Menu

Smoky Mountain Film Festival

2020 Award Winners!

1200;900;5f3e545989ce26cc135d52aec1af50d10fe2f5fe1200;900;93f2a01f0f4b0cc889e454d9c4a59b166554f82c1200;900;1a8b4c82e7214e3ecdc8de08824fb7a540e1689d1200;900;0bb03d8d900bd81df3e699dab43acfd86fe73a271200;900;df9b0f102c6e3066400ddd755dcf6c3a3229bd181200;900;ee92c456b0c704a687a410490ec08eb862b7a0491200;900;9abfe621b82029347e532c9f009098c6e90d22721200;900;c33d07331a6fe8d9367033980f25c462d8a02a651200;900;22c7dfa7b648d4a8d294f16346d6a60f86d591b71200;900;b3bec3b0085843bd398158cb891f7c41563dacf21200;900;92010b7880174e9fb36163c4b6430400051a62f4

2020 Award Nominees

2020 Award Nominees

BEST FEATURE
HIGHLINE
NAVIGATING THRU
THE WAKE OF LIGHT
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
 
BEST SHORT
THE ROPES
REMINISCING
SPEAK AGAIN
THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS SODDEN & VERDANT

 
 BEST DIRECTOR
 NORA LONG - A COOL GREEN PLACE
TONY WASH, B.A. LEWANDOWSKI & ROBERT STERN - SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
DRAGON ALEXANDER - BETRAYAL: THE BLACKWOOD PROJECT
RENJI PHILIP - THE WAKE OF LIGHT


 BEST WRITER
JOHN BENNECHE JR. - THE ROPES
NORRIS PYETTE - REMINISCING 
NINA TRADER & DEREK BRAASCH - GUARDIAN ANGEL
JASON K. ALLEN - MAC ISN'T GAY


 BEST ACTOR
JIMMY DOOM - HARPER
JORDAN POTCH - THE ROPES
JOSHUA JORDAN - MAC ISN'T GAY
MATT BUSH - THE WAKE OF LIGHT

 
BEST ACTRESS
ROME BROOKS - THE WAKE OF LIGHT
MADELINE MOONEY - SPEAK AGAIN
NINA TRADER - GUARDIAN ANGEL
ANGIE KANE FERRANTE - HARPER


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
HIGHLINE
THE WAKE OF LIGHT
REMINISCING
THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS - SODDEN & VERDANT


BEST EDITING
THE WAKE OF LIGHT
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
BETRAYAL: THE BLACKWOOD PROJECT
HIGHLINE


BEST MUSIC
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
BETRAYAL: THE BLACKWOOD PROJECT
HIGHLINE
MAC ISN'T GAY

 

BEST SOUND
PIPE DREAM
THE WAKE OF LIGHT
SPEAK AGAIN
SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET


DIRECTOR'S CHOICE
HARPER
GONE FISHIN'
ONE WING IN THE FIRE
THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS - SODDEN & VERDANT

 

2020 Official Film Selections!

Check out the great films showing at the 2020 Smoky Mountain Film Festival!


A Great Brother

Billy is a widowed father, the loss of his dear wife haunting him to the point he struggles with connecting with his young daughter, trying to find work, and properly care for his ailing mother. Most of his family has distanced themselves from him, unable to tolerate and deal with the consistent pain Billy puts himself through because of his never-ending grief.  By saving an abused young woman through a random act of kindness, Billy finds himself the target of the woman's jealous, abusive husband. Ultimately, this will give Billy the one chance he's needed to repair his family, and save himself from certain death.

Highline

Ten days, Five Friends, One trek across Utah's Uinta Highline Trail

 

NOTE: This film is not available as part of the Smoky Mountain Film Festival's online festival exhibition due to distribution rights. You can find this film on iTunes, Amazon and Vudu.

Navigating THRU

Navigating THRU follows the journey of several women as they hike 2,200 miles along the Appalachian Trail.

A Cool Green Place

Reuben suffers from typical cubicle life anguish: Worrying whether or not co-worker Frank will need the calculator that Reuben always borrows from him, whether his unique ability to make color copies is valued enough by management, and if he can just make it through another day without going positively insane. But today a new irritation awaits Reuben. Entering his cubicle, he discovers a novel addition infringing upon his already reduced space: a yucca plant has invaded his work area. To his horror, Reuben quickly realizes that his new office mate is not your average yucca.

The shrub not only talks, but also appears intent upon finding ways to interrupt Reuben’s productivity. As if such distractions weren’t enough, the shrub demonstrates an unnerving commitment to convincing Reuben to murder one of his colleagues.

