American Film Festival’s US in Progress Winners Include Under the Lights and Bunnylovr

The American Film Festival has announced the nine winners of the US in Progress Wroc?aw industry program, and they include Under the Lights and Bunnylovr.

The 14th edition of the program took place from Nov. 7-9 during the 15th American Film Festival. Each of the winning films, which are all works in progress, were eligible for post-production services sponsored by the program's partners.

This year's program also included panels, discussions and one-on-one meetings between Polish and American producers with the goal of inspiring co-productions and future partnerships.

The program is put on by co-organizers Polish FIlm Institute and Lower Silesia Film Center as well as partners includingATM Virtual, Black Photon, DI Factory, Earworks, FixaFilm, Orka, Platige Image, Soundflower, XANF, Instytut Adama Mickiewicza, Wroclaw Feature Film Studio, New Europe Film Sales, Producers Guild of Poland, Polish Producers Alliance, and Variety.

See the full list of winners and their prizes below, courtesy of AFF.

Also Read: Poland’s American Film Festival Opens Doors to Canadians

2024 American Film Festival US in Progress Winners

Under the Lights directed by Miles Levin, produced by Natalie Metzger received:

• the $50,000 cash prize for post-production in Poland awarded by the director of the Polish Film Institute
• $10,000 post-production award from Fixafilm
• $10,000 post-production award from  Di Factory
• DCF – Lower Silesia Film Centre award, which is a location scouting tour in Lower Silesia for the next project for the producer; 

Bunnylovr directed by Katarina Zhu, produced by Tristan Scott-Behrends, Rhianon Jones, Roger Mancusi, Ani Schroeder, and Rachel Sennott received:

• $10,000 for sound design from EarWorks
• $10,000 post-production award from XANF
• $10,000 post-production award from Fixafilm
• travel grant to Poland from  New Europe Film Sales

By Design directed by Amanda Kramer, produced by Miranda Bailey, Sarah Winshall, Jacob Agger and Natalie Whalen received:

• $10,000 post-production award from ORKA
• $10,000 sound post-production  from Soundflower

Erupcja directed by Pete Ohs produced by Luke Arreguin, Josh Godfrey, Jeremy O. Harris, Pete Ohs, Charli xcx received:

• the $10,000 post-production award from Platige Image
• the $10,000 post-production award from Black Photon

Figments of Freedom directed by Mark Webber, produced by Mark Webber, Sia Furler, Dustin Hughes received the ATM Virtual award – one day of shoot, preceded by one day of prelight, for the production of the winner’s next feature film. The market value of the prize is $25,000;

Lockjaw directed by Sabrina Greco, produced by Abbie Jones, Josh Jason, and Molly Gilula was awarded $10,000 post-production award from Wroc?aw Feature Film Studio

Baby Love directed by Joseph Marconi, produced by Lysette Urus, Maury Sterling received a special mention: $5,000 worth deliverables from Di Factory.

The Scout directed by Paula González-Nasser produced by Ryan Martin Brown, Matthew Romanski, Paula González-Nasser, received:

• promotional and sales consultation from New Europe Film Sales. Additionally the director received script consultation on her next project  from  New Europe Film Sales.
• a special mention: $5,000 worth deliverables from Di Factory.

Lucas and Iris directed by Keith Miller, produced by Matt Grady, Keith Miller, Joyce Mishaan received a travel grant to Poland from the New Horizons Association.

Main Image: U.S. in Progress program 2024, photo by Jerzy Wypych, American Film Festival