The Feel Good Film Festival
Encyclopedia
The Feel Good Film Festival (FGFF), also known as the Sunflower Film Festival, is held annually in Hollywood, California. The Festival is the largest of its kind showcasing American, international, independent, and family-friendly films from all around the world that leave the audience feeling good. The FGFF is a three-day annual event held in August showcasing 60-70 feel good feature films, short films, screenplays, and student films.
, FGFF Founder and Festival Director, established the Feel Good Film Festival. The Feel Good Film Festival began in Hollywood August 22–24, 2008, with the goal of showcasing upbeat, happy ending films. It isn’t necessarily difficult to find feel-good films to screen. “They’ve been looking for an outlet,” according to the Festival’s creator, Kristen Flores. The mission of the festival is “a film viewing experience for the entire family that encourages the development, production, and distribution of short or feature length films with positive themes, happy endings, that make audiences laugh, and that capture the beauty of our world. The FGFF focuses on drawing attention to filmmakers and films that have a similar message and mission.
, Hollywood Rentals, Final Draft
, Showbiz Software, New York Film Academy
, Film Independent, InkTip.com, Tuff Cut Sound and MEHRNOOSH.Those awards go to the Feel Good Film Festival’s Best Feel Good Feature Film, Best Feel Good Short Film, and Best Feel Good Student Film. In addition, there are Audience Awards for Best Feel Good Feature Film and Best Feel Good Short Film. Additional awards are presented to the Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Ensemble and Best Director”.
(“Certifiably Jonathan”), Judd Apatow
(“American Storage”), Oscar-winning muscal star Shirley Jones
(“Elmer Gantry,” “Oklahoma!” , Cheryl Hines
(“curb Your Enthusiasm”), Joe Ballarini (“Father vs. Son”), Hal Sparks (“Queer as Folk”), Rainn Wilson
(“The Office”), Carlos Mencia
(“Comedy Central”),. Other stars dotting the FGFF schedule include James Darren
, Sally Field
, Jorja Fox, Gregory Harrison, Cliff Robertson
(“Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story”), Greta Gerwig, Iggy Pop (“Art House”), Daniel Baldwin
, Orson Bean, Willie Garson, Clint Howard, Craig Sheffer (“Ashley’s Ashes”), Margot Farley, Mitzi Kapture, John Saxon, Tim Thomerson (“God’s Ears”), Anne Hathaway, Leeza Gibbons (“10 Mountains 10 Years”), Beth Grant (“Herpes Boy”), James Hong, Jenna Jameson, Ken Jeong, Josh Meyers, Kristen Ritter, Ian Somerhalder (“How to Make Love to a Woman”), Tim Allen
, Louis C.K., Tommy Davidson, Dana Gould, Kathy Griffin
, Sarah Silverman (“I am Comic”)and Elaine Hendrix (“The Cloggers”). Also included in the celebrity lineup are Valente Rodriguez
(“Happily Divorced” and Rizwan Manji
(“Outsourced”).
, Alan Noel Vega,, Natalie Chaidez, Sarah "Quigs" Quigley, and America Young
; 2011-2012 FGFF Board members include Kristen Ridgway Flores
, Alan Noel Vega, Natalie Chaidez, Dominic Flores, John Wildman, Jenna Charles, Mr. Lawrence, Kelly Koskella, and Richard Kraft.
Goals and Mission
Kristen Ridgway FloresKristen Ridgway Flores
Kristen Ridgway Flores is Founder and CEO of The Feel Good Film Festival in Hollywood, California and an American actress, set designer, production designer, and film producer.-Early life:Flores was born in Seattle, Washington in 1982...
, FGFF Founder and Festival Director, established the Feel Good Film Festival. The Feel Good Film Festival began in Hollywood August 22–24, 2008, with the goal of showcasing upbeat, happy ending films. It isn’t necessarily difficult to find feel-good films to screen. “They’ve been looking for an outlet,” according to the Festival’s creator, Kristen Flores. The mission of the festival is “a film viewing experience for the entire family that encourages the development, production, and distribution of short or feature length films with positive themes, happy endings, that make audiences laugh, and that capture the beauty of our world. The FGFF focuses on drawing attention to filmmakers and films that have a similar message and mission.
