.”

Best Cinematography Nominee - Pickings

Pickings

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 95 Minutes

Filmmaker: Usher Morgan

Introduction: Known for his work as a cinematographer in the films “Anatomy of a
Breakup,” “A Farewell to Robot Arms,” “Make America Black Again,” and is now up for Best
Cinematography in “Pickings.”

Synopsis: “When a short-tempered mobster and his gang of thugs try to shake down a neighborhood bar, they’re soon confronted with the wrath of its owner - a mysterious southern mother with a dangerous past.”

Best Director Nominee - Good After Bad

Good After Bad

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 93 Minutes

Filmmaker: Anne-Marie Hess

Anne-Marie Hess was raised in Houston, Texas and has directed such films Good
After Bad and Speed of Light. Anne-Marie Hess is an alumnus of the New York University Film Program, and recently wrote and directed her directorial feature debut, GOOD AFTER BAD, which stars Billy Burke (TWILIGHT), Maddie Hasson (I SAW THE LIGHT), And Melora Walters
(MAGNOLIA), and is scheduled for release in 2018.  Hess is an accomplished film and television professional with over ten years of experience in the business, and has a background in
directing, editing, and writing. 
 
Her first short film, BEAUTIFUL DAY was a semi-finalist for a Student Academy Award.  Her
second short film, THE SPEED OF LIGHT, won awards at both the South By Southwest Film
Festival, and Hamptons International festival; and screened at Edinburgh International Film
Festival, Viennalle International Film Festival, and numerous others. Previously, Hess wrote the
TV movie Britney Ever After, for the Lifetime Network. Hess recently wrote for THE SON, a
one hour drama on AMC, starring Pierce Brosnan.

Synopsis: “The film follows the relationship between a bullied student, Shelly, whose home life
is in shambles, and a wealthy eccentric, Wes, with no friends and issues with women. Things
take a turn when Wes offers to become the teen’s guardian.

Best Animation Nominee - Nachthexen

Nachthexen

Year: 2017 | Country: Denmark | Duration: 8 Minutes, 12 Seconds

Filmmaker: Julie Herdichek Baltzer

Julie Herdichek Baltzer (1991) is an animator, production assistant and director from Copenhagen, Denmark. She is trained as a character animator at The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark but has interned as a production assistant at Pipangai, (FR). The past year she has been directing her bachelor film ‘Nachthexen’ as well as animated, story- developed and edited. In the future she would like to work on the production-side of features and series. And further along she would like to direct her own films and projects. She is also interested in editing and story-developing.

Synopsis: An elderly, soft-spoken veteran recalls when she joined the Soviet Air Force’s first all-female bombing squad. She reminisces about her friend Katja, and how they made the best of their antique equipment, struggled with being ostracized from their male comrades, and earned the fearful German nickname & 'Nachthexen'.

Best Short Nominee - Our Barrio

Our Barrio

Year: 2016 | Country: United States | Duration: 28 Minutes, 56 Seconds

Filmmaker: Ryan Casselman

Ryan Casselman is an up-and- coming filmmaker born in San Diego, California. Co-
founder of the production company, A Focus Group, he has a specific interest in character-
driven films. His films have screened across the country and have won and been nominated
for numerous awards including an Emmy nomination at the Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards
for his short, Con Boys." Recently, he directed his first SAG short film, Our Barrio; in which he also co-wrote and co-produced with Yvette Angulo. Our Barrio has been selected to screen at festivals such as Palm Springs International Film Festival, and has won the "Best
Frontera Short Film" Award at the 2017 San Diego
Latino Film Festival.

 

Synopsis: A young woman named Gabriela, is on the verge of adulthood as she lives with her family in a diverse neighborhood. Struggling with her own identity, Gabriela is forced to reckon with herself when her life comes to an abrupt halt.

