maga 2008 winners

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experimental

Slipdream
1st place
Written and directed by Marc Grant

Based on the classic fable Jack and the Beanstalk, Slipdream follows a streetwise drug dealer caught in a struggle between self-discovery and self-destruction. When Jack trades his father's gold watch for a pair of mysterious seeds, he unleashes psychic forces that lead him to Maya, a beautiful but tormented violinist under the sadistic care of a pill-pushing psychiatrist. In his attempts to rescue her, Jack chases ever-elusive highs as he flees the descending monsters of his mind. learn more

We Hear Sirens
2nd place
Directed by Alex Harder

A childhood friend of mine escaped the World Trade Center with his life on 9/11/2001. This short is culled from what little, but rare footage he was able to capture that day. After some discussion and time, we both felt it should be seen in some form. He entrusted the footage to me. This is how the film came about. It is not necessarily a political statement, but images and sounds in memory... learn more

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animation

When the World Goes Dark
1st place
A Short Film by Anthony P. Scalmato

In the underworld of the New York City subway system, one man struggles with madness for a chance at love. Presented as a disjointed sequence of fantasies, “When the World Goes Dark” is a chilling reminder that the everyday and commonplace can be as grotesque as it is absurd. In the end, only one certainty remains: this macabre delusion is not only on screen, but within our own minds. learn more

Silent Samurai
2nd place

A defining element of tragedy in one’s life can often be the reason for a hero to be heroic. This concept is what the central character in this piece embodies. By combining the martial arts culture with inspiration from various cartoons and graphic novels, this three and a half minute pilot-like animation reveals a simple character that is suddenly struck by the worse tragedy of all.

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documentary

Spirit of Sacajawea
1st place
Directed by Alyson Young

Two hundred years after the Lewis & Clark expedition to the Pacific, a new documentary retells the story of Sacajawea, the Indian woman who traveled with them, giving birth on the way and then carrying her infant across the country on her back. The Spirit of Sacajawea reexamines the life and legacy of this woman whose image adorns more monuments than any other woman in US history-this time from the point of view of her own Native American people. Through a mix of interviews, footage shot along the trail west, the original Lewis & Clark journals, and an original score by Native American artists, the Naka Productions team has endeavored to tell Sacajawea's story that both adheres to fact and reaches beyond-to the larger truths of westward expansion and its impact on Native Americans past and present. learn more

My Cab Driver
2nd place

Ride along with one of Boston’s fi nest cabbies as he tells harrowing stories of taxing in a big city. Filmed in 16mm black and white, an unexpected incident provides the cab driver and the viewer one last story to share with each other.

Racing Home
3rd place

Charles Reeves is an amateur cyclocross racer, who is working hard to balance his love for racing with his young family. As a newly wed and first time father, it can be difficult for Charles to find time for training while continu- ing to be responsible to his wife and child. Get an exciting look into the sport of cyclocross and the dedication that the sport demands. Follow one man, on his journey to have the best of both worlds.

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narrative comedy - short

Jonna’s Body Please Hold
1st place
Directed by Adam Bluming
Performed by Jonna Tamases

Enter the hilarious inner world of Jonna's Body, where a sassy receptionist fields calls from a parade of quirky body parts: Baby Toe trapped in a too-tight pump! Sgt. Coif leading a head full of unruly troops; Uta and Ula, begging to be released from their brassiere imprisonment! When two nasty killers invade, Jonna's Body must unite to fight for her life, in a heart-pounding battle that will leave you breathless with laughter and joy. learn more

Soup Ladle
2nd place
Directed and written by Cayman Grant

An older traditional Jewish woman (Mrs.Widelitz) goes over to her son's house for dinner and discovers that he has a 'platonic' female room-mate. Curious about the exact nature of their relationship, Mrs. Widelitz seeks to uncover the truth. learn more

Driving Lesson
3rd place

It is a lovely autumn day and Dr. Leslie Laurel has tak- en her daughter Brooke out for a driving lesson on a quiet country road. Unfortunately Leslie is a psycholo- gist unable to pry herself away from her cell phone and the needy patients on the other end, and Brooke is a teenager unable to pry herself away from her own adolescent exaspera- tion. Typical mother daughter friction, until Brooke hits a small animal, Leslie’s patient begins talking suicide and silence is broken on the quiet country road when an elderly man (veteran Broadway actor Paul Barry) and his wife (Marge Redmond, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Hear No Evil) come barreling along in their station wagon.

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narrative comedy - feature

Grilling Bobby Hicks
1st place

In a small, sleepy Georgia town, Bobby Hicks rules the roost, until he is found grilled to death on his still-warm barbecue smoker. When the town's only lawyer informs a select group that Bobby has left over a quarter-million dollar inheritance to the last one of them left living, things take a turn for the worse. In the midst of the chaos, Bobby's niece Megan falls for a Latino artist and suspect in Bobby's murder. Can Megan and Lenny get out of town before it's too late for both of them? learn more

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narrative drama - short

The Wannabe
1st place
Directed and written by Althea Wasow

1990. The Bronx. A young man dares to cross the line between reality and fantasy. What price should he pay? Based on a true story connected to a shooting at the legendary Palladium nightclub. learn more

The Street Cleaner
2nd place
Directed by Nathaniel Nauert
Written by Nathaniel Nauert and Eric Nauert

Prostitutes are disappearing from Savannah, Georgia's Historic District. As police hunt for a serial killer, the local media fuels the city's fear. Jamie, a heroin-addicted young streetwalker, doesn't imagine that she could be next. learn more

Being Dead
3rd place

Inspired by the short fi lm, La Jatee (Chris Marker 1962), the half English and half Russian language fi lm is an exploration of one man’s memories and visions as he seeks a girl during his fi nal moments of life at the Gulf of Finland. Using a combination of extra low speed 16mm fi lm and the unique land- scapes of a frozen ocean, Boston at night, and a brightly lit white studio, the existential story is deeply based in and revealed through imagery.

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narrative drama - feature

The List
1st place

Georgetown, South Carolina, 1863 - With news of the defeat at Gettysburg ringing in their ears, a group of wealthy Confederate landowners meet on a stormy night to form a secret blood cove- nant to protect their families’ fortunes. One man refuses to sign, uttering a dark prophecy against the dangers of greed and black magic. 140 years later, Renny Jacobson, a young Charlotte lawyer, is shaken by news of his father’s mysterious death. The young man discovers that his father has left him with nothing but a reference to an obscure entity called “the Covenant List of South Carolina, Ltd.” Mystifi ed, Renny sets out on a quest to learn the truth about “The List.”

The Garage
2nd place

A mechanic at his father's garage during the late 1970s, Matt dreams about leaving his small town existence and pursuing grander ambitions. But strong feelings for a new girlfriend and deep family ties may prevent Matt's ultimate escape, despite pressure from best friend Schultz to take off immediately. "The Garage" offers much more than the average coming-of-age story, adding a poignant sense of reality to life in a small town and the bonds that form there. learn more

Manje
3rd place

How far are you willing to go for love? Nine friends decide to vacation in one of the most rural locations in the country in an attempt to end the mourning period of one of their beloved. Krista is dealing with the recent death of her father and relies on Marc for comfort and protection. Unbeknownst to them a tenth member has joined the festivities, but with less joyous ideas in mind. When their friends start dying, Marc and Krista must unravel an old mystery to avoid becoming victims themselves. learn more