The third annual Gasparilla International Film Festival wrapped up Saturday with a closing-night party at Tampa Firefighters Museum. The 10-day event attracted an overall attendance of about 10,000, according to the fest’s publicist.
The documentary Kassim the Dream took top honors in the fest’s competition.
Here’s the complete list:
- Young Filmmaker Grand Jury – Zona Rossa by Gina Papabeis
- Audience Best Short Narrative – Gisela’s Closet by Ben Rosa
- Best Short Documentary – Improv Island by Tod Wiseman, Jr.
- Best Florida Production – Ghosts of Ybor – Charlie Wall by Pete and Paul Guzzo
- Special Mention Cinema Award – Clear Lake, WI by Morgan Simpson and Charlie Poe
- Special Mention Cinema Award – Misconceptions by Ron Satlof
- Special Mention Male – Mark Ruffalo in What Doesn’t Kill You
- Special Mention Female – Laura Harring in Drool
- Audience Best Narrative – What Doesn’t Kill You by Brian Goodman
- Audience Best Documentary – Truth in 24 by Keith Cossrow
- Special Mention Grand Jury – Amal by Richie Mehta
- Grand Jury – Kassim the Dream by Kief Davidson
For more information on the fest, visit the official site.
The feature films, documentaries, and shorts slated to screen at the Gasparilla International Film Festival, opening Thursday night, aren’t tied together by any particular theme, per se.
Kassim the Dream, a documentary, tells the story of a boxing champions’ detrimental childhood as a soldier, kidnapped by an African rebel army. Kassim finds his escape through boxing and finally made it to the United States, freeing him from 12 years of captivity. Kassim Ouma, a Florida resident and World Champion boxer, plans to be in attendance for the screenings and will lead a film chat.
HENRY O! tells the remarkable and inspiring story of Henry Oliu, a blind man who followed his dream and became an announcer for the home town Tampa Bay Rays. Using his love for sports and an encyclopedic memory, Henry hears the crack of the bat and knows if it’s a single, double, or homerun; he listens for the ball singing into the catcher’s mitt and knows if it’s a curveball, fastball, or change-up. Henry is the color analyst on Mega Classica 820 radio, WMGG in the Tampa Bay Area and will be in attendance with the filmmakers.”
What Doesn’t Kill You