The Swedies: Swede Fest 8 awards
Once again, The Beehive is honored to host the semi-regular Swedies, the only semi-legitimate awards covering the Swede Fest.
Swede Fest — the homegrown festival dedicated to low-budget movie remaking — held its eighth event on Saturday, a standing-room-only affair at Full Circle Brewing Co. Swede Fest 8 represented a new height for the festival in terms of attendance, entrants and all around hype. Swedes came from around the Valley, and around the world — France, Australia and New York.
Picking winners for Swede Fest 8 was also the toughest of all the festivals I’ve attended. But below you’ll find what impressed me. You can watch all the films for yourself at swedefest.com, then come argue with me. Oh, one note, for obvious reasons, I’m not considering “The Avengers: Sweded” for any awards. It’s already conquered the Internet. It can live without a Swedie.
To all the rest of the winners: Take a screenshot of this post and make it your desktop image at work, then tell all your co-workers you won a Swedie, then spend the next 10 minutes attempting to explain what the heck that is. Congrats!
- Best motion picture (drama): “La Bamba”
- Best motion picture (comedy/musical): “Top Gun” **
- Most creative: “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
- Best director: Anthony Taylor, “Speed”
- Best actor: Whoever played the role of Bob in Richard Rocha, “La Bamba”
- Best actress: Traci Arbios, “The Princess Diaries”
- Best supporting actor: Tony Bennett, “Speed”
- Best supporting actress: Whoever played Ritchie’s mom in Charles Thomas, “La Bamba.”
- Best editing: “The Tree of Life”
- Best use of props/special effects: “V for Vendetta”
- Best costume design: “The Muppet Show: Mahna Mahna”
- Best original music: “La Bamba”
** I know the real “Top Gun” probably doesn’t count as a comedy — but this re-imagined version certainly does. Plus (/big confession here/) I’ve never seen “Top Gun.” So after watching this, I’m not so sure it’s isn’t a comedy.
Responses to "The Swedies: Swede Fest 8 awards"
Oh wow– this is just so… so wonderfully unexpected. I’d like to thank all the wonderful people who put together Swedefest 8 for this amazing and wonderful opportunity; I’d like to thank my wonderful director and co-actor and co-creative inspiration, my son, Harrison (who appeared in drag: love you son); and of course I’d like to thank all the wonderful little people (by which I mean midgets) who helped make this dream possible. Naturally, big thanks go to my agent– me– because I’m self representing. And Of course, I’d like to thank Mike Oz, without whom this award (and that $5 I gave him) wouldn’t have been possible.
Thank you. Thank you all.
CONFESSION: I saw Top Gun theatrically at least 3 times as a kid & haven’t seen it since. I BARELY recall a few portions the film.
Traci, never forget to thank your agent, ME. Or I’ll stop giving you rides to wine events.
So close, but the answer is “Seven” for everything.
Thanks for the recognition!
I’d like to recognize the JP Marketing and Windsong Productions team for being such good sports and being game to shoot a Swede during their individual photo days.
Major kudos to Kyle Gentz and Steve Darval for being willing to bring out the good gear and let me keep my Flip Cam in the OFF position all day long.
Have to recognize fellow Swedie award winner, Tony Bennett, for his reluctantly awesome performance. Not to mention A+ performances from Byron Watkins, Sara Bourbeau, Scott Coulter, Michael Uribes, Steve Darval and Joanna Mercado.
But most of all, I want to thank Graham Yost for his words seeming so out of place in any context. Thanks Graham.
Oh yeah…and my wife. She’s my reason for everything. Though saying she’s my reason for making “Spede” is perhaps not true…anyway. I love you, baby.
That should be Joann Mercado. Not Joanna. I don’t know a Joanna. The person playing Not Ferris is Joann. So, yeah Sorry, Joann.
We was robbed!
Were there a category for such a thing — and heck, maybe I’m creating it right now — that was the best random allusion to another film.
FWIW: You guys were close in a few categories. It was well done.
@Joe hahaha, so true! But major ups to Di60 for their brilliant and sexy rendition of Top Gun!! Loved it!!!
I heard the first prize was $500…in art lessons!
Bahahaa! BestBobEver!
Not COMPLETELY random, since Alan Ruck was in Ferris AND Speed. Tee hee, tee hee. That was Byron’s idea completely!
Bob was played by Richard Rocha, and Connie was played by Charles Thomas.
Both did a great job!
I would like to thank everyone involved with the making of our movie! I would be remiss if I did not mention that “La Bamba” could not have been what it was without the work of Keith Rocha. He made our collective vision come to life on the screen. I love you, carnal!
I want to thank my apartment’s garden hose for being in reach of the soon to be raging inferno that was the special effects on V for Vendetta. Without it’s help a potential arson case against me turned into just a slight smell of lighter fluid and burnt Styrofoam peanuts in my back patio.
Seriously I want to thank both Roque and Bryan for putting on another great Swede Fest. It seems like it gets bigger and bigger each time and they finally got some recognition both with their Frebby win earlier and with their Avenger’s swede that made the rounds on the interwebs.
Can’t wait to see what happens in May 2012 for Swede Fest 9.
As always it is a pleasure to be involved with Swede Fest. The audience gets bigger and better with every one. Thank you Beehive for the Best Editing nod.
Note: Blasphemy Ahead–
Re: Swedes
Comment:
I just don’t enjoy them. Still. I get how they’re fun to make, and can be very clever, and are a fair entry into beginning filmmaking, but for me they’re just filmmaker karaoke. Enjoyable to do, attended by many, but mostly done for solely selfish reasons.
Backlash:
Aaaand Go!
Sorry SwedeFans. That’s just how it is for me.
Steph
No backlash incited. To each his own. I enjoy watching other people’s swedes. I was really impresssed with a lot of the entries. We made the La Bamba Swede in hopes of having a good time and finding an outlet for our creativity. Mission accomplished.
Just curious. How is it different from theater companies performing plays that have been written and performed before?
Really enjoyed your La Bamba Swede, Bobbi. And Mike, pretty much no lines were changed from the original Top Gun. It’s a loving tribute to one of the gayest movies ever made!