PollyGrind officially brings its fifth annual film festival to a close on October 30 with the world premiere of Albert Pyun’s The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper, the handing out of awards and a best of screening block, featuring music videos, shorts and a replay of Stuart Simpson’s Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla at the Galaxy Luxury+ Theatres in Green Valley.
In the past few weeks, PollyGrind was banned from its original venue, briefly canceled, resurrected, had its press release on all the chaos go viral (more than 42,000 views and over a million headline impressions), played to a packed house of 176 for the world premiere of Heidi, had its first DVD released and was featured in The National Enquirer.
“It’s been a hell of a year and an even crazier October,” founder and director Chad Clinton Freeman said with a laugh. “It’s only fitting that we have our grand finale, which is being called Victory Night on the night before Halloween, which many of course refer to as Hell Night.”
The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper is an experimental one-take found footage project shot in March 2014. It’s the first film Pyun ochart (The Sword and the Sorcerer, Cyborg, Nemesis, Captain America) has completed since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in late 2013.
A total PollyGrind inspired feature, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper stars past PollyGrind girl Tommie Vegas (Thrill Kill Jill) and PollyGrinder Shane Ryan (My Name is A by Anonymous) and was shot by PollyGrinder Michael Su (My Demon Within). Pyun screened three films at PollyGrind in 2012, including Road to Hell, which won the audience choice award. He also took home the first ever Filmmaker of a Different Breed Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Albert is the kind of filmmaker I’ve always respected and admired,” Freeman said. “He always finds a way when there isn’t one. He’s been an inspiration for me and I feel like in the past few years PollyGrind has helped inspire him. I always talk about the creative environment and the ripples of inspiration this festival offers and I think this film is the epitome of that.”
The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper is scheduled to take home 11 awards Thursday, including the top honor Biggest Baddest Mother of the PollyGrind, best actor (Ryan), best actress (Vegas) and best director (Pyun). Ryan, Vegas and Pyun are all scheduled to be in attendance along with cast and crew members Brittany Bochart, Cynthia Curnan (Road To Hell), Su, Glenn Cochrane (FakeShemp.net), Tony Riparetti (Mean Guns, Brainsmasher), Michael Tushaus (The Adventures of Loop & Rhett), Kelly Schwarze (Territory 8) and Amanda Martinez (Cyborg Nemesis).
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla is slated to pick up half a dozen awards, including best dark comedy and best overall performance for Glenn Maynard, who will be in attendance.
Daniel Ray’s Heidi will not be screening, but it will be picking up some awards too, including best Nevada film, audience favorite, actress on the rise (Joei Fulco) and The Willy B. PollyGrind’s nod to the NFL Draft’s Mr. Irrelevant award, named after festival’s biggest hater, The Willy B is being given to Heidi as it was the very last entry judged by Freeman. It was screened at 5 a.m. on the day official announcements were made.
Award winners The Gradations of Purgatory (Douglas Farra), If Only Tonight I Could Sleep (Douglas Farra), Shoot 4 The Sky (Jake Stark), Black Mask (Alex Colonna), Cassandra (Guy-Roger Duvert), and Manscapping (Mike Lenzin) are also scheduled to screen and take home awards.
The underground and indie world who’s who list of award winners for this year’s festival also include Tara Reid, William Grefe, Nathan Jones, Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Ted V. Mikels, Glen Coburn, Flavor Flav and Doms Gauge.
The audience is encouraged to come in Halloween costumes and will get $5 off admission at the door if they do. The four hour grindhouse celebration is $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
An international film festival steeped in artistic freedom, PollyGrind celebrates individuality, diversity, creativity, and empowerment by showcasing the work of filmmakers with defiantly independent visions. Named one of 2014’s “50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker, PollyGrind has seen its official selections earn distribution deals from Lionsgate, Sundance, Showtime, IFC Midnight, Wild Eye Releasing, Whacked Movies and a slew of other reputable outlets.
Victory Night on Hell Night may very well be PollyGrind’s very final curtain call. Freeman announced the first day of this year’s event that the festival would take a hiatus next year and possibly never return.
“Which makes this Thursday so important to me,” Freeman said. “I’m still waiting on my refund from my original venue, so I had to borrow $1,500 to make these screenings happen. But nothing was going to stop PollyGrind this year. This is for indie film. It’s for artistic freedom. If for only one last night, I want the grinders to unite to show this town and the world, you can hurt us, you can beat us and kick us, you can ban us, you can take away our spark temporarily, you can try to destroy us, but you can not break our spirit to hustle, fight and grind.”