Best Student Film Nominee - Night Call

Night Call

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 18 Minutes

Filmmaker: Amanda Renee Knox

Born on an Air Force Base in Spain, Amanda was raised in Texas, lived in New
York and recently graduated from Chapman University with an MFA in Directing.
Amanda’s work has won recognition and prizes at festivals all over the world
including two nominations for Best Director in Australia. The first project that
Amanda associate produced prior to graduate school, The Sea Is All I Know,
starring Academy Award winner, Melissa Leo was in consideration for a 2012
Academy Award. In her second year of graduate school, she was invited be a
shadowing director on Dick Wolf's, Chicago Med for two episodes and was
named a Marion Knott Scholar by Chapman University where she was mentored
by the filmmaker in residence, Rob Cohen. For her work on Night Call, Amanda
received a prestigious, joint grant from the Annenberg/ Caucus Foundation for
Producers, Writers and Directors. Night Call was also selected as 1 of 16 films
to participate as Semi-Finalist in the NBC Universal Short Film Competition. A
lover of action/suspense, Amanda's hope is to continue to generate films that
engage the audience both viscerally and intellectually.

Synopsis: When a Black female cop living in and patrolling Inglewood gets called to a disturbance on a routine patrol, she is forced to make an unprecedented life altering decision.

Best Documentary Nominee - Tribal Justice

Tribal Justice

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 87 minutes

Filmmaker: Anne Makepeace

Anne Makepeace has directed such films as “Tribal Justice” and “Rain in a Dry
Land”. She also produced and wrote “Tribal Justice”. She stated that The awesome judges
featured in Tribal Justice inspired her with their passion for justice, their long view of what it
takes to create change, and their dedication to saving their culture and their people, not to
mention their serious cool.  The two strong, indefatigable American Indian women, both chief
judges in their tribal courts, are forging innovative justice systems in order to keep their people
out of prison, prevent children from being taken from their communities, and stop the school-to-
prison pipeline that plagues their young people.  Their justice is personal, dedicated, harking
back to age-old traditions to help tribal members live in the modern world, and modeling
restorative justice in action.”

Synopsis: “Two formidable Native American women, both chief judges in their tribe’s courts,
strive to reduce incarceration rates and heal their people by restoring rather than punishing
offenders, modeling restorative justice in action.”

Best Actress Nominee - Megumi Kabe

Megumi Kabe

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 103 Minutes

Filmmaker: Carlos R. Valencia

Megumi Kabe is a director and actress best known for her works with “Best
Friends Forever,” “Revenge Flame Hayabusa,” and is now up for best actress in “The Chicken
Party.”ca.

Synopsis: “Two Japanese sisters come to Los Angeles for the first time, during their travels they
are invited to a Chicken Party, a place to make international friends. At first the party is nice and
fun, but by the end of the night in turns into a nightmare and the sisters must get out before they
are killed.”

Best Feature Nominee - Good After Bad

Good After Bad

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 93 Minutes

Filmmaker: Anne-Marie Hess

The producers of the film are Ra-Ana Gilani, Anne-Marie Hess, Matthew
Leutwyler, Ed McWilliams, and Morgan Spurlock.

Synopsis: “The film follows the relationship between a bullied student, Shelly, whose home life
is in shambles, and a wealthy eccentric, Wes, with no friends and issues with women. Things
take a turn when Wes offers to become the teen’s guardian.

Best Editing Nominee - We’ll Get Back to You

We'll Get Back to You

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 102 Minutes

Filmmaker: Vedat Ergin and  Doga Can Anafarta


Doğa Can Anafarta was born on the 15th of December 1987 in Ankara, Turkey.  While living abroad
as a child he began to watch movies as a tool for learning foreign language. In time this process
became the origin for his love of film and growed in to professional curiosity.  In 2004 began studying Cinema and Tv in Anadolu University. As an university student he made 4 amateur long features and many short films. In his sophomore year he transferred to Bilgi University in İstanbul and graduated in 2009. With his first professional movie ‘Mezuniyet’ which was released in 6th of
November 2009, he became the youngest Turkish director to ever release a theatrical film. Since
then he continued his work in production field, and worked as a Content Manager in a distribution
company for two years. He wrote and directed ‘Mihrez’ in 2015 and ‘Alamet-i Kıyamet’ in 2016. With his last movie ‘Biz Size Döneriz’ ; he went back to directing comedy-drama genre.