Annual Christian Speed-Filmmaking Contest Announces '09 Winners

By Aaron J. Leichman, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, April 09, 2009

The winners of this year's premier Christian speed-filmmaking competition have been announced.

And the big winner was "Up In The Air," a film about a retired naval pilot taken aback by his long-absent wife's sudden return and whether he and his daughters should let her back onboard their family.

The film won six awards at this year's 168 Film Fest including Best Film, Scriptural Integration, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Editor and Sound Design.

"The power of the verses in the 168 shorts Wes has made over the years comes through every time," commented 168 founder and executive director John David Ware regarding the writer and director of "Up In The Air," two-time 168 Best Film winner Wes Llewellyn.

"You put someone like Wes with a DP like Brandon [Lippard] and a cast and crew like theirs and you're just gonna get magic, as we can see from 'Up In The Air,'" he added.

Since 2003, Christian film producers from the least experienced to the more experienced have been entering the annual 168 Film Project, which challenges Christian filmmakers from around the world to see if they can create their own movie masterpiece in 168 hours – or one week – based on a Bible verse drawn at random.

Over the past six years, 168 has produced more than 300 short films, some of which have gone on to win awards, such as Jim O'Keeffe's 168 Project "Max," which won an International Cinematographer's Guild Award in 2004, and more than a few of which are under consideration for TV and feature length development.

168 projects have also been screened at dozens of festivals including Cannes Short Film Corner, Newport Film Festival, and Moondance.

"'168' identifies and champions filmmakers of faith, who get the job done with excellence, on time, and on budget," noted Ware.

About 700 cast and crew participate every year on locations all over the world, including the United States, Canada, England, Spain, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Siberia, New Zealand, China and Taiwan.

As announced Tuesday, the 2009 festival award winners are as follows:

BEST SCRIPTURAL INTEGRATION
"UP IN THE AIR"
WES LLWELLYN

BEST FILM
"UP IN THE AIR"
CHRIS ROBETS
DOUG FOLSOM
WES LLWELYN

BEST COMEDY
"LOVE IS GOOD"
THEO LOVE

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
"UNSCRIPTED"
JONATHAN BROWN
JACKIE SHEPPARD
LUKE WALTON

BEST UNLIMITED DOCUMENTARY
"WHEELCHAIR ANGEL"
DON MAYNARD

BEST DIRECTOR
"SAVING LEVI"
RANDY ARGUE

BEST ACTOR
"STILL BORN"
TODD TERRY

BEST ACTRESS
"STILL BORN"
LIZ CARDENAS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
"UP IN THE AIR"
LONNIE COLON

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
"UNSCRIPTED"
RACHEL WILCOK

BEST SCREENPLAY - DRAMA
"UNSCRIPTED"
NIGEL FORDE