The 3rd Annual Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival was held this past weekend in New York City, and the various category winners were standout selections:
BEST PHILIP K. DICK FEATURE
Mark Netter’s Nightmare Code (2014)
BEST SCIENCE FICTION DRAMATIC FEATURE
Matt Duggan’s Inverse (2014)
BEST SUPERNATURAL FEATURE
Kathleen Behun’s 21 Days (2014)
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY / SINGULARITY AND BEYOND
Christopher Garetano’s Montauk Chronicles (2014)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Jacob Akira Okada’s Painting The Way To The Moon (2013)
BEST PHILIP K. DICK SHORT – AUDIENCE AWARD
Etienne Gravrand’s The Fischer Case (2014)
BEST LATINO, AFRICAN AMERICAN AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR SHORT
MacGregor and Bruno Zacari?as’ Similo (2014)
BEST SCIENCE FICTION SHORT
Mat Owen’s Turn On (2013)
BEST HORROR / SUPERNATURAL SHORT
Andy Green’s Vomica (2014)
BEST WEB SERIES
Aldo Romero’s The Disappeared (2014)
BEST TRAILER
Eric Norcross’s The Spaceship (2014)
Festival Director Daniel Abella (listen to his earlier interview) follows up on the success of the 2015 event and looks forward to the 2016 festival:
SoSF: How successful was this year’s festival?
Daniel: Every show was sold or nearly sold out. Even our last minute addition midnight screening of Christian Carroll’s Suicide or Lulu in A World Made For Two was sold out.
SoSF: How were fans enjoying the films? Which were the most popular?
Daniel: We are New York’s only sci-fi festival and the fans are extremely passionate over the film selections. All films were well attended. Mark Netter’s Nightmare Code sold out before doors opened, Christopher Garetano’s Montauk Chronicles was sold out for the film and panel and Matt Duggan’s Inverse had a great attendance despite the fact that it fell on a dreadfully rainy Sunday afternoon. Each film drew on its natural fan base. Saturday’s showing for Philip K. Dick adaptations was sold out and we needed to put together another show later in the afternoon. Saturday’s events at the The Producers Club ran non-stop from noon to 2am, proving that New Yorkers love sci-fi.
SoSF: What was the award selection process? How were the winning films decided?
Daniel: There is a core group of individuals who watch the films. Our selection is based on story, originality, production design and thematic connection to the ideas of Philip K. Dick which are dystopia, parallel realities, ambivalence, humanity and technology. One category for “Best Philip K. Dick Short” was selected based on audience voting.
SoSF: Did any categories almost end in a tie?
Daniel: There was a virtual tie with the Best Philip K Dick Short. This year we had two documentaries and one fell under the Eschaton, Singularity and Beyond category which accepts features and documentaries and is more slanted to re-enactments. The second documentary has a more traditional structure.
SoSF: How difficult was the process of navigating the event at three different locations?
Daniel: Not difficult at all since there was no overlap between the three venues. We had some last minute surprises based on crowd turnout. Most people bought tickets online, some minutes before showing up to the event resulting in sold out events and having to nimbly and luckily add another show for the attendees.
SoSF: What are some early ideas for next year’s event?
Daniel: Fans love our panels. They provide a more interactive experience and next year we will have a whole day of panels where filmmakers, scientists and writers can talk about their work and the impact that science fiction has had on their lives. We plan on having a few feature judges. We plan to partner up with some technology companies to showcase their sci-fi products. Lastly, the festival is to last five days to give everyone more opportunities for networking and socializing.
SoSF: What are some other thoughts you would like fans to know about this year and future events?
Daniel: A million thanks to everyone who supported us in this year’s festival. The indie scene is on shaky ground due to the NY real estate market but with that support, The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival will emerge bigger and better next year.
For three years running, The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival has thrilled its attendees with entertaining and visually captivating themes which have made the event a favorable and continued success. For more information on this year’s official selection films, upcoming announcements and events, sponsorship, volunteering and anything #PKDFestNYC please visit www.thephilipkdickfilmfestival.com. Always be sure to visit the festival’s Twitter page at twitter.com/PhilipKDickFest (tweet the hashtag #PKDFestNYC) and the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ ThePhilipKDickFilmFestival.
About The Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Film Festival:
The Philip K. Dick International Film Festival of Science, Science Fiction, Fantastic Film and the Supernatural is New York City’s first and only festival of its kind and is organized by individuals and filmmakers who understand the difficulties and challenges of telling a unique story in a corporate environment. With extremely successful 2012-2013 festivals, a 2013 international event in Lille, France and endless screening events the festival is only beginning its vision of honoring the legacy of the great Philip K. Dick. From guest speakers and writers who best represent the goals of the festival, original voices and enhanced visions in works submitted, this is a festival created by filmmakers for filmmakers.
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