Notability
The Festival has continued its signature “yellow” carpet entrances and international screenings which are part of the FGFF today,. In addition, The FGFF has presented generous award packages totaling over $100,000 worth of prizes from such sponsors as PanavisionPanavision
Panavision is an American motion picture equipment company specializing in cameras and lenses, based in Woodland Hills, California. Formed by Robert Gottschalk as a small partnership to create anamorphic projection lenses during the widescreen boom in the 1950s, Panavision expanded its product...
, Hollywood Rentals, Final Draft
Final Draft
Final Draft is screenwriting software for writing and formatting a screenplay to meet the screenplay submission standards set by theater, television and film industries. The program is developed and owned by Final Draft, Inc., headquartered in Calabasas, CA; the company also owns Script magazine...
, Showbiz Software, New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy - School of Film and Acting is a film school andacting school based in New York City, Universal City, California, USA and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. NYFA offers short-term film-making and acting courses, as well as one- and two-year conservatory and Master of Fine Arts...
, Film Independent, InkTip.com, Tuff Cut Sound and MEHRNOOSH.Those awards go to the Feel Good Film Festival’s Best Feel Good Feature Film, Best Feel Good Short Film, and Best Feel Good Student Film. In addition, there are Audience Awards for Best Feel Good Feature Film and Best Feel Good Short Film. Additional awards are presented to the Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Ensemble and Best Director”.
Celebrities Honored
The FGFF has honored numerous celebrities, including funnyman Jonathan WintersJonathan Winters
-Early life:Winters was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, the son of Alice Kilgore , a radio personality, and Jonathan Harshman Winters II, an investment broker. He is a descendant of Valentine Winters, founder of the Winters National Bank in Dayton, Ohio...
(“Certifiably Jonathan”), Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is well known for his work in comedy films, especially for films he has been involved with throughout the latter half of the 2000s. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the...
(“American Storage”), Oscar-winning muscal star Shirley Jones
Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of television, she starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! , Carousel , and The Music Man...
(“Elmer Gantry,” “Oklahoma!” , Cheryl Hines
Cheryl Hines
Cheryl Ruth Hines is an American actress and director, known for her role as Larry David's wife Cheryl on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. She currently appears on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory...
(“curb Your Enthusiasm”), Joe Ballarini (“Father vs. Son”), Hal Sparks (“Queer as Folk”), Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor and comedian. He is primarily known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office...
(“The Office”), Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia , born Ned Arnel Mencia, is a Honduran-born American comedian, writer, and actor. His style of comedy is often political and involves issues of race, culture, criminal justice, and social class...
(“Comedy Central”),. Other stars dotting the FGFF schedule include James Darren
James Darren
James William Ercolani , known by his stage name James Darren, is an American television and film actor, television director, and singer.-Career:...
, Sally Field
Sally Field
Sally Margaret Field is an American actress, singer, producer, director, and screenwriter. In each decade of her career, she has been known for major roles in American TV/film culture, including: in the 1960s, for Gidget or Sister Bertrille on The Flying Nun ; in the 1970s, for Sybil , Smokey and...
, Jorja Fox, Gregory Harrison, Cliff Robertson
Cliff Robertson
Clifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III was an American actor with a film and television career that spanned half of a century. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109, and won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly...
(“Accidental Icon: The Real Gidget Story”), Greta Gerwig, Iggy Pop (“Art House”), Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Leroy Baldwin is an American actor, producer and director. He is the second oldest of the four Baldwin brothers, all of whom are actors. Daniel Baldwin is known for his role as Detective Beau Felton in the popular NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street...
, Orson Bean, Willie Garson, Clint Howard, Craig Sheffer (“Ashley’s Ashes”), Margot Farley, Mitzi Kapture, John Saxon, Tim Thomerson (“God’s Ears”), Anne Hathaway, Leeza Gibbons (“10 Mountains 10 Years”), Beth Grant (“Herpes Boy”), James Hong, Jenna Jameson, Ken Jeong, Josh Meyers, Kristen Ritter, Ian Somerhalder (“How to Make Love to a Woman”), Tim Allen
Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
, Louis C.K., Tommy Davidson, Dana Gould, Kathy Griffin
Kathy Griffin
Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin is an American actress, stand-up comedienne, television personality, New York Times best-selling author and an LGBT rights advocate. Griffin first gained recognition for appearances on two episodes of Seinfeld, and then for her supporting role on the NBC sitcom...
