Festivals, awards, and production updates from Wine Dog Pictures, LLC
We're putting off shopping for Thanksgiving dinner to make flight plans to return to Los Angeles to escort our dramatic short "If Not Now" to its second LA festival -- the 2015 Woman Up Film Festival.
"This is a little overwhelming," said director Lori Kay Allred. "This was my first time directing a narrative film, and I was just trying to tell a very personal story since I've been touched by a parent dealing with dementia. I'm really honored that this film has touched so many people."
Well our hard work and hustle in Croatia seems to have paid off. The judges from Denver's 48 Hour Film Project awarded our film "The Decision" the "Best Editing" prize as well as a nomination for "Best of Denver" and an Honorable Mention for "Audience Favorite."
"This is very rewarding," said producer Scott Takeda. "The competition was especially strong this year, so I'm excited with the results. Now we begin reshoots and re-edits."
In August, our filmmakers spent additional days in Croatia shooting new scenes for the film. This fall, we will also be bringing back actor Kristen Rakes to reshoot some of the scenes we had originally shot in Albuquerque. We've begun scouting locations while working on tweaks to the longer script.
"We really feel like we have something special here," said screenwriter/director Lori Kay Allred. "This is a very personal story to me and our lead actor Leslee Crisman, and we don't want our film to be constrained to the time limits and required elements of the 48 Hour Film Project. So we'll be working throughout the fall and into the winter to make the changes we feel will tell the story we want to tell."
Our latest short film "If Not Now" , directed by Lori Kay Allred, has been selected to screen internationally this month in Malta as part of their film festival. Because our film tells the story of a family dealing with dementia, the festival programmers will be holding seminars on aging and Alzheimer’s to coincide with our screening.
“You have told such a powerful and moving story,” said Mary Rose Meli of the Malta Festival. “One of the most prominent psychiatrists in Malta who was formerly a university professor in Canada will be leading the workshop. We are very excited and looking forward to this event.”
"This is why we do what we do," said producer Scott Takeda. "Although it's nice to know that our film is playing internationally, it's far more important to me that our stories are impacting the lives of people."
The 3rd Annual China Women’s Film Festival has selected ‘If Not Now’ to compete in its short film competition in Beijing, China in late November 2015. This festival’s mission is to support women filmmakers in China and around the world.
Also, our film has won Best Dramatic Film from the Cinevana Istanbul Film Festival in Turkey.
"Our film started out with such humble beginnings," said producer Scott Takeda. "We wanted to tell a simple story about a family dealing with dementia because our director Lori Kay Allred’s mother had it. And now, this film is going to be showing in China and has won in Istanbul."
Director Lori Kay Allred and producer Scott Takeda walk the red carpet with actor Catherine McGuire at the closing ceremonies of the SENE Film Festival at the Columbus Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island. (April 2015)
This month, our dramatic short film "If Not Now" began its festival run at the 8th Annual SENE Film Festival in Providence, Rhode Island.
(Second from left) "If Not Now" actor Catherine McGuire and director Lori Kay Allred answer questions in the filmmaker Q&A after the Friday evening screening at Columbus Theater in Providence, Rhode Island. (April 2015)
"This is my first film festival so I had no idea what to expect," said director Lori Kay Allred. "However all of my director colleagues strongly suggested this festival because its programmers were very selective, so I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of terrific films and meeting the filmmakers."
"I was happy because we came home with a nomination," said producer Scott Takeda. "SENE Film Festival jurors recognized the beautiful cinematography of Dave Klein."
