Getting their Freeky Creek On! by Bobbie Culbertson

It was a cold and windy night dampened by misty rain as we drove out to Fairmount, Illinois, a cozy rural community just south of Oakwood and a few scant miles east of the 'Paign.  Only one reason was good enough to take us from our toasty home...the 5th Annual Freeky Creek Short Film Festival.  The festival, held at Sleepy Creek Vineyards (8254 E 1425 North Rd., Fairmount, Il. 61841) is the brainchild of Sleepy Creek owners, Joe and Dawn Taylor who annually choose short video submissions from over 600 entrants from around the world to show in their comfortable and tastefully decorated wine tasting rooms.  While this first evening wasn't sold out as the next two nights are, almost every seat in the place was filled with costumed Fest-attendees.

Master of Ceremony was Bill Kephart, dressed as an irreverent, cigar-chomping Easter Bunny, who throughout the three intermissions, would attempt to free his friend Naughty-Kitty who had been arrested and taken to the Humane Shelter for neutering.  Aided in these attempts by his friend, Jean Claude Van Damme, a warrior-like door greeter at Wal-Mart. (Don't ask!  You had to be there!)  Anyway ... on with the show(s).

The submitted short films ran from less than a minute to over 16 minutes in length.  And most, if not all, had the same things going for them—excellent production values and above par acting!  Some had frightening CGI effects at would rival top studios (6 Shooter with its "Alien" internal attackers springs to mind).  Animation proved to be an audience favorite (my vote would go to Office Kingdom with its resigned but dedicated clerk).  Gore checked in with Vasle a Pancienne (The Waltz) and showed itself to be stomach turning.

Comedy made a good showing with, in my opinion, If I Only... winning hands down (or, in this case, hands applauding wildly!).  Dead Hearts, the longest of this evening's fare at 16 minutes, proved true love never truly dies!  That said, all were entertaining, fascinating and professionally rendered.  At the evening's end, the audience was invited to cast their ballots for the best films in several categories:

Freekin' Creepy Award (best horror)

Freekin' Artsy Award (best animation)

Freekin' Pretty Award (best looking)

Freekin' Thespian Award (best acting)

Freekin' Funny Award (best comedy)

Freekin' Fake Award (best fake commercial or doc)

Freekin' Best of the Freekin' Fest Award!  (overall most votes)

The Festival ended Nov 1 and the winners have been announced on the Freeky Creek Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/FCSFF

Joe and Dawn Taylor have thoughtfully uploaded Youtube links to the various winner of this year's Freeky Creek Short Film Festival!  So, head on over to their Facebook page for a frighteningly good time!  And should you, dear readers, find yourselves in East-Central Illinois on or near Halloween, please check out the Freeky Creek Short film Festival at Sleepy Creek vineyards.  You won't be sorry!

Complete list of submissions (*= premier)

Act 1

On Broken Wings by Walter Arnold (US, 4:00 min)

The Man From Arctica by Nils J. Nesse (Norway, 1:00 min)

The Devil You Know IBC by Brian Osborne (Local, 0:48 min)

Armor* by Jennifer Bechtel (Local, 2:00 min)

Office Kingdom by Salvatore Centoducati (Italy, 7:00 min)

Under Age by Joonas Makkonen (Finland, 4:45 min)

ZHS Trailer* by Dan Drake (Local, 1:00 min)

Castcom Cable* by Thomas Nicol (Local, 5:27 min)

Christopher Columbo* by Jiani Bach Nygard (Local, 2:00 min)

Volunteer by Javier Marco (Spain, 3:52 min)

Clowns Are Not Scary* by Mike Trippiedi (Local, 2:36 min)

Ruins by Daniel Ueno (Brazil, 4:05 min)

The Headless Nun by Nuno Sa Pessoa (Portugal, 6:43 min)

Act 2

Heavy Metal Reflections by Shawn Wickens (USA, 2:59 min)

Valse a Pancienne (The Waltz) by Bourreau Francois-Xavier (France, 2:46 min)

If I Only...* by Mike Trippiedi (Local, 2:08 min)

The Contest by Mike Osborne (USA, 0:45 min)

Awkward by Toni Lopez Bautista (Spain, 7:20 min)

6 Shooter by Lauren Parker (UK, 3:30 min)

NO, IT'S NOT THAT by Aitor Arenas (Spain, 3:30 min)

Wacky Robot by Chris Deir (USA), 4:48 min)

Like His Father by Toni Lopez Bautista (Spain, 5:00 min)

Grandma (Lola) by Joey Agbayani (Philippines, 7:00 min)

The Low Road, Baby by Mark Roeder (USA, 4:00 min)

Act 3

Death Of the First Born Egyptians* by Nina Paley (Local, 7:06 min)

Little Baby's Ice Cream by Doug Garth Williams (USA, 0:50 min)

Sister And Brother In the Cemetery* by Mike Trippiedi (Local, 2:54 min)

Piscis by Juan Carlos Camardella (Argentina, 3:15 min)

Tuck Me In by Ignacio F. Rodo (Spain, 1:00 min

Invocation by Robert Morgan (UK, 3:10 min)

Dead Hearts by Stephen Martin (Canada, 16:00 min)

Bobbie