COYOTE TALES: MYSTERY’S NIGHT
By Frederick Aragon
Taos
The trickster Coyote has one thing on his mind in this original legend: being with the one he loves for a single magical night.

Special thanks to the selection panel and our generous sponsors.

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GOVERNOR'S CUP 2007

Three documentary proposals were chosen for Governor's Cup 2007. Each winner received an award of $5,000, plus production gear, union mentors, and crew trainees from the Governor's Film Technicians Training programs (FTTP). Special thanks to IATSE Local 480 and the FTTP schools: the Santa Fe Community College, Central NM Community College in Albuquerque, Eastern NM University in Roswell and NM State University in Las Cruces.

The films premiered at the Santa Fe Film Festival in November 2007.

A RETURN HOME
By Ramona Emerson
Albuquerque
Navajo artist B. Emerson Kitsman begins a monumental project while adjusting to her return to life on the reservation.

THE POET AND THE WIND
by Armando Kirwin and Daniel Dinning
Albuquerque
THE POET AND THE WIND follows the personal journey of three New Mexican poets in their quest to win a national poetry slam competition.

SIGNING A DREAM
By Thomas Tischler
Santa Fe
Deaf football coach Robert Huizar strives to bring an all-star team of hearing and deaf players to a state championship.

GOVERNOR'S CUP 2006

In 2006, the Competition sought short screenplays, and provided four winners each an award of $5,000, plus production gear, union mentors, and crew trainees from the Governor's Film Technicians Training programs (FTTP). Special thanks to sponsors Comcast and the National Geographic All Roads Film Project, plus IATSE Local 480 and the four FTTP schools: the Santa Fe Community College, Central NM Community College in Albuquerque, Eastern NM University in Roswell, and NM State University in Las Cruces.

The four winning screenplays were produced in New Mexico in the summer of 2006 and premiered at the 2006 Santa Fe Film Festival. The four winning films are:

Photo: Rick Romancito
BENITO'S GIFT
By: Rick Romancito
Taos
Young Benito Lujan just wants to impress his Uncle Juan. Worried that his uncle isn't proud of him, Benito decides to change all that by singing a special song during his school's Christmas play, one he has practiced in his tribe's native language. But right before the play is set to begin, his Aunt Lupita arrives — only to take him away. What follows is a night of revelations and a dawning realization for Benito that his elders are human beings with faults and frailties just like anyone. "Benito's Gift" was filmed at the historic Taos Pueblo and at the Taos Day School, where its star, Adam Rael, attends classes. Based on the original short story by writer-director Rick Romancito.

Photo: Don Gray
BIRTHDAY
By: Hannah Macpherson
Albuquerque
BIRTHDAY is the story of a young girl's impact on a dying man. On a journey that changes them both, the two discover more about the lessons of life than they would have on their own. Shot on locations near Roswell, NM, the film stars award-winning actor John Ericson and Taos resident Mia Stallard.

Photo: Don Gray
A DAY IN HEAVEN
By: David Valdez and Philip Gunn
Rio Rancho
After the death of his wife Carmen, Rudy Dominguez's life falls apart. With the help of local altar boy Danny, Rudy builds a machine to fly to heaven so that he can be reunited with his true love. Shot on locations in Las Cruces, NM.

Photo: Don Gray
A PIECE OF PIE
By: Scott and Paula Merrow
Albuquerque
A flat tire on the highway near Pie Town, NM leads to a chance encounter at the Pie-O-Neer restaurant. There’s one piece of pie left, and it’s already spoken for. It’s a battle of wits to see who gets the pie, in a town where appearances can be deceiving.

GOVERNOR'S CUP 2004                                                                                                       ^Top of page

The 2004 Governor's Cup Competition honored the work of three New Mexico artists: Jeff Drew for his short film ALLISON; Chris Kientz for RAVEN TALES; and Doug Crawford for the short documentary NUESTRAS ACEQUIAS.

ALLISON
By: Jeff Drew
Jeff loves his wife, Allison. He has loved her since he was just a little boy, and his admiration for her hasn't wavered even in adult hood. The problem is that Jeff is a grown man, and Allison is a 10-inch plastic doll. This short film chronicles the ups and downs of this unusual relationship with both comical and despairing results.

RAVEN TALES
By: Chris Kientz
Raven Tales was produced to introduce native folklore to a broad international audience in a contemportary, humorous and entertaining way. Raven Tales tells the stories of the adventures of Raven, the most powerful, and one might add, trickiest troublemaker of aboriginal mythology. This film is targeted to school-age children (ages 8-12) and their families.

NUESTRAS ACEQUIAS
By: Doug Crawford
NUESTRAS ACEQUIAS tells the story of the historic waterways that bring precious life-giving water to the communities of Northern New Mexico. Told primarily through the voices of young people concerned about preserving their cultures and traditions, the film examines the necessity of community cooperation.

2004 FINALISTS

Abraham
By: Paul Ratner
A Navajo father hears what he thinks is God's command and takes his son on a trek across the barren deserts of the American Southwest. The command is to sacrifice the son to prove his faith. The father is tormented as the immensity of the task weighs more and more upon him, the closer they get to the place of the sacrifice. Surrounded by the austere majesty of Nature's creations, the father must make the most important decision of his life. The film is shot on locations in northwest New Mexico.

Surviving the Streets: Growing Up in the Mission
By: Jo Ann Gutiérrez-Béjar & Lynn Selby
Shot on the streets of the Mission District in San Francisco, directors Jo Ann Gutiérrez Béjar and Lynn Selby gaze into the lives of two young people who survived the streets of a big city on their own means and lived to tell their story and continuous struggle. This documentary takes a hard look at the issues encountered by youth.

Three Wishes and a Half
By: Tamarind King
Bored and frustrated with his life, a young elephant embarks on a journey to find his identity. With the help of a fairy godfather, he sprouts wings, fins, antennae and everything else that will carry him along on his voyage for self-discovery. In the end, he finds that there is no place like home (and nothing like a few quirks to mix things up).

Geronimo Forever
By: Ouray F. Muskrat

Hole in the Wall
By: Santiago and Josh Meyer

We're Moving
By: Roberto Codato
A trio of spirited and inspiring dancers perform at schools across Grant and Luna Counties, in southwest New Mexico. They share the expressive possibilities of dance and body movement with children and adults.

Blood, Milk and Sky
By: Dustin Thompson and Samantha Matta
A happily married couple... The wife's gruesome abduction... A husband's revenge... All to a surprise ending in music video style to "Blood Milk and Sky" (White Zombie).

Gay Marriage: Perspectives of a Community
By: Dusty Deen and Ambyr Evans
A short documentary chronicling the reactions of members of a small New Mexico community to President Bush¹s proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages in the United States.