168 Film Festival Shows Glimpse of New Feature Film-The First Ever Given as Prize

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This weekend (Aug. 24, 25) the sixteenth annual 168 Film Festival unspooled at Regal Cinemas Premiere House at L.A. LIVE, featuring a sneak preview trailer from new feature film "Final Frequency" from Winter Star Productions and 8168 Productions, LLC, starring Charles Shaughnessy (The Nanny), Richard Burgi (Desperate Housewives), Lou Ferrigno Jr. (SWAT), Kirby Bliss Blanton (Green Inferno), Luke Guldan (The Good Place), Nikki SooHoo (Stick It), Josh Murray (Killing Lincoln), Abhay Walia (Seven Rounds) and Emmy-Winner, Kim Estes ("Dicks").

"This film is the result of the "8168 Feature Film Pitch" competition, where finalists pitched their feature film project, after proving themselves by making a short film," said "Final Frequency" Producer John David Ware. The winners are Director, Tim Lowry and his daughter, 11-year old Director, Rachel Lowry.

"They are likely the first filmmakers to receive a feature film opportunity as a result of a film festival competition prize," remarked 168 President John David Ware.

"Final Frequency" is a sci-fi thriller about an unlikely group of heroes, who must stop rogue scientists from using Nikola Tesla's secret journal entries to trigger a massive earthquake during the G-20 World Economic Summit in L.A. The film will be offered at November's American Film Market and released in 2019.

"168" Award presenters joining the "Final Frequency" cast were four-time-Emmy-winner, Michael Learned, Taylor Kalupa, (Law & Order True Crime), Cameron McKendry, (The Pastor), Composer Timothy Williams, Aliyah Moulden, (The Voice) and Emcee Renee Lawless ("Tyler Perry's "The Haves and the Have Nots").

Diversity won big as the 168 Film Festival Overall Best Film Award and Grand Prize (a trip to Cannes Film Festival and a $10,000 Panavision credit) went to "Fhedi," by Producer Maged Hannah and Writer/Director, Anne Alfred from Cairo, Egypt.

"Fhedi" won 8 awards: Best Overall Film; Best Speed Film; Best International; Best Actor, Jeffrey Peter; Best Supporting Actor, Mina Louis; Best Original Score, Samuel Maher; Best Screenplay and Best Director for Anne Alfred.

Nine-year-old Jeffrey Peter plays the lead role Fhedi, which means savior. In the film he is bullied mercilessly by bigger kids and finally has a chance for revenge but offers grace to his tormentors.

Additional diversity acclaim went to Writer/Producer Deborah Brown's Italian entry, "Leo e Mia" for Best Scriptural Integration and Best Actress (Serena Lotito).  The Best Student film was "Let's Go" by Aser Seifu from Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia.

The Best Comedy was "71 for Fun," by Michael Lugenbuehl.  Susan Shearer's "Wireless" won Best Alumni Film and Best Supporting Actress (Amy Sutherland). Gwen McGee's "Sister Care" was the top Documentary.

Festival activities began on August 24^th at sponsor Canon in Burbank.  The 2017 shot-on-Canon winner was screened with Producer Chris Hussar and Director Daniel Furukawa.

168 Film Festival Sponsors are Roush Media, Advent Media, Panavision, Canon, Sony, Arri JUCE-TV and Location Sound.

See all 168 Film Festival winners at https://168film.com/Festival/Nominations-Awards

SOURCE Winter Star Productions