OIL CITY, Pa. – Twenty-two films from around the globe screened at the first annual Oil Valley Film Festival September 1 to September 3.
The festival comprised competitive sections for American and international narrative films, both feature-length and short, and a curated block of out-of-competition selections. Audience favorites in feature and short categories, as voted on by the attending audiences, received prizes separate from jury prizes.
Festival Director Matt Croyle was thrilled with the turnout.
“I’m happy to see such an interest in our area for something of this nature. We’re the first international film festival in the Oil Region, and I think that’s something special,” Croyle said.
“The quality of films we received, films from twelve different countries on five continents, was outstanding. We’re looking forward to next year, as we’re already receiving submissions.”
The Oil Valley Film Festival is presented by and in partnership with Videomaker Magazine, Writers Store, MaddyG TV, Oil City Library, Oil City Civic Center, and Bridge Builders Community Foundations.
“A special thanks is given to Arts Oil City, the Oil City Main Street Program, and the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce,” stated Croyle in the release.
The following juried winners were announced on day three of the festival:
Outstanding Screenwriting — Screenwriting Competition:
– Feature: ‘Arvin Lindemeyer Takes Canarsie’ by D. Ferrara
– Short: ‘Deadhorse Lick’ by Charles Hall
Best Picture:
– Feature: ‘Figurine’ — Dir. Hans Olson
– Short: ‘ Mayfield’ — Dir. Zach Daulton
Best Director:
– Feature: ‘ Figurine’ — Dir. Hans Olson
– Short: ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ — Dir. Nadia Shmeleva
Best Actor:
– Feature: ‘Figureine’ — Kelly Goetz
– Short: ‘Mayfield’ — John Adrian Riley
Best Supporting Actor:
– Feature: ‘Exit Thread’ — Hilary Connell
– Short: ‘A Box Came To Brooklyn’ — Jack Haley
Outstanding Cinematography:
– Feature: ‘Figurine’ — Mike McLaughlin
– Short: ‘Thornbird’ — Anthony Watkins
Best Editing:
– Feature: ‘Escapes’ — Manuel Aranda, Jose Arriaga, Juan Fernandez, Nerea Muguerza
– Short: ‘Vessel’ — B.A. Lewandowski
Audience Choice Award for Best Picture:
– Feature: ‘A Better Place’ — Dir. Vincent Pereira
– Short: ‘Mayfield’ — Dir. Zach Daulton
The 2017 Oil Valley Film Festival will run August 31 to September 2.
