TERROR FILM FESTIVAL CLAW AWARDS 2011
You know the saying, "The Show must go on", and that it did. The Claw Awards hosted by the inimitable "Claw" and the beautiful, illustrious "Princess Horror", commenced perfectly, despite an unusual Halloween Nor'easter. In mathematical terms, 6 is a perfect number, and the 6th annual Claw Awards was perfect.
Terror Film Festival is proud to announce the 2011 winners in the following categories.
Best Feature: "The Fields" a psychological thriller written by Harrison Smith, directed by
Tom Mattera and David Mazzoni, produced by Faust Checho and George Englund, Jr. Based on true events that took place in the fall of 1973, the story centers on the mysterious happenings that are occurring in the vast corn fields surrounding the farmhouse where young Steven (played by Joshua Ormond) has been sent to stay with his grandparents, Gladys ( played by Cloris Leachman) and Hiney (played by Bev Appleton), while his parents (played by Tara Reid and Faust Checho) try to mediate a tumultuous marriage.
"The Fields" is a smart, cleverly crafted film with a good old fashioned simple story and tight plot, without big SFX, and focuses on the complexities of the interwoven, synergistic relationships of the central characters. Structured with the emotional tempo similar in Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" in which the chaos and dysfunction in the character's relationships is paralled with the widespread fear of a serial killer, Steven's fear and anxiety produced by the turmoil of his family, also, is heightened by the mass murders of Charles Manson and gang, as he and his grandparents are terrorized by something unknown and sinister in the corn fields.
Not exactly a roller coaster ride, the suspense crescendo's in a teasing pace and just enough to really have time to savor the dynamic of the characters, with a stellar and particularly extraordinary performance by Cloris Leachman, Bev Appleton, and Joshua Ormond.
The beautiful imagery in the bucolic farmlands of rural Pennsylvania is enhanced with magnificent music, composed by John Avarese, with a score that is as big and as vast as the countryside itself. The music and sound design is powerful, majestic, and orchestrated like a battle cry, yet haunting and subtle when needed, the ebb and flow spot on, evoking feelings of fear and suspense, or capturing you into a magical, fantasy land of play.
"The Fields" is a thoroughly entertaining film with a quality that is very reminiscent of Shyamalan's early films, "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs", and introduces us to a new young performer, Joshua Ormond, with the same precocious charisma as Haley Joel Osment at that age.
Best Sound Design and Best Original Music Score awarded to John Avarese, and
Best Emerging New Actor awarded to Joshua Ormond.
Best Director awarded to Steve Gibson, director of the gem of the festival circuit, "The Feed". This film, modeled after SyFy's "Ghost Hunter's", has created much the same buzz as the "Paranormal", "Blair Witch" films did, with amazing performances by the actors (most of them non-actors) and believable in their roles as non-actor technicians.
Audience Favorite awarded to Carlo Rodriguez for "Psycho Killer Blood Bath", a throwback to the old school grindhouse films. If this film had actually been made in the late 1960's, it would have screened at drive-in's late at night, when all the "naughty" films screened, or those deemed too shocking to see at family hour. The film has the feel of a Sam Raimi or Roberto Rodriguez piece, but this maverick of a director sets his own style and tone in a story maze of thematic exploitations that can be classified as art horror, with an edge.
"Psycho Killer Blood Bath" is sexy, bloody, dark, gothic, and gutsy; it rocked and the audience loved it.
Best Director of Photography awarded to Matthew Mandarano for the exquisite beauty captured in the ambitious short film "Banks of The Vltava", a tale of folklore set in Prague, 1943 and directed by Dan A.R.Kelly. The production company "A Walk in the Park Productions" is testimony to what can be accomplished with sheer determination, talent and craftsmanship. This period piece, if you'll excuse the pun, was no walk in the park, and presented the challenge of shooting in the woods at night, with elaborate costuming and SFX. The final product is worth every second of its effort, and is rich in the artistry of its creators. Bravo!
Best Cinematography went to Devin Graham of "An Evening With My Comatose Mother",
written and directed by Jonathan Martin. This darling of the festival circuit has screened in 75+ festivals to date, and has won as many or more awards and still counting. This film is a fun Halloween story, absolutely superb in every aspect of production and independent filmmaking at its very best.
