IFP Minnesota, a St. Paul-based media arts center, has announced the winner of the IFP MN Screenwriting Residency, a new competition for Minnesota screenwriters. Andy Froemke, of Lindstrom, MN, has won the $10,000 residency out of a field of 99 applicants. His screenplay, THE LOWRIE GANG, tells the incredible true story of Henry Berry Lowrie, a "Native American cross between Jesse James and Robin Hood," who captures national headlines by rallying a mixed race band of outlaws to stand up to the Ku Klux Klan in post-Civil War North Carolina after they gun down his father and brothers. The St. Paul-based residency is funded by the Knight Foundation's Knight Arts Challenge with matching funds by IFP MN, as an annual competition through at least 2018.
THE LOWRIE GANG was selected by a national panel consisting of key influencers in the movie-making industry: Academy Award nominee Mason Novick, producer of JUNO and 500 DAYS OF SUMMER; Ilyse McKimmie, Labs Director of the Feature Film Program at the Sundance Institute; and Kate Hagen, a writer and Community Director at the influential Black List.
In addition to the $10,000 prize, Froemke will also receive support in fostering connections with industry advisors and production companies, free classes at IFP MN, and a staged reading of his screenplay (date TBD).
The residency is the only one of its kind to specifically celebrate Minnesota screenwriters, and was a blind competition (all submitted screenplays had no identifying elements, author's name, bio, awards, etc.). Two sets of panels-one local, and one national-participated in a process that selected 10 finalists, ultimately choosing THE LOWRIE GANG as the winner. All 10 finalists will receive guided mentorships and dedicated classes to refine and improve their work.
To read the full press release, which includes log lines for all 10 of the finalists' screenplay , bios of the Minnesota and National Panels, and more, click here.
THE TEN FINALISTS (listed alphabetically)
ANATOMY OF A TOWN by Patricia Fox
BEADED ROAD by Wenonah Wilms
THE BLACK KING by Billie Jean Van Knight
BUDDY PRICE by Eric LaValle
DOLLHOUSE OF DEATH by Susan Marks
THE HUNT by Tim Dahlseid
THE LAYOVER AGREEMENT by Michael Gorrie
THE LOWRIE GANG by Andy Froemke (winner)
THE MORPHING OF EDDIE LUBECK by Alvin Easter
SPLIT ROCK LIGHT by Andy Froemke
NATIONAL AND LOCAL PANELS
The national panel consisted of Kate Hagen, Ilyse McKimmie, and Mason Novick. The local panel consisted of David Grant, Rini Yun Keagy, Cristina Pippa, Kenneth Rance, and Mark Steele.
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