Lion Ark wins in Sedona
Lion Ark won more hearts and accolades at the Sedona International Film Festival in Arizona scooping Audience Choice Best Environmental Film – the third time a festival audience has voted Lion Ark best film.
Set amongst the stunning red rocks, the Sedona International Film Festival – slogan “where movies rock” – boasted a spectacular and packed selection of films and the star-studded event boasted appearances from amongst Susan Sarandon, Stephanie Powers, Mariel Hemmingway, and Ed Asner. Staged over nine days the festival showcased over 160 films, had media events and gala parties, and was attended by over 10,000 moviegoers.
Lion Ark was appropriately featured in a section “Movies into Motivation” sponsored by the Sedona Community Foundation.
Not only was it a glittering event with glamorous celebrities but Lion Ark enjoyed two sell out screenings and had another added after winning audience choice Best Environmental Film, each followed by a standing ovation for the film as Tim Phillips (Director) and Jan Creamer (Producer) took the stage for a post screening Q&A session.
As is becoming the norm for Lion Ark there were so many questions that each Q&A session had to be wound up by the festival organizers and questions continued outside the theater.
We had contacted the festival concerned that Lion Ark was screening at 9am on a Saturday morning. “Don’t worry, it’ll be packed” they replied and were right with queues forming at 8:30am and Lion Ark again screening to a full house. This was a festival that knew it’s audience!
At each screening Lion Ark appeared with the short animation film “Grounded” by Monica Stefanelli, a delightful film based around the fact that elephants are the only mammal that cannot jump. It proved a winning combination with audiences, with both films winning audience votes. Grounded took Audience Choice Best Animation.
http://www.monicastefanelli.com/grounded—short-film.html
A huge “thank you” to everyone involved in the Sedona International Film Festival, especially Patrick Schweiss, Executive Director, and Connie Levinson, Documentary Programmer, and of course everyone who came to see Lion Ark, cheered on the lions and were on their feet applauding as the credits rolled!
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- Sedona, Arizona, home of the Sedona International Film Festival
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- Lion Ark screened with “Grounded,” directed by Monical Stefanelli (winner of the Audience Choice Award for Animated Film)
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- Jan & Tim on stage before the first Lion Ark screening
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- Jan & Tim introduce Lion Ark
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- Jan & Tim on stage, taking questions at the first Sedona Q&A session
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- Jan & Tim with Oda Lomax (center), Lion Ark Contributor Producer
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- The Red Rocks in Sedona
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- Jan working in Sedona’s Filmmaker Lounge
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- Press in Sedona. There were several celebrity appearances, including Susan Sarandon, Stephanie Powers, Mariel Hemmingway & Ed Asner
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- Evening party after another exciting day of screenings. Many visitors said this was Sedona’s best year yet
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- Another full house, for Lion Ark’s second screening
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- Tim answers audience questions during the second Lion Ark Q&A session
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- Wideshot of Lion Ark’s second Q&A session
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- Jan takes audience questions
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- Jan at the Lion Ark stand
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- Sedona fauna – local Sedona wildlife
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- Another evening of glamourous showbiz events
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- A good omen! A lion statue outside the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, where Lion Ark screened
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- Dottie Webster, SIFF Board of Directors
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- Sedona International Film Festival poster, with pictures of the many stars who attended
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- Tim Phillips, ADI supporter Aurora Owens, and Jan Creamer proudly display a Lion Ark poster
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- Javelina statues in Sedona
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- Jan Creamer with Cynthia Stearn, the screener who chose Lion Ark for SIFF
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- Sedona flora
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- Jan & Tim pickup Lion Ark’s Audience Choice Award for Best Environmental Film, joined by Sedona’s Mayor Rob Adams and the SIFF team
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- Tim Phillips receives Lion Ark’s Audience Choice Award for Best Environmental Film
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- Jan Creamer receives Lion Ark’s Audience Choice Award for Best Environmental Film
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- From left to right: Monica Stefanelli, Director of “Grounded,” Tim Phillips, and Jan Creamer
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- From left to right: Tim Phillips, Connie Levinson (Documentary Program Director), Patrick Schweiss (Executive Director), and Jan Creamer
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- William Riead, Director of “The Letters,” winner of Audience Choice Best of Fest Award
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- Sunset in Sedona
The Sedona International Film Festival Awards in full
AUDIENCE CHOICE
Best of Fest (top festival award): The Letters
Best Feature Comedy: Le Chef
Best Feature Drama: Wish You Well
Best Foreign Film: The Broken Circle Breakdown
Animated Film: Grounded
Student Short: Into the Silent Sea
Short Film (3-way tie): Match Made, Young Americans and Mirage at Zabul Province
Environmental: Lion Ark
Documentary Short: Waiting for Mamu
Documentary (tie): Burzinski: Cancer is Serious Business, Part II
and Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory
JURY AWARDS
Best Animated Film: Blue
Best Short Film: Adonis
Best Student Short Film: Into the Silent Sea
Best Documentary Feature (tie): Life According to Sam and Toxic Hot Seat
Best Short Documentary: Ice
Best Environmental Film: Bringing It Home
Best Foreign Film: The Broken Circle Breakdown
Best Feature DRAMA: The Rocket
Best Feature COMEDY: Girl on a Bicycle
Best Humanitarian Film (narrative): The Rocket
Best Humanitarian Film (documentary): Waiting for Mamu
Best Independent Spirit: The Activist
Best Independent Spirit: 3 Mile Limit
Best Independent Spirit: Mad Ship
Best Independent Spirit: Bridegroom
Best Independent Spirit: For the Birds
Bill Muller Excellence in Screenwriting Award: Short Term 12
Activism Award: The Joe Show
American Spirit Award: The Only Real Game
World Cinema Award: We Will Make It Right
SPECIAL FESTIVAL AWARDS:
Marion Herrman Excellence in Filmmaking: Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory
Heart of the Festival Award: David and Alice Goodhart
Lifetime Achievement: Susan Sarandon
Lifetime Achievement: Shirley Knight
Lifetime Achievement: Stefanie Powers
Humanitarian Award: Pushpa Basnet
Person of Influence Award: Mariel Hemingway
Screenwriting Excellence: Jeremy Leven
