Goldstone contenders
This week, members of the Vermont Film Commission gathered in a secret basement location for several hours and screened all of the official entries in this year’s Vermont Filmmakers’ Showcase. Their goal was to award one filmmaker the coveted Goldstone Award — given each year at the Vermont International Film Festival to an emerging Vermont filmmaker.
I don’t know how many films were screened, nor do I know which one was chosen. We’ll all find out on Friday October 12th at 5:00 pm at the Film Commission’s awards ceremony at the Waterfront Theater.
Last year’s Goldstone winner was Eleanor “Bobbie” Lanahan, for her animated film, The Naked Hitchhiker. Previous Goldstone winners have included Vermont filmmakers Josh Lind, Sue Bettman and John Douglas.
According to the Film Commission’s website…
The Goldstone Award has been given every year since 1999 and is named for Vermont native James Goldstone. After a long career in Hollywood, including an Emmy award for best director, the films Rollercoaster and The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight and the pilot episode of Star Trek, Goldstone returned to Vermont where he later served as first president of the Vermont Film Commission’s board of directors. Goldston passed away in 1999. Each year since then, the award has gone to an emerging Vermont filmmaker in honor of Goldstone’s dedication to nurturing aspiring filmmakers.
Full disclosure: I myself have a film in the running for this year’s award, though being the festival’s official blogger has unfortunately not granted me any inside information on the Commission’s deliberations.