, Sarah Silverman (“I am Comic”)and Elaine Hendrix (“The Cloggers”). Also included in the celebrity lineup are Valente Rodriguez
Valente Rodriguez
Valente Rodriguez is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Ernesto "Ernie" Cardenas on the sitcom George Lopez. He currently stars as Cesar in the TV Land sitcom Happily Divorced.-Life and career:...
(“Happily Divorced” and Rizwan Manji
Rizwan Manji
Rizwan Manji is a Indo-Canadian actor. He is chiefly notable for his role as Rajiv in the now cancelled NBC Universal TV series Outsourced....
(“Outsourced”).
The FGFF’s Recognition and Praise
The Feel Good Film Festival has been recognized as a “most favorite Los Angeles Film Festival”. Also writer, director, actor and all round good guy, Michael Worth (“God’s Ears”; “Jabberwock”; “CSI NY”; “Desperate Housewives”), praises the FGFF as it makes filmmakers dig deeper for more substance over style.. Chris Getman created the Festival's website. Founding FGFF Board members include Kristen Ridgway FloresKristen Ridgway Flores
Kristen Ridgway Flores is Founder and CEO of The Feel Good Film Festival in Hollywood, California and an American actress, set designer, production designer, and film producer.-Early life:Flores was born in Seattle, Washington in 1982...
, Alan Noel Vega,, Natalie Chaidez, Sarah "Quigs" Quigley, and America Young
America Young
America Young, born 6 December 1984 in Santa Fe, New Mexico is an American actress and producer.-Filmography:*Abandoned - 2010*The Binds That Tie Us - 2010*The Dead Undead - 2010*Dreamkiller - 2010*Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 - Dagger...
; 2011-2012 FGFF Board members include Kristen Ridgway Flores
Kristen Ridgway Flores
Kristen Ridgway Flores is Founder and CEO of The Feel Good Film Festival in Hollywood, California and an American actress, set designer, production designer, and film producer.-Early life:Flores was born in Seattle, Washington in 1982...
, Alan Noel Vega, Natalie Chaidez, Dominic Flores, John Wildman, Jenna Charles, Mr. Lawrence, Kelly Koskella, and Richard Kraft.
2011
- Best Feel Good Feature Film: “The Italian Key”, written and directed by Rosa Karo, producer-composer Tuomas KantelinenTuomas KantelinenTuomas Kantelinen is a Finnish composer. He studied composition at the Sibelius Academy with Eero Hämeenniemi. He is best known for his scores for films such as Rukajärven tie, Äideistä parhain, Mindhunters and Mongol...
- Best Feel Good Short Film: “Sudden Death”, written and directed by Adam HallAdam Hall-Playing career:Hall was a member of the United States National Development Team Program, and twice represented the United States at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, in 1999 and 2000. He was selected 52nd overall by the Nashville Predators in the second round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft...
, produced by Melanie HallMelanie HallMelanie Hall was a British hospital clerical officer from Bradford on Avon, who went missing on 9 June 1996, following a night out at the Cadillacs nightclub in Bath... - Best Feel Good Directed Film Over 60 Minutes: Valerie Weiss, “Losing Control”
- Best Feel Good Directed Film Under 60 Minutes: Mark Playne, “Love at First Sight”
- Best Feel Good Original Screenplay: “Drosselbart”, written by Effie Bathen
- Best Feel Good Student Film: “Extraordinary Fight of Atticus Walker and the Monster in his Head”, written and directed by Michael Karman
- Best Actor in a Feel Good Film: Bjorn Johnson, “Part Time Fabulous”
- Best Actress in a Feel Good Film: Jules Bruff, “Part Time Fabulous”
- Best Ensemble Acting in a Feel Good Film: “Sweet Little Lies”, directed and produced by William Saunders
- Audience Award Feel Good Feature: “In the Key of Eli”, directed by Phillip Scarpaci, produced by Pattie Kelly
- Audience Award Feel Good Short: “Aphasia”’, written/directed/produced by Jim Gloster, executive producer Donna Scott
2010
- Best Feel Good Feature Film: “God’s Ears”, directed by Michael WorthMichael WorthMichael Troy Worth is an American actor.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, Worth is from German and Native American heritage. At the age of 11, he directed his first film titled The Tire with a super 8mm camera he had spent his allowance on...
