September 11-14, 2008
Accepting Film & Screenplay Submissions
Call for Entries - 2008 Festival
Withoutabox provides cost-saving, online entry to major film festivals throughout the U.S. and in Europe with one master entry form, allowing you and us to enter your film more quickly and with greater accuracy. This method is free and easy.
Withoutabox users enjoy the advantages of extended deadlines and Online Press Kit submissions and filmmakers with an upgraded project on Withoutabox receive $5.00 off their Entry Fees.
To access the FILM COMPETITION "paperless" entry form, click the link listed below:
To access the SCREENWRITING COMPETITION "paperless" entry form, click the link below:
Please Note: For our screenplay competition, we require a hard copy of the screenplay.
For more information regarding submissions contact: BigBearFilmFest@aol.com
2007 Jury Award Winners Include:
Best Feature: "Coyote", directed by Brian Petersen
Best Documentary: "Beyond the Call", directed by Adrian Belic
Best Short: "A.W.O.L.", directed by Jack Swanstrom
Best Animation: "First Flight", directed by Cameron Hood & Kyle Jefferson
Best Student Film: "The Shade" aka Sayeh, directed by Mohammed Gorjestani
Best Student Film for Cinematography: "Marrying God", cinematography by Joe Passarelli
Best Family Film: "Make a Wish", directed by Cherien Dabis
2007 Audience Winners Include:
Best Feature: "Greetings from the Shore", directed by Greg Chwerchak
Best Documentary: "Dalai Lama Renaissance ", directed by Khashyar Darfich
Best Short: "Chances Are", directed by Josh Kameyer
Best Animation: "Raccoon & Crawfish", directed by Four Directions Productions
Best Student Film: "Marrying God", directed by Duke Johnson
Best High School Film: "Killing Jackie", directed by Marcos Avila (Culver City High School)
Best Big Bear Local Film: "Buck Danger: Park Ranger", directed by Steve Cassling & Mark Wilkie
2007 Showcase Award Winner:
Best Outdoor Mountain Activity Film: "Volcanic Sprint", directed by Steve Dorst
2007 Screenwriting Winners:
Firest Place: "Married Seeking Same", written by Joe Acton
Second Place: "Missing Pieces", written by Tracy Wilson
Third Place: "Temples Bondage" written by Tina Juarez
Honorable Mentions: "A Couple of Detectives" by Keith Davidson and "Wilbender's Feature Attraction", written by Tim Pyle
2007 Opening Night Film
Our 2007 opening night film was "Into the Wild", written and directed by Sean Penn.Based on the best-selling book of the same title, the film follows the life of Christopher McCandless.
After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gave his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.
2007 Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematography
The festival was honored that the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematography was presented to five-time Academy Award nominee Allen Daviau.Daviau started shooting and developing pictures at age 14. Following high school, Allen earned the money to buy his first 16mm camera by working in film labs and camera stores. He spent the next several years shooting commercials, occasional documentaries and free projects for students and aspiring filmmakers, including Amblin (1968) for a promising young filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Allen filmed such classics as "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982), "The Color Purple" (1985), "Empire of the Sun" (1987), "Avalon" (1990), and "Bugsy" (1991).
2007 Lifetime Achievement Award For Producing
Our 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award for Producing was presented to Paramount's legendary producer A.C. Lyles who is celebrating his 79th year with Paramount Pictures, an affiliation that sets a record.On his tenth birthday, after deciding he wanted to become a Hollywood producer, Lyles got a job distributing bumper stickers and handbills for Paramount’s Florida Theatre in his native Jacksonville. When the founder and head of Paramount Pictures (Adolf Zuckor) came to Jacksonville, Lyles met with him briefly and then began writing weekly letters to the man he wanted to work for.
Upon graduating from high school with only $28 in his pocket, A.C. headed to Hollywood where he found a job first in the mail room at Paramount before working his way up to the publicity department, and finally landing his dream job of producing where he's been ever since.
2007 Pre-Festival Movie Night
We enjoyed a pre-festival screening of the original uncut version of “Shepherd of the Hills”. This 1941 classic film, shot almost entirely in Big Bear Valley, stars John Wayne in his very first Technicolor production. This historic motion picture solidified the Duke’s career as a major movie star. The festivities were hosted by local luminary J.P. “Mac” McAlister with special guest film historian/author W. Lee Cozad. Coincidentally, the festival awarded its 2007 lifetime achievement award for producing to A.C. Lyles of Paramount Pictures who worked on “Shepherd of the Hills” and was close friends with John Wayne.
