3-D SPACE, Stereo Sisters, and the LA 3-D Club are pleased to announce the winners of The 12th Annual LA 3-D Movie Festival. The festival’s mission is to showcase the best independent stereoscopic 3-D filmmaking from around the world. This year’s fest took place on Dec 12th-13th, 2015 at the Downtown Independent theater in Los Angeles. The festival featured over 30 independent 3-D short films, 14 student produced films, 5 stereoscopic feature motion pictures, including the world theatrical premiere of the 3-D Film Archive’s digital restoration of 1954 war drama DRAGONFLY SQUADRON, an Emerging Technologies and Virtual Reality showcase, and the 56th Hollywood International Exhibition of Stereoscopic Photography.
Awards were announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, Dec 13th, by LA 3-D Movie Festival director and 3-D SPACE executive director Eric Kurland, Stereo Sisters founder Shannon Benna, and LA 3-D Club president Shyam Kannapurakkaran. Top films were selected by audience ballot and by special jury. Award winners were presented with the traditional Ro-Man trophy of the LA 3-D Movie Festival, Stereo Sisters’ Golden Mirror Trophy and an assortment of valuable prizes from festival sponsors Sony Creative Software and the London Stereoscopic Company.
The Best 3-D Feature Award winner was IM KRIEG (INSIDE THE WAR) written and directed by Nikolai Vialkowitsch. This German production utilized a treasure trove of over 20,000 photographs taken during WWI and unpublished for decades, to provide the basis for this historical documentary which brings to the screen for the first time ever these 3-D pictures. These striking images are merged with quotes taken from diaries and letters telling of love and hate, brutal killing and deep friendship.
The Best 3-D Short Award went to Carta de la Muerte a Frida (A Letter For Frida From Death), directed by Ana Leticia Reyes and co-directed by Diego Sandoval Espinoza. This short film from Mexico is an illustrated poem that evokes the relationship of Death in the life of Frida Kahlo, the well-known Mexican artist (1907-1954) who lived a very dramatic life because of an accident she suffered in her youth. Death was always present in her thoughts and paintings, and this film illustrates the Mexican traditions she passionately embraced.
VALOR CAT by Ben Reicher was the recipient of this year’s Ray Zone Award for Excellence in 3-DIY. Named for festival co-founder Ray “3-D” Zone, who passed away in 2012, the award celebrates what Zone described as “fiercely independent do-it-yourself 3-D filmmaking.” VALOR CAT is a seven and a half minute superhero musical/opera/comedy. Reicher is an animation student at the California Institute of The Arts, and is responsible for all visuals in the film. He also wrote the screenplay and lyrics, constructed all CGI sets and characters, and performs the voice of the main character.
The Stereo Sisters Golden Mirror Awards for Excellence in Student 3-D were awarded to a stereo pair of students from University of Texas Austin’s UT3D program. Brenda Szwejbka’s fantastical music video LA DOULEUR EXQUISE explores the topic of unrequited love as experienced by a melancholy rabbit enamoured with a handsome fox. Set against a surreal backdrop comprised of everyday landscapes, but enhanced by abstracted perspectives, this delightful video features music also expertly written and performed by the filmmaker. Issac Cardenas’s A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE utilizes 1st person POV, single take perspective to place audience members into the filmmaker’s childhood environment. As we explore the private world of a child’s backyard, we share memories of his deceased father, now played out as black and white ghosts punctuating an otherwise colorful and eclectic, although abandoned, workshop. Selected from a field of over a dozen entries by a jury of 3-D educators, these two pieces demonstrated superlative use of 3-D by enhancing the story through adding depth, and executing stereoscopic principles with technical precision & artistic merit.
The LA 3-D Club in association with Unofficial Cardboard hosted an evening of virtual reality demos at the 12th Annual LA 3-D Movie Festival, featuring work from established studios and students. The presenters were Greg Katano from Unofficial Cardboard, Scott Conolly from The Astronauts Guild, Jonathan Yomayuza from Emblematic Group, Kevin Mack and Snow Mack from Shape Space VR, John Dewar from Studio Transcendent, Steve Berezin from Berezin Stereo Photography Products and Cameron Feather and Dainius Bukauskas from CalARTS. The presenters shared their inspiration and processes in the creation of the bodies of work they exhibited. The semi formal gathering gave attendees and presenters a chance to share information and get inspired for future projects.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS:
3-D SPACE: The Center For Stereoscopic Photography, Art, Cinema, and Education is a Los Angeles based 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of the history of stereoscopic imaging and the advancement of current and future 3-D arts and sciences. 3-D SPACE has implemented an ongoing program of public presentations, classes and workshops in stereoscopic 3-D content creation, from 3-D photography and filmmaking to immersive virtual reality. www.3-DSPACE.org
The LA 3-D Club was established in the Greater Los Angeles area in 1955 by a dedicated group of 3-D stereo photographers to further the art and science of stereoscopic photography. For six decades members have been meeting monthly to share images created through stereoscopic photography, computer generated imagery, and film and video. For more info, visit www.LA3DClub.com
Stereo Sisters is a point of convergence for Women who work, live & love in 3D! Our focus is synergy among Women in 3D via mentorship, education & community. We are directors, stereographers, editors, producers, writers, photographers, and artists – and we welcome all women who have a passion for exploring this new dimension of entertainment! www.StereoSisters.com
ABOUT THE VENUE
The Downtown Independent Theater is downtown Los Angeles’ premiere venue for screening independent film and video. The modern facility features 236 Stadium style seats including 16 reclining sofa seats, digital and 35mm projection, and a lobby art gallery. For more info, visit www.downtownindependent.com