Rising Filmmaker Splashes Into IndieFEST Film Awards
Brooklyn, New York, 3/10/2022 – Jake Jurich, Penn State’s Spring 2021 Film Production Student Marshal, has won two prestigious Awards of Merit from the IndieFEST Film Awards. Both awards were given for Jurich’s pensive short film, Take a Little Time—one for Student Film Short, the other for Student Script/Writer (Jurich). Shot and set adjacent to the pandemic, Take a Little Time showcases Jurich’s exceptional writer/director, cinematography, and sound design talents as he contemplates how much is too much to make off misfortune.
“It’s so energizing and validating to win these awards, especially on a project that endured so much COVID heartbreak and setback,” says producer Lilly Adams, who also has a story credit on the film. “We were days away from shooting in March 2020 when everything suddenly shut down, and when we were finally cleared to resume later that fall, there was the persistent dread it could happen again at any moment.”
Jurich adds that “the long, dark days of that original lockdown were just packed with reminder after reminder that our society prioritizes all the wrong things, primarily profit. I dove in on a rewrite during this time, determined that if fortune gave us one more swing at the film, we’d have something to say with it. I’m so proud of our team, and moved by these awards that affirm we accomplished what we set out to do.”
The IndieFEST Film Awards recognizes film, television, videography and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. Information about the IndieFEST and a list of recent winners can be found at www.theindiefest.com.
In winning his IndieFEST Film Awards, Jurich joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected distinction including 2021 Academy Award winner If Anything Happens I Love You by Laura Dern, Will McCormack and Michael Govier, Oscar-nominee Liam Neeson as the narrator of Love Thy Nature, and Radical Grace executive produced by Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon, among others. Rick Prickett, who chairs The IndieFEST Film Awards, remarks that “The IndieFEST is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world from powerhouse companies and remarkable new talent alike. The IndieFEST helps set the standard for craft and creativity. The judges were pleased with the exceptional high quality of entries. The goal of The IndieFEST Film Awards is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”
Jurich, nine months removed from his days as a student filmmaker, is furiously writing when he isn’t working sets in New York City. For more information follow @jakejurich, or visit jakejurich.com.
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