Buffalo Rising Online

Mar 31st, 2:59pm By Joseph DiDomizio

The 2nd Annual Buffalo Niagara Film Festival closed out, Saturday night in the Adam’s Mark Hotel Grand Ballroom. After screening over 80 films, hosting numerous events, panels and performances, Bill Cowell and the Festival Committee were joined by filmmakers, photographers, and friends to celebrate the success of the 2008 festival.

It is commonly held that if a festival can make it into a third year, it is an overall success. The progress made between the first and second annual BNFF was astounding. More participation came from not only the business community, but the filmmaking community at large, in and out of Buffalo. Having the good fortune to be at both years’ events I was excited by the heights the festival jumped to so quickly, and if the festival keeps growing at this rate, they will make it to the third year, and beyond. The excitement stemmed from seeing a community come together, from disparate parts of the Western New York Area, and produce a festival that shared stories, brought together contacts and highlighted the region to a number of people that would have passed it by—including some people living in the area. The festival’s success is an excellent sign for the region, as an acknowledgment of the viable resources and opportunities that can be created for the city, through dedication, a community’s belief in itself, and most importantly: its future.

I am told that after only a few weeks off, planning for that all-important 3rd year will begin as early as this May, a reminder for everyone wondering about the future of the festival, and of the region, that there’s no time like the present to prepare for the future.

Take a look below for the list of winners from Saturday night, and visit buffaloniagarafilmfestival.com for additional information on the festival. Photos, throughout the festival, are courtesy of Brian Grinham.

2008 BNFF Winners
GENRE AWARDS
1. Best Drama – to Randall Sharp – for Henry May Long
2. Best Thriller – to Max Carlson – for Dissociative
3. Best Docu-Drama – to John Paget – for Alcatraz Reunion
4. Best Action/Adventure – to Benjamin Busch – for Sympathetic Details
5. Best Comedy – to Garret Harkawik – for Deus Ex Americana
6. Best Original Concept – to Will Tully – for Epicac
7. Most Honorable Mention – to Zheng Wang – for My Eating Team has a Paddling Problem
8. Audience Award – to Denny Todesco – for The Wrecking Crew

GRAND JURY AWARDS
1. Best Music Video – to Stephan Galfas – for The Enlightened Time
2. Best Student Film – to Yanwenjun Liu – for Yoyo
3. Best Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror – to Jerald Fine – for The Predator’s Return
4. Best Animation – to Peter Ricq – for Glitch
5. Best Short Film – to Will Tully – for Epicac
6. Best Screenplay – to Elise Stempky – for From Point A to Point B
7. Best Screenplay by a Pro – to Michael Salort – for Raising the Dead
8. Best Documnetary – to Rich Newberg – for Lost Childhood; The Story of the Birkenau Boys
9. The American Falls Award for Best WNY Film – to Sally Heckel – for Unspeakable
10. The Canadian Falls Award for Best Canadian Film – to Alan Powell – for Across the Hall
11. Most Promising Cinematographer – to Matt Tomko – for Imogen
12. Most Promising Director – to Max Carlson – for Dissociative
13. Best Feature Film – to Toshi Shioya – for Winds From Zero