- Best Feel Good Short Film: “Butterfly Circus”, directed by Joshua Weigel
- Audience Award Feel Good Feature: “10 Mountains 10 Years”, directed by Jennifer Yee
- Audience Award Feel Good Short: “Maryanne Goes to the Market”, directed by Ethan Cushing
- Best Feel Good Student Film: “Chinese Antique”, directed by Ryo Shiina, Bassem Wahbi
- Best Feel Good Student Film Runner Up: “Flying for Mice”, directed by Dana Jones, Joel Reaves
- Best Feel Good Director: Brent Florence for “Eagles in the Chickencoop”, directed by Brent Florence
- Best Feel Good Actor: Byron Lane for “Herpes Boy”
- Best Feel Good Actress: Ahna O’Reilly for “Herpes Boy”
- Best Feel Good Ensemble: “Herpes Boy”
- Best Feel Good Screenplay Award: “Shinola”; Writer: Martin Garner
- Feel Good Original Song Award: “Wakiyaku Monogatari (Cast Me if You Can)”, Composer: Jessica De Rooij
2009
- Best Feel Good Feature Film: “Dance of the Dragon”, directed by John Raadel, produced by Clavin Tan
- Best Feel Good Short Film: “Lucy: A Period Piece”, directed by Julie Sagalowsky
- Audience Award Feel Good Feature: “Rock Slyde”, directed by Chris Dowling
- Audience Award Feel Good Short: “Grande Drip”, directed by Angelo Salvatore Restaino
- Best Feel Good Student Film: “Happy Man’s Pants”, directed by Kunal Saykur
- Best Feel Good Webisode: “Pink Eye”, directed by Brinton Bryan
- Best Feel Good Director: Jacob Medjuck for “Summerhood”
- Best Feel Good Actor: Anthony Natale for “Universal Signs”
- Best Feel Good Actress: Sabrina Loyde for “Universal Signs”
- Best Feel Good Cinematography (Panther Award): John Radel for “Dance of the Dragon”
- Best Feel Good Production Design: Ewan Dickson for “Summerhood”
- Best Feel Good Screenplay Award: “Godspeed”, Writers: Travis Mann, David White & Michael Toay
- Feel Good Original Song Award: “Step on the Moon’’ by Skyebat (Music by Peter Calandra, Lyrics by Stephanie Batailler)
2008
- Best Feel Good Film: “Certifiably Jonathan”, directed by Jim Pasternak
- Best Feel Good Short Film: “Mira”, directed by Michael Berry
- Best Feel Good Cinematography: Jim Orr for “The Flyboys”
- Audience Award for Feel Good Feature: “The Rainbow Tribe”, directed by Christopher Watson
- Audience Award for Feel Good Short: “Mira”, directed by Michael Berry
- Best Feel Good Student Film (20-21 Year Old Division): “First Bass”, directed by Philip Hodges
- Best Feel Good Student Film (19 Year Old and Under Division): “The Last Cherry”, directed by Lisa Kowalski
- Best Feel Good Screenplay Award: “Hear, Boy!”, Writer: Noah Edelson
- Feel Good Original Song Award: “Falling from Mars”, music & lyrics: Alyssa Campbell
External links
- Official website “The Feel Good Film Festival”
- Wall Street Journal, Marshall Heyman, ”Festival Seeks Happy Endings”, Aug. 12, 2011.
- Actors Reporter, Hosted by Brett Walkow, FGFF video and pictures “Yellow Carpet at the 4th Annual Feel Good Film Festival at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California”, Aug. 19, 2011.
- Official website "Mazedude Productions"