Great "Lakes"

"Great Lakes" Wins 3 Tasties; "Bill's Gun Shop" takes Feature Award

Minneapolis - The Third Annual Strictly Midwest Movies And Short Hits Film Festival, or SMMASH, concluded Sunday night at the Doubletree Park Place Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota with the presentation of the festival's "Tastie" Awards. Dubbed the "local version of the Oscars" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, 10 Tasties were awarded in a variety of categories including a Lifetime Achievement Award to Minnesota Film and Television Board Director Craig Rice.

James Byrne's "Great Lakes", a 2002 feature film, dominated the evening, picking up three Tasties. One for actress Heidi Jo Langseth and two for Byrne who accepted the Best Screenplay and Best Director awards. Clutching a Tastie in each hand, Byrne expressed shock and joy at the evening's outcome.

"Everyone at 'Great Lakes' would like to thank the SMMASH staff for selecting us for the festival and many thanks too for the awards.  It means a lot to us."

Writer/Director Dean Lincoln Hyers' "Bill's Gun Shop" took Best Feature as the high-profile Minnesota-produced feature continued to earn critical praise and awards. "Grandfather's Birthday" collected its 24th award worldwide as veteran actor Robert Prosky (Hill Street Blues) won Best Actor. "Urban Warrior" took Best Documentary in a tough, crowded field and Robin Bain's "Paper Doll" rounded out the awards winning Best Short.

The Audience's Taste Awards, determined by votes from attending audience members, had an all-time high turnout in ballots. Lisa Schiller's "Four Feet" won for Best Short while Gigi Mullins' "Turquoise" won Best Feature. "We were thrilled that so many people took part of the Audience's Taste Awards this year", said Festival Director John Swon. "We love being able to have awards that are true signs of a filmmaker's work reaching people."

The highlight of the evening came as Minnesota Film and Television Board Director Craig Rice received SMMASH's Lifetime Achievement Award and a standing ovation. With a career in entertainment spanning more than four decades, Rice briefly discussed the challenges he's faced in the production world and the current challenges awaiting the Film Board as the organization's funding has been cut.

"SMMASH has always been about recognizing and celebrating Midwestern filmmakers", said John Swon. "We wanted our Lifetime Achievement Award to effectively highlight filmmakers who have demonstrated a long-term commitment to that same goal. We couldn't think of anyone who fits that description better than Craig Rice and we were honored to have him as a part of our festival."

2003 Tastie Award Winners

Audience's Taste Award (Feature) - Turquoise

Audience's Taste Award (Short) - Four Feet

Best Screenplay - Great Lakes

Best Documentary - Urban Warrior

Best Actor - Robert Prosky, Grandfather's Birthday

Best Actress - Heidi Jo Langseth, Great Lakes

Best Director - James Byrne, Great Lakes

Best Short - Paper Doll

Best Feature - Bill's Gun Shop

Lifetime Achievement Award - Craig Rice
 

2003 Tastie Awards Nominees

Best Feature

Mulligan

Homo Heights

Bill's Gun Shop

Turquoise

Great Lakes

Best Short

Grandfather's Birthday

Draw the Pirate

Paper Doll

Four Feet

Contract Killers

Best Actor

Scott Cooper (Bill's Gun Shop)

Robert Prosky (Grandfather's Birthday)

Cedric Yarbrough (Mulligan)

Steve Lattery (Mulligan)

Quentin Crisp (Homo Heights)

Best Actress

Heidi Jo Langseth (Great Lakes)

Robin Bain (Paper Doll)

Molly Hall (Lil' River Rats)

Brinkie Stevens (Real Time)

Shelby Robin (Four Feet)

Best Documentary

Urban Warrior

Lightbulbs

Sugar Blue

Intertwined

Puttin' On the Glitz

Best Screenplay

Turquoise

Great Lakes

Mulligan

Bill's Gun Shop

Lil' River Rats

Best Director

Dean Lincoln Hyers (Bill's Gun Shop)

James Byrne (Great Lakes)

Tim VandeSteeg (Mulligan)

Paper Doll (Robin Bain)

Max Allan Collins (Real Time)
 

Photos from the
2003 Tastie Awards