Welcome to the 2018 MPAC Film Fest! A premiere platform showcasing select short media content from emerging and established independent storytellers with unique voices and innovative visions. Taking place October 11-13, 2018, the Bi-Annual MPAC Film Festival presents compelling new independent films.
The Festival fosters valuable alliances and working relationships between independent artists and the film industry. Principal line-up includes:
- Opening Ceremony
- Artist Lounge Opens
- Special Screening of UMC's 5th Ward - Episode I with Director Talk Back with Greg Carter and Alfred Cervantes
- Kickoff Party with live DJ in Artist Lounge
Speaker Series: "Intersections of Entertainment and Activism", "Social Media Storytelling: The Fast & Fury of Cell Phone Filming", "From Artist to Activist: How to Use Your Platform for Social Change"
Interactive Panels: "Women and Artists of Color: Redefining Ourselves in Front of and Behind the Camera", "Lights, Camera, Action: Being a Media Mogul - Business, Economic, and Wealth Creation", "Catalyze Film Culture: The Social Media Influencer"
- Short Film Screenings with Filmmaker and Director Talk Back
- SPEAK! Monologue Competition
- Vendors Row: There is something for everybody
- Closing Awards Presentation
∆ REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BY ALL FOR ENTRY: Passes not guaranteed to be sold onsite. Please purchase online. Don’t delay. Use code FLASH30 for 30% off and register today! ∆
• Free registration bags to the first 100 early registrants!
• Capacity is limited, please arrive early for seating for all activities.
• Tickets for non-UHD college students with valid 2018 ID priced at $50 for all 3 day access (Use code COLLEGE50).
The MPAC Film Festival is produced by Mack Performing Arts Collective (MPAC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization dedicated to "Cultivating the Interest of Performing Arts by Exposing, Educating and Entertaining.” MPAC prides itself on procuring Hollywood celebrities and leading industry experts to give back to the next generation of talent by teaching education workshops, participating in panel discussions and networking events through our education program, benefiting the youth and young adults, aspiring and veteran talent of performing and visual arts primarily in the areas of acting, theater, TV/film/radio, comedy, music and writing.
The Festival has nine (9) competitive categories and three (3) special recognition awards:
- Best Dramatic Short
- Best Comedic Short
- Best Family Film
- Best Foreign Language Short
- Best Suspense/Thriller/Horror
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Student Short
- Best Director
- Best in Fest
- MPAC First-time Filmmaker Recognition
- MPAC Local Young Filmmaker Spotlight (Filmmakers under 17)
- MPAC Activism Award (Film themes tackling Race Relations/Social Awareness)
∆ All Winners will be listed on MPAC-Arts.org special recognition page, as well as receive an email notification of winning status change, a printable digital certificate, and a MPAC Award-winning Laurel within two (2) weeks of the Closing Awards Ceremony. Additionally, winners will receive a Certificate of Recognition from the office of State Representative Shawn Thierry. (International) Winners, please allow 8 to (10) weeks to receive.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD WINNERS
** MPAC ACTIVISM AWARD (Social Awareness): DANIEL MONTOYA for the Documentary ‘him’ (TX)
** FIRST-TIME FILMMAKER AWARD: FOROUZAN JALAIL for GLOOMY GREEN (Iran)
** YOUNG FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT: MICHAEL MYLES HAYES, nine (9) year old Writer and Director of BEAST FACTOR (TX)
2018 MPAC FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS
BEST STUDENT SHORT
** SNACK LIST by Alyce Rogers (FL)
BEST STUDENT SHORT (Honorable Mention)
** BEAST FACTOR by Michael Myles Hayes (TX)
BEST FAMILY FILM
** CONNECTED by Christopher Satola (CA)
BEST FAMILY FILM (Honorable Mention)
** THE RING by Brandon Curless, Eric Jones, and Lea Jones (TX)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
** FIFO by Sacha Ferbus (Belgium)
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
** ‘him’ by Daniel Montoya (TX)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
** THE SALVATION by Christopher Satola (CA)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (Honorable Mention)
** THAT SMELL by Kyle Lavore (NY)
BEST COMEDIC SHORT – ROMANTIC COMEDY
** MIXED SIGNALS by Tracie Laymon (TX)
BEST COMEDIC SHORT – DARK COMEDY
** WHITE PICKETT FENCE by Jacqueline King-Howell (TX)
BEST SUSPENSE/THRILLER
** DAVID by LaKisha Lemons (TX)
BEST SUSPENSE/THRILLER (Honorable Mention)
** MUGARTHIRAI (MASK) by Harish Gokul (India)
BEST DRAMATIC SHORT
** TAPFERKEIT by Joseph (Tim) Quinn (UT)
BEST DRAMATIC SHORT (Honorable Mention)
** A SHORT STORY ABOUT LOVE by Christopher Satola (CA)
BEST DIRECTOR
** LAKISHA LEMONS for the Suspense/Thriller DAVID (TX)
BEST DIRECTOR (Honorable Mention)
** DANIEL MONTOYA for the Documentary ‘him’ (TX)
And, with unanimous recommendations from 11 judges and 8 AWARD WORTHY nominations, the MPAC Film Festival Award for BEST IN FEST goes to... DAVID by LaKISHA LEMONS!!
Award-winning laurels link: https://filmfreeway.com/laurels/43709/MPACFilmFest