Will the plant succeed?
Will Reuben ultimately unleash one of his deepest-held desires?
Will cubicle hell be eliminated for eternity?
Has Reuben simply lost his mind?

Harper

Harper is a drama/science-fiction narrative short film that follows the story of a stranded time traveller, who struggles to regain the courage to move forward in her journey without causing collateral damage.

Uncertain Future

The Rocky Mountain Horse is now on the Threatened Species List. Awareness of this unique gaited breed is a must to help this rare breed survive. Help save this breed by letting everyone know this special horse exists!

One Wing in the Fire

Hiking the nearly 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail is a mammoth undertaking. Those up to the task could use a little help from this benevolent, chain-smoking Trail Angel who drives the only white van you want to accept candy from.

Belle

A girl tries her best to win the affections of a young man.

Noodles & Incense

Chinese-American cook Amy Chang wants to move to L.A. with her girlfriend Megan, yet is held back by unfinished business with her late grandma.

Speak Again

Operating a lonely cattle ranch in 1893, Marcy’s solitude is interrupted by the presence of Father George, an itinerant priest who turns up delirious and lost on Marcy’s land. Needing to travel south through the mountains, George recovers his strength in Marcy’s care. In the process, the two open up about their pasts and reflect on what it means to live alone.

 

The Great Smoky Mountains - Sodden & Verdant

On August 17, 2018, I drove away from a promo shoot in Nashville, TN in a rented Jeep Wrangler headed for The Great Smoky Mountains. I was about to set off on my 1st completely solo backpacking trip 2,225 miles away from my home of Pasadena, CA. As I left my rental sitting at the Mount Sterling Trailhead, I couldn't help but keep focused on the thought of bears. This was because my previous trail plan had been cancelled because of aggressive bear activity at campsite #37. Once I was able to overcome the fear of the great black bear, I settled in to what was to become one of the most memorable backpacking trips of my life.

On the Line

Shelby and Sam have been together for quite some time.  In an attempt to progress their relationship further, Shelby takes a fishing trip with Sam's father to help them bond.

The Ropes

A single father pursuing a career in boxing is faced with an opponent that no amount of training can match. His goal of becoming a prize-winning fighter transitions as the realization his best prize is to show his son the importance to face battles not just in the ring but in life itself. He wants his son to have pride, courage, and most of all to never stop fighting even when your back is against the ropes.

Bae

Enjoying a quiet night with bae

Reminiscing

An old duck hunter reflects on the past while finding his place in the future.

Pipe Dream

Each year thousands of budding actors take that huge leap of faith and move to L.A. or New York in search of stardom. This is the story of once such actress who, with nothing but her talents and determination, would go from anonymity to Broadway stardom within a few short years. She would later become known as the beloved legend of stage and screen, Carol Burnett.

Gone Fishin'

Billy, a 12 year old boy befriends his neighbor, old man Carl during a time of crisis and need. Is fishing the cure for all that is going wrong? Will everyone's secrets be brought to light? Is it okay to eat cereal without milk?

The Wake of Light

The Wake of Light is a romantic drama about a young woman slowly losing hope while caring for her aging father and their broken down farm.  One day she meets a charismatic young man on a cross country road trip, who falls for her and asks her to come with him. In confronting the heart-rending choice to leave her father and journey with Cole, Mary is forced to confront the real issue keeping her from having a life of her own.

NOTE: This film is not available as part of the Smoky Mountain Film Festival's online festival exhibition due to distribution rights. For more details on where you can see this film visit the official website: www.thewakeoflightmovie.com

The Surfers "You are the One for Me"

Music Video by The Surfers

Skeletons in the Closet

This throwback 80s horror experience features The Widow and her deceased husband, Charlie, hosting a viewing party of various interwoven scary stories, as they do every Friday night.  Their number one fan, Jamie, whom never misses an episode, sits down in front of the tube to devour the delectable terror.  On this evening in particular, Jamie has her favorite indulgence constantly interrupted by Tina, her new babysitter.  Fear and foreboding are abound on screen as well as in Jamie's house this Friday night! 

Think Stranger Things meets Elvira meets Married With Children.

Betrayal: The Blackwood Project

Synopsis Coming Soon!

Guardian Angel

Olivia confronts the biggest barrier in her life as her mother is in hospice and is slowly dying. Olivia must face her mom and say her final goodbye to receive the closure she has been needing for the last ten years.

Submit Your Film!

2022 SUBMISSIONS CLOSED