DON’T MISS A CHANCE TO SUPPORT LPB NOMINATED FILMMAKERS
Voting Ends Friday, July 24 in PBS Short Film Festival 2020
The PBS Short Film Festival 2020 is underway and two of the 25 films nominated for the top prize are submissions from Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB). This is the eighth straight year that an LPB submitted film has made the national festival. “LPB is proud to support Louisiana filmmakers and help amplify their stories to a larger audience,” said Jason Viso, LPB’s Director of Programming & Content. “The festival is a great platform to feature this amazing work.”
Two awards will be given out as part of the festival. Votes at lpb.org/filmfest, as well as views and likes on the festival’s YouTube and Facebook pages will count toward the “Most Popular Film” award. A panel of eight jury members will select their favorite film for the festival “Juried Prize Winner” award.
LPB’s 2020 Festival Entries:
To Infinity
A dying father helps his young daughter carry an imaginary mission into space in order to reunite her with her mother, which leads to an unimaginable revelation.
The Filmmaker: Gabriel Savodivker
Gabriel Savodivker was born in Los Angeles, California, but raised primarily in Argentina. In 2002, Savodivker graduated from the Art Institute of Miami with a degree in Film Direction. Once he returned to Hollywood, Savodivker interned and became a production assistant with several production companies. In 2011, he wrote and directed the award-winning short film THE CROSS. In 2013, Savodivker directed a claustrophobic horror short film titled BLIND DATE. In 2017, he completed his most celebrated work: TO INFINITY which has garnered several awards for best short film around the country and has been shown in prestigious film festivals. Currently, Savodivker is working on a psychological thriller for his feature directorial debut.
Preston’s Gone
Preston Thornton, an Army veteran, was experiencing paranoid delusions at his home. After calling the Veteran’s Crisis line, deputies arrived to transport Preston to a hospital, and tragedy followed. This film asks how a veteran ended up dead and what could have been done to prevent his death. The answers lead to a broken mental health care system that’s failing Louisiana’s most vulnerable residents.
The Filmmakers: Aaron Fisher & Jonathan Bullington
Aaron Fisher (Director & Filmmaker) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and editor based in New York City. His previous work at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune has been recognized by the Association of Healthcare Journalists and the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters and Media Editors. His short documentaries have screened at the Brooklyn Film Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, DC Shorts, and the Chicago International Music and Media Festival. Jonathan Bullington (Producer) is currently an investigative reporter with the Louisville Courier Journal. Jonathan previously worked as a lead investigative reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans.
“There are a lot of great films in the festival this year. The competition is tough, but we can’t help but root a little more for our local submissions,” Viso adds. “Telling and sharing Louisiana stories is what we strive to do at LPB.”
