Micaal Stevens' Film MR. REAL 2 REEL Wins “Best Short” Honorable Mention at the 2013 IFFM

By: Caryn Robbins Nov. 11, 2013

Micaal Stevens won "Best Short" Honorable Mention at the International Film Festival Manhattan in October 2013 for his documentary "Mr. Real 2 Reel". Stevens has been in multiple national commercials, movies, award-winning films and was awarded The Gold Medal of Excellence at The Park City Film and Music Festival in Utah for his role in the short film "Lifted". He was part of the cast of the film "Anita Ho", that won Best Ensemble Cast at the 2013 Asians on Film Festival. "Mr. Real 2 Reel" documents his amazing journey from the streets to entertainment. Dawna Lee Heising of the television show "Eye on Entertainment" won a 2013 EOTM Award for segments with Stevens and filmmaker Mark Savage.

Synopsis of "Mr. Real 2 Reel":
In 1997, a four-time felon was released from South Carolina's most notorious super maximum prison. He walked out of those gates looking forward, determined to never go back again. He quickly fell, however, into the only world he had ever known, which was the business of selling drugs. But this time, he decided he no longer would sell cocaine, crack and guns. He instead turned to the black market and marijuana business for profit. But he believes that God had other plans and led him to the open call for Hype Williams' feature film "Belly," which he booked. That film introduced him to the movie world and has led him to become an award-winning actor and filmmaker.

The International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) offers a quality selection of world-class films with programming that encompasses all different genres which include narrative features, documentaries, shorts, animation and music videos from all over the world. The festival also has a focus on social relevance and advocacies as part of its mission, programming and goals.

Luis Pedron is the Co-founder, Festival Director and Programmer of IFFM. Pedron owns the multimedia company and PR/marketing firm, LFP International Production Inc. He is also part of the Hollywood, California, artistic community as the Artistic Director of the Asians on Film Festival (2013 - present) and the Programmer of the One Filipino-American Film Festival (2013 - present). Pedron is also an award-winning short filmmaker.

Gerry Balasta is the Co-founder and Executive Director of IFFM, Balasta founded The Mount Hope Project, Inc. (MHP), a philanthopic organization based in arts, media to help alleviate poverty. It started when he held an acting workshop (MHP acting workshop) for the scavengers of one of the biggest dumpsite town in the world (Payatas, Philippines). The graduates of the acting workshop acted in his award winning feature film "The Mountain Thief", which has become an agent of philanthropy and a plea for change.

Erin Mairead O'Kane is the Managing Director for the International Film Festival Manhattan, and Susan Hu is the Communications and Social Media Director for the IFFM, with the responsibility of marketing the fest through Twitter, Facebook and all the social media outlets including word of mouth promotion.