The winner of the 2nd annual Memphis Film Prize (www.memphisfilmprize.com) was announced at a sold out awards ceremony held on Sunday, August 6th. The Film Prize’s top award of $10,000 cash – judged by a mixture of audience and celebrity judges – went to WE GO ON directed by Matteo Servente. In addition to the Memphis Grand Prize of $10,000, the top three films are automatically selected to screen at the Indie Memphis Film Festival in November 1-6. (indiememphis.com).

Matteo Servente shows us what the Film Prize looks like up close and personal.

Matteo Servente shows us what the Film Prize looks like up close and personal.

“This year’s Film Prize films were amazing, so Matteo and the cast and crew of WE GO ON should be incredibly proud to have won our $10,000 prize,” said Gregory Kallenberg, founder and executive director of the Film Prize Foundation. “The Memphis Film Prize has, once again, shown that Memphis is an upcoming indie film capital. We couldn’t be prouder of Matteo and of this city for helping to make this event so successful.”

The Memphis Film Prize (MemphisFilmPrize.com), which combines elements of a film contest and festival, invites filmmakers from all over the world to create and present a 5-15 minute short film with just one rule – it must be shot in Shelby County, TN.

WE GO ON

WE GO ON

“I feel very excited. There were so many other great films, and so I’m very happy that the audience and jurors picked WE GO ON. I want to share this incredible win with my cast, crew, and everybody involved and supported us.” said Matteo Servente, Grand Prize winner of the 2017 Memphis Film Prize.

No way that thing fits into the ATM slot. (Matteo Servente, director of WE GO ON)

No way that thing fits into the ATM slot. (Matteo Servente, director of WE GO ON)

Filmmakers shot their films beginning in February and submitted them in June, when a rough cut of the films were due to contest organizers. From the eligible submissions, ten filmmakers were chosen to participate in the Memphis Film Prize Festival and, through a jury vote and a public vote, competed for a $10,000 cash prize. This year, the rapidly growing event saw more than 700 audience members attend the film festival and participate in the contest, far surpassing last year’s total of 600.

FAVORITES

FAVORITES

The additional Memphis Film Prize films that will play at Indie Memphis will be FAVORITES (directed by Tracy Facelli) and THE GAME (directed by Robb Rokk).

THE GAME

THE GAME

WE GO ON, FAVORITES, and Will Robbins’s DRIVEN were each invited to screen at the inaugural In The Loop Film Festival (October 6-8) in Sharonville/Cincinnati, OH.

DRIVEN

DRIVEN

Visit  MemphisFilmPrize.com  to learn more about the Memphis Film Prize.