2011 Elgin Short Film Festival

With more than 45 films submitted from around the United States, the selected films ran the gamut from comedy to drama.
The 2011 Winners are:

FIRST PLACE:  The Small Assassin 
Director: Chris Charles

Synopsis: The year is 1947, and Alice (Lois Atkins) and David (David Marcotte) have just given birth to their first child. When Alice slips into postpartum depression, David seeks the advice of their Doctor (Robert Breuler), who assures him that she will eventually come around. But as time passes Alice's depression takes a turn for the worse, and she becomes convinced that the baby is conspiring against her. David must decide if his wife is losing her mind, or if the child is plotting their doom. The Small Assassin is based on the short story by legendary sci-fi author Ray Bradbury.

Small Assassin
SECOND PLACE:  LARS 
Director: Manuela Rossi

Synopsis: East Berlin, 1985. Lars, a young Stasi Lieutenant, discovers his parents are smugglers and the leaders of an underground resistance movement. Now, with his commanding officer over for dinner, Lars struggles to reconcile his feeling of kinship with his ideology.

 Lars
THIRD PLACE:  The Good River
Director: Shannon Lynch

Synopsis: Inspired by a true story, The Good River follows Jonah, a slave in 1850s Kentucky who is confronted with the opportunity to help runaway slaves find freedom on the underground railroad. Jonah must choose if he will put his life, as well as the lives of his family at risk in order to join the cause.

The Good River
People's Choice Award Winner:  Return to Grace
Director: Ken Stachnik
Producers: Joshua Schilling and Heather Vandneberg

Synopsis: Darrow, a roguish romantic who never looks before leaping, escapes from prison. He steals some clothes and a car to secure a new identity for himself and speeds through the Midwestern country side to the farm where Lily, his former love, lives. Darrow lies to regain her trust and start a new life, but runs into trouble when his past catches up with him. With the police close behind, Darrow must choose to cling to his fantasy life or flee and live to love another day.

Return to Grace
FINALIST:  Christmas Tree: A Story in Five Parts
Director: Marc Sloboda and Jay Hurst

Synopsis: A family joins in the festivities and preparations of the Holiday Season as Christmas approaches.

Christmas Tree
 FINALIST:  Hank Frisco: Galaxy Defender

Producers: Joe DeJulius, Patrick Fee, Matt Kelley, Scott Lynch and Jake VanKersen

Synopsis: When Captain Hank Frisco gets trapped on the office planet Fax 263, his loyal assistants, Bonzo and Archie, mount a rescue mission to find him.

 Hank Frisco
FINALIST:  Mistaken
Director: Cassandra Lees

Synopsis: In WWII Austria a chance encounter becomes the central point of two lives. Beyond language, nationality, time and place, a single moment can mean everything.

Mistaken

Go to 2018 Elgin Short Film Festival