When the original screenings canceled on PollyGrind just a week before this year’s event, Pyun helped put Freeman in touch with the vice president of Galaxy Theatres.
After the main PollyGrind screenings Oct.16-18, Freeman stepped a way from the event for a few days. In that time, Pyun stepped up and took a lot of the Oct. 30 pressures on his shoulders. The chaos of it has led to much stress and many seizures.
“I needed a breather but didn’t realize how much pressure he would feel in my absence,” Freeman said. “Well, I’m ready to get back in the game to take the world back on my shoulders for this one last 2014 PollyGrind event. For Albert, for me, for all those involved in The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper, for the fans, filmmakers, friends and community of PollyGrind. It’s been hell. So a celebration on Hell Night is in order. Let the Victory begin.”
For more information on PollyGrind, visit: https://www.PollyGrind.com or https://www.Facebook.com/PollyGrind
Watch and download the event’s new teaser here:
https://vimeo.com/110115919
Tickets can be purchased here:
https://pollygrindvictorynight.eventbrite.com
2014 PollyGrind Awards
FEATURES
THE BIG THREE
Biggest Baddest Mother of the PollyGrind
(Grand Jury Prize)
The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper dir. by Albert Pyun
(First Runner Up)
Best Dark Comedy
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla dir. by Stuart Simpson
(Second Runner Up)
Best Documentary
Rebel Scum dir. by Video Rahim
AUDIENCE CHOICE
Based on attendance and crowd reactions
Favorite Film
Heidi dir. by Daniel Ray
First Runner Up
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla dir. by Stuart Simpson
Second Runner Up
Rebel Scum dir. by Video Rahim
BEST OF THE REST
Best Action Film
Teddy Bomb dir. by Justin Decloux
Best Arthouse Film
Memory Lane dir. by Shawn Holmes
Best Crime Film
The Black Tape dir. by Ramone Menon
Best Thriller
The Badger Game dir. by Joshua Wagner and Thomas Zambeck
Best Horror Film
Charlie’s Farm dir. by Christopher Sun
Best Fantasy Film
Army of Frankensteins dir. by Ryan Bellgardt
Best Foreign Language Film
Tombville dir. by Nikolas List
Best of Zombiepalooza
FPS – First Person Shooter dir. by Andreas Luetzelschwab
Best Super Hero Film
Um Conto De Batman: Na Psicose Do Ventríloquo dir. by Elvis DelBagno
Best Drama
See You Next Tuesday dir. by Drew Tobia
Best Nevada Film
Heidi dir. by Daniel Ray
DIRECTING
Best Director
Albert Pyun, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Woman Director
Erin Davies, Fagbug Nation
Director on the Rise
Stuart Simpson, Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla
ACTING
Best Overall Individual Performance
Glenn Maynard, Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla
Best Overall Cast
Charlie’s Farm
Tara Reid, Nathan Jones, Bill Moseley, Kane Hodder, Allira Jaques, Genna Chanelle Hayes, Dean Kirkright, Madeleine Kennedy, David Beamish, Cameron Caulfield, Darrell Plumridge, Sam Coward, Lindsay Edgecomb, Brad Bromfield, Robert J. Mussett, Justin Gerardin, Trudi Ross, Colin Dixon, Mark E Darin, and Brad Avcin
Best Actor
Shane Ryan, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Actress
Tommie Vegas, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Supporting Actor
Tomer Shechori, Scrambled
Best Supporting Actress
Jillian Leigh, The Badger Game
Supporting Actress – Newcomer Award
Brittany Bochart, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Actress on the Rise
Joei Fulco, Heidi
Best Cameo Appearance
Kane Hodder, Charlie’s Farm
BEST OF CATEGORIES
Best Screenplay
Cynthia Curnan, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Cinematography
Michael Su, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Visual Effects
Charlie’s Farm
Best Song
Rebel Scum
Best Film Score
Tony Riparetti, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Editing
Daniel Ray, Heidi
Best Sound Design
Tony Riparetti, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Production Design
Michael Tushaus and Kelly Schwarze, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Makeup
Amanda Martinez, The Interrogation of Cheryl Cooper
Best Poster
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla
BEST USE OF
