Editor

The 11th annual Kansas City Jubilee Film Festival, April 12-22, a celebration of indendent filmmaking in the Heartland showcased over 100 short films from around the world, features from Missouri and Kansas, and films inspired by JAZZ.

Films and filmmakers recognized for excellence include:
Outstanding Service to the KC Film Community – Teri Rogers, Take 2
Indie Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievements in Film Education - Howard Suber, founder of UCLA Film School
Our judges were Sarah Jo Marks of At Risk Films, Mark Stolaroff of No Budget Film School, David Cole an independent producer and screenwriter, and Meaghan Brander of the Toronto International Film Festival Group.
Narrative Awards
US / International – Honorable Mention Narrative
The Angel - Paul Hough & Charles E Santacrose
Moi - Yan England
US / International – Best Comedy
The Saddest Boy in the World - Jamie Travis
US / International – Best Drama
Pop Foul - Moon Molson
Avid Editing Prize
The Cow-Pow Project - Gregory Albrecht
Heartland – Narrative Honorable Mention
Lone Elm - Gregory Sheffer
Heartland – Best Narrative
World Builder - Bruce Branit
Documentary Awards
US / International – Honorable Mention Documentary
Under a Minute Guides to Nations of the World - Philip Travis
US / International – Best Documentary
The Fighting Cholitas - Mariam Jobran
Heartland – Best Documentary
The Crocodiles of Kansas City - Ethan Turpin
Animation & Experimental Awards
US / International – Best Experimental
Sounds Like Silence - Aaron Kopff
US / International – Best Animation
A Painful Glimpse Into My Writing Process (In Less Than 60 Seconds) -Chel White
Heartland – Best Animation
Sin-a-rator - Adam Scheff
Best Student Film $1000 (Avila, UMKC, KU & MK12)
The Cocktail Party - Brandon Duncan
Best Heartland Feature Film
AIR – Jeremy Osbern & Christopher Blunk
Best of Fest Short Prize $5000 TimeWarner Cable of KC
Pop Foul - Moon Molson
CinemaJAZZ is a special program of the KC Filmmakers Jubilee. 2007 was the second year of exploring two great American art forms - movies and jazz. Kansas City has an important heritage in both. The Jubilee was honored to be able to screen some powerful, fun, and insightful film works that were inspired by JAZZ; and showcase Kansas City's many jazz clubs and musicians.
The winning films become part of the permanent collections of the American Jazz Museum and Mutual Musicians Foundation. The 2007 CinemaJAZZ films recognized for excellence are:
Best Jazz Feature:
Flow: Living in the Stream of Music, directed by Jim Gabour; a documentary on the Terence Blanchard that follows the formation of his band, the scoring of one of Spike Lee's films, and performances around the world. It showcases the creative process and the passion of a master artist.
Best Jazz Shorts:
Jazz Sketch Book, directed by Cathy Karol; an animated work using sketches of performing musicians in some Los Angeles jazz clubs illustrating their play.
Putting the River in Reverse, directed by Matthew Buzzell; a documentary of a recording sessions by New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint , the first major recording session in a Crescent City recording studio since Katrina made landfall. He was joined by English pop maestro Elvis Costello in November 2005, just three months after Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans.
The judges were Dr. Chuck Berg of the University of Kansas, filmmaker and jazz musician Rich Ambler, American Jazz Museum film archivists Demetria Jones and Rodney Thompson.