Festival Awards Winners
Announced at 2006 Method Fest
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Cast and crew of Push gather for a photo after winning the Christie Digital Audience Award for Best Picture at the 2006 Method Fest. With the Push members are Master of Ceremony Steve Huntsman (left), Festival Director Don Franken (2nd right) and presenter Christina Nottingham.

December Ends Wins Best Picture Award

December Ends wins Best Picture Award.

Calabasas, Calif., April 7, 2006 - December Ends walked away with top honors at the 8th Annual Method Fest Film Festival, winning the City of Calabasas Best Picture Award. The film was written and directed by Lee Toland Krieger, and stars Josh Janowicz and Alex Thayer

December Ends also was the platform used by Janowicz to win the New Millennium Homes John Garfield Award for Best Actor. The strong showing highlighted a year in which young filmmakers dominated the acting awards.

"This year we had so many great performances that the judges really had a tough time deciding the award winners," said Don Franken, the Festival's executive director. "A large number of high quality films with outstanding acting made it the most competitive acting competition ever. What defined this year's festival was the emergence of so many young actors and filmmakers."

The Standard Pacific Homes Geraldine Page Award for Best Actress was shared by the female leads of the festival's opening night film Dreamland, Agnes Bruckner and Kelli Garner. The pair was also awarded the Valley of the Stars Rising Star Award during the festival.

Jason Matzner, who directed Dreamland, was awarded the Charter Communications Best Director Award.

The Daily News Best Screenplay winner was In A Day's Evan Richards, who also directed the film.

The Bob Smith BMW Best Supporting Actress went to Mageina Tovah of Dark Heart, and the MSN Spaces Best Supporting Actor went to John Corbett of Dreamland. Eugene Byrd was awarded the Wexler Breakthrough Performance Award for his role in Confess.

Youth is served at the 2006 Method Fest Awards Ceremony. At left, Evan Lee Dahl enjoys posing with Brooke Hall after winning Best Actor in a Short Film Award. At right, Evan Richards gets up close with L.A. Daily News Publisher Tracy Rafter, who presented the award for Best Screenplay.

The Corona Best Ensemble Cast Award was presented to the cast of Debating Robert Lee, whose cast includes Daniel Letterle, Billy Kay, Kaley Cuoco, Beau Bridges, Rachel Nichols, Brian Kerwin and Melinda Dillon.

The Jet Blue Maverick Award went to Bangkok for quality in low budget filmmaking and unique vision.

The Christie Digital Audience Award for Best Picture, was awarded to Push, written and directed by Dave Rodriguez, and starring Chad Lindberg, Charlotte Ayanna, Pierce Forsythe, Michael Rapaport and Chazz Palminteri.

Other winners include:

• Modern VideoFilm Best Short -- Paradox, director: Jeremy Haccoun;
• Adelphia Best Actor in a Short -- Evan Lee Dahl in Christopher Brennan Saves the World;
• Country Inn & Suites Best Actress in a Short -- Elizabeth Ruscio in In Order of Appearance;
• Prudential California Realty Best Student Film -- Wentworth, director: R. Stephen Suettinger;
• SAG Indie Audience Award for Best Short -- Big Girl, director: Renuka Jeyapalan;
• The Auto Gallery Ferrari Maserati Festival Director's Award for Acting Excellence – John C. McGinley, Dirt Nap.

A special thanks to Purple Pacific Pictures and Donna Lane for production services.