This was an incredible weekend on many levels.  The festival flew me out to Indianapolis, greeted me at the airport with my own stretch limo and put me up in a beautiful little hotel.  On the second floor of the hotel was a hospitality suite/filmmaker’s lounge, stocked with amenities.   It was here that I got to spend time with like-minded filmmakers, who had traveled far to be at the festival.

I’ve been to a lot of festivals and screened with countless films that I abhorred.  This was the first festival in which I loved all of the films I screened with.  It was truly an honor to be included with the other Crystal Heart Award winners.  In addition to screening with great films, I had the privilege of actually getting to know the illustrious filmmakers behind the short films, which included Irene Taylor Brodsky (Oscar nominee for The Final Inch), Gregg Helvey (Student Academy Award winner for Kavi), Jeremiah Crowell (Sundance official selection for Small Collection), Daniel Harrich (Student Emmy winner for Acholiland), Melody George (Marbles with Thoreau) and Christian Sonderby Jepsen (Side by Side).

With this kind of company, you can imagine my shock when Jitensha was announced as the winner of the Vision Award for Best Short Film.   Here’s a link to the award ceremony (the short film award is announced at about the 21st minute):

http://www.vimeo.com/7223474

As much as I was hoping to win this award, I was stunned when the rambling lady finally said the word “bicycle.”  Since I had forgotten to thank Leilani during my Crystal Heart award speech, I was grateful to have this opportunity to thank her because I know I would not be where I am today without her.

I accept the award on behalf of our entire team.  Because it was a collaboration from the beginning, it is clear to me that creating Jitensha was not a one man show.  The story began with a brilliant idea by Yu Shibuya and ended with notes from Leilani that changed the entire structure of the film.  It included tireless hours of planning on both sides of the Pacific.  We could have never done it without the support of those from Studio Re: and Biola University.

The people of Indianapolis, the staff of the Heartland Film Festival and my fellow filmmakers all made this a truly moving experience that I will keep with me forever.  Whereas the Venice Film Festival was driven by the industry and star power, Heartland was about the filmmakers, audiences and interaction between the two.  We make films because we want to share them.  Heartland was the perfect place to be able to do that because their audiences were hungry for good stories.  It is encouraging to have your life’s work be embraced; by the end of the weekend, I felt so incredibly affirmed as an artist and a person.

Now it’s time to continue on this journey with a renewed sense of purpose.  Jitensha screens at the Starz Denver Film Festival next weekend.  Please stay tuned.