Best Use of Nudity/Sexuality
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla
Best Use of Violence/Gore
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla
Best Use of Music
The Beauty Strip
FILMS WITH THE MOST
Most Outrageous
Rebel Scum
Most Creative
Memory Lane
Most Heart
Chocolate Strawberry Vanilla
Most Thought-Provoking Film
Love Child
Most Cool
The Badger Game
SPECIAL POLLYGRIND AWARDS
Bad Girl Award
Tara Reid, Charlie’s Farm
Ultimate Badass Award
Nathan Jones, Charlie’s Farm
It Came From the 90s Award
Hi-8: Horror Independent 8
Best Title Award
Lust of the Vampire Girls
Best Use of Inanimate Objects
Teddy Bomb
Heidi
THE WILLY B
Heidi
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Filmmaker of a Different Breed
Ted V. Mikels
Glen Coburn
Distributor of a Different Breed
Wild Eye Releasing
Advocate of a Different Breed
theatre7
Weng’s Chop
Hype Man of a Different Breed
Flavor Flav
2014 POLLYGRIND ROYALTY
Queen
Tommie Vegas
King
Doug Farra
Prince
David Rosen
Princess
Joei Fulco
MEDIUM FILMS, SHORTS, TRAILERS AND PROMOS
Best Medium Film
The Beauty Strip dir. by G. Correli
Best Transgression Medium Film
The Sex Doll She-Bitch dir. by Jaison H. Costley
Best Short
Cassandra dir. by Guy-Roger Duvert
Best Shortest Short (Under 5 Minutes)
The Small Stuff dir. by Andrea Capere
Best Foreign Language Short
O Corpo dir. by Rodrigo Lopes de Barros
Best Horror Short
The Last Halloween dir. by Marc Roussel
Best Drama Short
(tie) Forgive Me dir by. Nicholas Lamoreux
(tie) Go North dir. by Vanita Shastry
Best Experimental Short
The Return dir. by Ada Athorp and Adrian Frost
Best Dark Comedy Short
Cask of Amontillado dir. by Jeff Freeman
Best Fantasy Short
Freak dir. by Joshua Cockfield
Best Crime Short
Penance dir. Joe Lujan
Best Animated Short
Theres an Octopus in Your Head dir. by Ari Grabb
Best of Zombiepalooza
Naked Zombie Girl dir. Rickey Bird Jr.
Best Science Fiction Short
Quintipus dir. by Victoria Angell
Best Arthouse Short
Nayan and the Evil Eye dir. by Shaleen Sangha
Best Exploitation Short
32 dir. by Daren McCoy
Best Transgression Short
No Pets Allowed dir. Nadine L’Esperance
Best Thriller Short
Black Mask dir. by Alex Colonna
Best Action Short
Aakra-Man dir. by Mihir Desai
Best Film Noir Short
Pity dir. John Pata
Best Timed Competition Film Project
Never Have I Ever dir. by Jonathan Robbins
Best Nevada Short
The Gradations of Purgatory dir. by Douglas Farra
Best Super Hero Short
Supergirl: Strange in A Strange Land dir. by Walter Jones
Best of World of Death
(tie) Manscapping dir. by Mike Lenzini
(tie) Milk dir. James Chappell & Patrick Irving
Best Documentary Short
Alternative Model dir. by Brian Lally
Best Actor
Stephen Manley (Black Mask / The Gradations of Purgatory)
Best Actress
Sheetal Sheth (Go North)
Best Supporting Actor
William Grefe (Cask of Amontillado)
Best Supporting Actress
Hannah Waterbury (32)
Best Director
Marc Roussel (The Last Halloween)
Best Woman Director
Vanita Shastry (Go North)
Best Director Under 21
Nicholas Lamoreux (Forgive Me)
Best Screenplay
Daren McCoy (32)
Best Music Video
If Only Tonight I Could Sleep by David Rosen dir. by Douglas Farra
Best International Music Video
Violence Done Well dir. by Maida Hals
Best Music Video Song
Shoot 4 The Sky by Doms Gauge
Best Experimental Music Video
Gimme the Sweet and Lowdown dir. by Vira Ishchuk and Olga Ishchuk
Music Video Honorable Mentions
Pretty In The Dark dir. by Herman Wang
Artful Dodger dir. by Felipe P. Soares
Best Fake Trailer
Poultrygeist dir. by Lisa Jay
Best Real Trailer
Atelophobia dir. by Joe Lujan
Best Promo
Art Free World dir. by Sarah Lew
Best Television Episode or Webisode
Bad Guys, Episode 2: 9:47AM dir. by Vincent McLean
Best Television or Web Series
The Haunted World of Claire Wilmenson dir. by Dustin Austen, Emmy Johnson, Nicole Duff, and Savannah Salmons
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Best Screenplay
Cop’s Wife by Deirdre Patterson
Best Screenplay Short
The Terrorist by Charlotte Lyons
Best Television or Webseries Screenplay
Super Brains by Joseph Hedley Wilson and Ted Janet
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Post Submitted by: Chad Clinton Freeman
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