Chris Ganucheau's TRUE HEROES Wins Louisiana Film Prize

Winners of the 2014 Louisiana Film Prize (www.lafilmprize.com) were announced at a sold out awards ceremony held on Sunday, October 12th at artspace in downtown Shreveport. Louisiana Film Prize Founder and Executive Director Gregory Kallenberg was joined by his team to make the announcement, and close out the weekend-long film festival. The festival's top award of $50,000 cash - judged by a mixture of audience and celebrity judge votes and one of the world's largest prizes awarded to a short film - went to True Heroes by Chris Ganucheau of New Orleans.

The Top 5 films, as judge by audience and judge votes, receive iTunes Distribution through Shorts International along with automatic festival appearances around the country. Those films are: Based on Rosenthal by Stephen Kinigopoulos, True Heroes by Chris Ganucheau, Snip by Eric Rippetoe, Lovable by Erica Silverman and Zac Taylor, and A Bird's Nest by Christine Chen. The Top 5 will receive iTunes distribution along with automatic festival appearances around the country.

In addition to the top prize, $3,000 Founder's Circle Filmmaking Grants were awarded to five films: #TheFutureIsCrowdFunded by Mindy Bledsoe; Lovable by Erica Silverman and Zac Taylor; Based on Rosenthal by Stephen Kinigopoulos; True Heroes by Chris Ganucheau; and Addam by Alex Nystrom. The Best Actress and Actor Award, a new prize which consists of a $1,000 award to each, was awarded to Chelsea Bryan of Angel of Joy and James Palmer of Snip.

"We feel very lucky today. The talent on display this year's Louisiana Film Prize has elevated us to a world class competition" said Kallenberg. "We can't wait to see what next brings to our festival."

Preliminary economic impact numbers provided by festival organizers show that the festival's economic impact on northwestern Louisiana (from films produced for the Film Prize and the festival weekend has grown significantly since the inaugural event in 2012. In the first two years, the Louisiana Film Prize brought in over five million dollars of economic impact. The estimated economic impact of the 2014 event is close to three million for the area.

"It amazing how the Film Prize has been able to plant a flag for country's independent filmmakers," said Kallenberg. "This is an example of how northwest Louisiana is becoming a beacon for all creative industries."

For more information on the Louisiana Film Prize, visit www.lafilmprize.com. For regular updates from event organizers, "Like" the film on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LaFilmPrize.