Congratulations to all of this year's official selections and visiting (and non-visiting) filmmakers. Thank you for making the 10th annual Tallgrass Film Festival such a wonderful and memorable experience for Wichita audiences.

We'd especially like to congratulate the following films and filmmakers for their achievements, including the txtwrks Audience Award winning films, the Golden Strands Programming Awards, and the Best Kansas and Emerging filmmaker films.

Txtwrks Audience Awards - Winners receives $1,000 cash prize

Narrative Feature: DEAD DAD, Directed by Ken J. Adachi
Runner Up: SHOUTING SECRETS, Directed by Korinna Sehringer

Documentary Feature: BEAUTY IS EMBARASSING, Directed by Neil Berkeley
Runner Up: CALL ME KUCHU, Directed by Katherine Fairfax Wright, Malika Zouhali-Worrall

Short Film: CATAPLEXY, Directed by John Salcido

Golden Strands Programming Awards - awarded by Tallgrass Programming Directors for Outstanding Documentary and Fiction Feature

Narrative: THE DAY I SAW YOUR HEART, Directed Jennifer Devoldère

Documentary: YEAR OF THE LIVING DEAD, Directed by Rob Kuhns

Special Acting Recognition: Robert Carlyle, CALIFORNIA SOLO

Kansas & Emerging Filmmaker Winning Shorts (awarded by Tallgrass Programming Directors)

Kansas Filmmaker: HOUSE OF MONSTERS, Director Dawn Brown

Emerging Filmmaker:
Narrative: FRIENDS, Directed by Bunee Tomlinson
Documentary: OPENING LEVITTOWN: MOVING THE FIRST BLACK FAMILY INTO AMERICA'S SECOND SUBURB, Directed by Molly Nemer

Film Awards
Tallgrass offers several awards, given to official selections of the festival, as part of the Closing Night Gala. The Audience Award films are voted on by our festival-goers and the juried awards are given by our Programming Committee.

Audience/Cash Awards: Sponsored by Txtwrks, we encourage you to go green and vote for each film via text message (keywords available on website and official festival program). Paper ballots will still be available upon request!

• Txtwrks Audience Award Winning Documentary Feature: $1,000

• Txtwrks Audience Award Winning Narrative Feature: $1,000

• Txtwrks Audience Award Winning Short Film: $500

Special recognition awards include:

• Golden Strands Awards (awarded by Tallgrass Programming Directors) for Outstanding Documentary and Fiction Feature

• Best Kansas Filmmaker Short Film chosen from the films featured in the Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers

• Best Emerging Filmmaker Short Film chosen from the films featured in the Joel Fein Emerging Filmmakers Program

Special Distinction Awards

• Jake Euker Stubbornly Independent Award New in 2012, the Stubbornly Independent Award is given to an independent film or filmmaker who takes risks, isn't afraid to tell important stories, demonstrates immense creativity and does all this within the confines of low or ultra-low budgets. Most importantly the Stubbornly Independent award will be given to someone who inspires future generations of filmmakers and encourages them to follow their dreams.

• Ad Astra Award: Tallgrass bestows the Ad Astra Award on an individual who has dedicated their life's work to the cinematic arts, from acting, to composing, to marketing, we recognize those individuals who have made a lasting impact on the industry. Past recipients include actor Elliott Gould, composer Rolfe Kent, actor Seymour Cassel, former MPAA Chairman Dan Glickman, voice over artist Don LaFontaine, actress Laura Lee Bahr, actress Cloris Leachman and festival founder Timothy Gruver.