Steve Mims
Radio-Television-Film lecturer and alumnus Steve Mims’s documentary short “Changing Children’s Lives” has won The 2009 Barbara Jordan Media Award for Special Contributions from the Texas Governor’s Office. “Changing Children’s Lives” chronicles dyslexic children as they struggle and overcome obstacles with help from the Scottish Rite Learning Center in Austin, Texas. The film was singled out for recognition because of its “skillful intertwining of explanation of dyslexia, teaching techniques that have been proven to help children, and the personal touch of interviews with the children, parents, and teachers.”
The Barbara Jordan Awards recognize outstanding contributions by representatives from various communications media fields (print, radio, television, advertising, photojournalism, and public relations) who increase public understanding of the abilities and potential of people with disabilities. The 2009 Barbara Jordan Media Awards will be presented on May 29 at a ceremony in Arlington, Texas.
P.J. Raval
Trouble the Water, the documentary feature film shot by RTF alumnus P.J. Raval received an Academy Award nomination.
One of five nominated in the documentary feature category, Trouble the Water tells the story of an aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband trying to survive the deadly floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina. The film won the grand jury prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and is nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.
The film was directed and produced by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin and executive produced by David Alcaro, Joslyn Barnes, Danny Glover, and Todd Olson. Raval was director of photography, along with New Orleans resident Kimberly Rivers Reeves who turned her new hi 8 camcorder on herself, her husband Scott, and her Ninth Ward neighbors trapped in the city.
Ben Steinbauer
RTF lecturer and alumnus Ben Steinbauer’s film, “Winnebago Man,” has won the Grand Jury Prize for the Best Documentary Feature at the 2009 Sarasota Film Festival. Along with the recognition, Steinbauer’s film will receive a U.S. distribution deal with First Run Features and a screening at IFC’s Stranger Than Fiction series.
“Winnebago Man” is the story of Jack Rebney, “the most famous man you’ve never heard of.” After a Winnebago sales video, in which Rebney unleashed a slew of obscenities during countless outtakes, went viral on the web, Rebney became an unwitting Internet sensation. Steinbauer’s directorial feature debut, which was co-shot by RTF grad Berndt Mader, explores what happened afterward. The film made its world premiere at the 2009 SXSW Film Festival.
Ben’s student work.
More About Ben Steinbauer
Gabriela Yepes
The 12th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, a competition designed to showcase the best of Latino and indigenous cinema, has recognized University of Texas at Austin RTF recent graduate Gabriela Yepes. Her film, Danzak was awarded Best Narrative Short.
A sample of Yepes’ documentary work can be seen here.
MORE TO COME!
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