In its
first year, the Damah Film Festival attracted 243 short
film submissions, 19 film nominees, 4 winners, 10 prominent
jurors, and 800 film-festival participants in Seattle,
WA over two days!
Of the 82 films that were accepted and screened at the
Seattle Art Museum on October 11, many explored spiritual
topics from a wide range of perspectives. From drama
to experimental to comedy to animation and beyond, these
films also explored spiritual themes from a variety
of genres. Also, since Damah places primary emphasis
on theme, story, and experience, these films were created
with an extremely wide range of acquisition formats...
from 35mm to simple hand-held mini-DV.
Damah workshops also explored spiritual themes through
panel discussions and participation from Damah Jurors.
These discussions were enlightening, sometimes tense,
and entirely eye-opening for all the participants!
"There was so much passion," said festivalgoer and actress
Kelly Boczek. "People saw these films and automatically
something in these films connected them enough to feel
so passionate about them. That's so beautiful." "We've
ignited a movement," said Damah Board member Patrick
McGuire. "It's like people have been waiting for this
sort of thing to be available. The biggest thing we've
seen through Damah is the emergence of a community of
filmmakers who want to create these kinds of spiritual
stories and experiences."
The final four award winners each received a bronze
Damah statuette and cash prizes totaling $15,000 in
a ceremony at the unusual venue of the Experience Music
Project at the base of the Space Needle.
