Festival News And Updates (Spring 2020)

Things may be shut down because of COVID, however we’ve started having an avalanche of film festivals announcing our films are official selections. Our old favorite Milledgeville-Eatonton Film Festival has chosen two of our films to be early selections of their late fall festival.

“We’re excited to announce that ‘Something In Common’ and ‘Remembering Us’ will both make their east coast premieres at ME Festival in November,” said Wine Dog director Lori Kay Allred. “ME Festival sits in the heart of the ‘Hollywood of The South,’ always attracting the best filmmakers. Both Scott and I have been part of it since 2015, and we’re excited to go back in early November if conditions are right. We’ll have more news as we get closer.”

The 40th Annual Breckenridge Film Festival has also released early selections, and we’re thrilled that “Something In Common” has made the cut. This 1-minute film about an unlikely connection between a dog and a girl will screen in mid September. Breck Film was recently named a Top-15 film festival by USA Today.

Still grab of the “Danger Force” quarantine special guest starring Mike Ostroski (courtesy of Nickelodeon)

In other updates, long-time Wine Dog Pictures actor Mike Ostroski was in this week’s Variety for guest starring in Nickelodeon’s quarantine special for “Danger Force.” Ostroski plays the long-time recurring character Dr. Minyak. Click HERE for the article.

Another Wine Dog actor Dani Payne recently wrapped up a two episode recurring costar arc on AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” Way to go Dani!

This spring, Payne and actor Danielle Fisher-Johnson can be both found on CBS All Access’ “Interrogation.” Payne plays Jill in episode 7; and Fisher-Johnson plays Attorney Kathy Harding in episode 8.

Finally huge kudos to Wine Dog collaborator Brian De Herrera-Schnering of PInto Pictures for doing the post production on the award winning social-responsibility campaign #TheCureIsUs. Click HERE for details.

"Something in Common" Screens Before Thousands in Durango

“Something In Common” lead “actor” Pinot Allred enjoying the sites of the 2020 Durango International Film Festival (March 2020)

This week, Wine Dog Pictures attended the 15th Annual Durango Independent Film Festival for “Something In Common.” The entire cast also attended for the red carpet and the filmmaker Q&A, including our dog-in-a-wheelchair star of the film, Pinot Allred.

“We are so excited to kick off the year like this,” said director Lori Kay Allred. “Last week, we premiered in Omaha, and now we’re in Durango. I’m so grateful to programming director Cornelius Hurley and his staff for giving us so many screenings throughout the week. Our film is about hope, so I’m glad we can be sharing this story before thousands of people.”

Wine Dog director Lori Kay Allred on the Durango Film Festival carpet with lead actors Megan Nichols, Sarah Irwin-Powell, and Leslie Nichols. (March 2020)

“Something In Common” screened twice during the five-day festival. It also had four additional screenings for school kids during the festival’s REEL Learning School Program, which shows educational and creative family films to more than 1,600 students and teachers in the Ignacio and Durango School Districts.

Allred, Pinot, and actors Sarah Irwin-Powell, Megan Nichols and Leslie Nichols fielded questions from a very enthusiastic audience of school kids. Not surprisingly, Megan (who is in a wheelchair) and Pinot (who is also in a wheelchair) got most of the questions.

Wine Dog director Lori Kay Allred and actual wine dog Pinot Allred answer questions during a filmmaker Q&A at the Durango International Film Festival. (March 2020)

"Something In Common" To Premiere at Omaha Film Festival

Next week, Wine Dog Pictures will premiere their short film “Something In Common” at the 15th Annual Omaha Film Festival.

“We’re so excited to premiere at a festival of this caliber,” said producer Scott Takeda. “This is a film that is very close to director Lori Kay Allred. It tells the story of hope, which we feel is very important these days.”

Family of actress Sarah Irwin-Powell walk the carpet of the 2020 Omaha Film Festival

Takeda plans to represent Wine Dog Pictures in Omaha along with the family of lead actor Sarah Irwin-Powell.

Named one of the top 25 film festivals by Moviemaker magazine, Omaha Film Festival’s 2020 version will spotlight more than 90 films from around the world including “A Short History of The Long Road” which premiered at Tribeca and “Dream Horse” which premiered at Sundance 2020.

"Remembering Us" Named Finalist for New York Festivals

The New York Festivals just announced that our film “Remembering Us” is a Finalist in their International Film and Television competition. It joins a list of other Finalists from HBO, The Walt Disney Company, BBC, AMC and Sony Music Entertainment.

“This is HUGE; a total game-changer,” said Wine Dog director Lori Kay Allred. “We are so incredibly honored to be included in this group of this extremely talented storytellers. ‘Fleabag’ is a also a finalist, and it just won two Golden Globe Awards on top of multiple Emmys. Wow!”

“New York Festivals is a different kind of competition,” said Scott Takeda of Wine Dog Pictures. “Unlike a typical film festival, New York Festivals entries are held to an elite standard set by a Grand Jury of 200 prominent storytellers from international film and broadcasting companies. Also, all forms of entertainment compete. For example, two years ago, the Ron Howard-directed television series “Genius” starring an all-star cast led by Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson won the Grand Prize for scripted projects.”

All Finalists will go through a medal round of judging before the WorldMedal winners are announced at the 2020 NAB Conference later this Spring. The Finalists come from film and production companies based in more than 50 countries.

Allred Celebrates with Food Network Challenge

Lori Allred of Wine Dog Pictures watches the Season 14 finale of “Food Network Challenge” with celebrity chef Keegan Gerhard. (January 2020)

Last night, Lori Allred of Wine Dog Pictures attended the official Season 14 wrap party for Food Network Challenge. She was the story producer for two of the six episodes produced by High Noon Entertainment of Denver, Colorado.

“It was so much fun seeing the team again,” said Allred. “I especially loved chatting with our long-time celebrity chef Keegan Gerhard. Every episode, he is so supportive and encouraging of the competing chefs on the show.  He really wants every one of them to succeed.”

Food Network brought back Challenge after an eight year hiatus. Allred has been with the series since the fourth season, initially as a segment producer.

Food Network Challenge host Ian Ziering with judges Claudia Sandoval, Keegan Gerhard, and Matt Adlard. (Courtesy of Food Network, 2020)

This season, Gerhard was joined by celebrity chefs Matt Adlard and Claudia Sandoval. Together they decided who won each episode and received the $10-thousand prize. Also new this season, “Beverly Hills 90210” star Ian Ziering hosted the show.

The wrap party was held at Gerhard’s D Bar Restaurant.