Best Supporting Actress went to Missy Hill, who played the role of the Comatose Mother.
Best Editing awarded to Kevin Corcoran for "The Shift", a complex sci-fi short film written and directed by Jim Haigney.
Best Special Effects awarded to the multi-talented Aurelio Voltaire and Robert A. Morris, for the sci-fi animation "Odokuro", narrated by the infamous UK artist Gary Numan(Cars).
Best Dramatic Short Film Screenplay awarded to writer/actor Bill Connington for the adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' intense novella "Zombie". This award winning film has caused quite a stir on the festival circuit, as well as a theater production off Broadway. Bill Connington gives a riveting performance as the lead.
Best Supporting Actor was given to Kelley van Dilla for an extraordinary performance in this disturbing story.
Best Actor was awarded to Ed Aristone for the lead role in the short film "The Cellar",
written and directed by Joseph J. Graves, one of the most interesting modern day twists on Edgar Allan Poe's "The CasK of Amontillado".
Best Film Screenplay awarded to Kent Kitzman for "Predator/Prey", an intriguing short film that is currently in production for the feature.
Best Horror Short Film awarded to Damien Leone, writer/director of "Terrifier", and
Best Actress to Marie Mazer for lead role in the film. This stunning homage to the giallo horror films of Bava, Argento, et al, was served up rare and bloody to a hungry audience, that only wetted their appetites for more ( is there a feature in the future?).
The "Terrifier" is actualy a creepy, evil clown with the suggestion of possessing supernatural powers, that happens to cross paths with a beautiful young woman traveling alone on halloween night. The film is indulgent in terror and shock value, with an amazing sound design, music, cinematography, and some of the most mind blowing, realistic looking SFX ever seen.
Best Actress was awarded to Marie Mazer for a strong, genuine performance as the unfortunate ingenue who can't escape her demise.
Best Science Fiction Short Film awarded to "Odessa", directed by Al Thompson, produced by Angel Acevedo and Brian Rolling, a technically superb futuristic tale that is soon to become a series for web and television broadcast.
Best Fantasy Short Film awarded to "Sirens" a student project produced by the Vancouver
Film School.
Best Thriller Short Film awarded to Martin Binder, director/producer of the clever, witty
"Quick Shop".
Best Drama Short Film, "Bob & Bob" written and directed by Andrew Alonso, a unique, satirical spin on the internal psychology of a split personality.
HONORABLE MENTIONS FILMMAKING
"Angustia" Screenplay-Sebastion Harrer
"Betania" Actress-Sonia Caselli, SFX-Andrea Giomaro
"Clutter" Actor-Mike Letizia
"Six Minutes" Short Thriller Film-James R. Mattern
"The Afflicted" Director-Jason Stoddard, Actor-Kane Hodder, Actress-Leslie Easterbrook
"The Fields" Actress-Cloris Leachman
EXCELLENCE IN SCREENWRITING
1st Place Feature Length
Tie- "Vermin" writer- Chris Warner
Tie- "Lobison" writer-Joe Tofuri
2nd Place Feature Length
"The Resurrection of Blake House"
writers-Steven Gladstone and Joe Randazzo
3rd Place Feature Length
"Auntie", writer-Deidre Patterson
1st Place Short Length
"Are You Loathesome Tonight", writer-John Burdeaux
2nd Place Short Length
"The Vampire's Toy", writer-Veronica Kegel-Giglio
3rd Place Short Length
"Funhouse", writers-Paul Ellington and Marc Bloom
HONORABLE MENTION SCREENWRITING
"Cabin Call" Feature Length, writer-Robert Marrero
"The Chinese Gift" Feature Length, writer-Robert Marrero
"Hell's Bells Short Length, writer-John Eric Muzii
On behalf of everyone at Terror Film Festival, congratulations to all of the winners and submitters for your excellent projects, and we wish you continued success throughout your careers. We thank you and all of our fans and sponsors, for without your support we wouldn't exist. As always, it has been a privilege to serve you.
And finally...
LIVE YOUR DREAMS, OR AT LEAST YOUR NIGHTMARES"
Grace Peters - Director of Marketing
CLAW - Festival Director
Chatelin Bruno 
