The Festival of Creativity, sponsored by Digifest.net in Florence, Italy was the site of an elite arts presentation to filmmakers from across the world. The ten day festival boasted over 50,000 people who came to watch the very best films of the film festival circuit of this year. Long Branch local, Michael Attardi, had not only won the animation category but took home the top prize for “Best of Festival.” This is the first time that an animated film has ever won this accolade.
Florence, known as the birth place of Michelangelo and the Renaissance art period, take art and film very seriously. In fact, only five films from all over the world were chosen in their category. Attardi’s film, Once Upon a Christmas Village starring the voice talents of Jim Belushi and Tim Curry has won almost every top award in the film industry this year.
A year ago, Attardi had an idea to make an animated short film. He found a few investors then put together an award-winning animation team in Orlando, Florida. Now, he holds the title of “Internationally Acclaimed,” and has recently shattered the all-time film festival record with his 57 Th Award win.
Attardi, Belushi, and Curry: Break Short-Animation Film Record with 57Th Award
By Hayden Craddolph
You may remember the movie “Forest Gump,” when Tom Hanks takes us through a journey of a boy who beats all the odds against adversary. That journey was a combination of raw talent, luck and determination of a man who never feared his destiny but embraced it as if it was his mission in life. Long Branch homegrown, Michael Attardi, has always embraced his own dreams and like “Forest,” has always found a way to rise above the top. Most of you may or may not even know who Michael Attardi is, but his story is one of inspiration and determination that embraces the very essence of hope, faith and charity in humanity.
A year ago, the domestic and international film industry had no idea who Michael Attardi was. Now, he holds the title of “Internationally Acclaimed,” and has recently shattered the all-time film festival record with his 57 Th Award. Attardi’s animated film, “Once Upon a Christmas Village,” starring the voice talents of Jim Belushi and Tim Curry, won three film festival’s this week in Philadelphia, Reading and Portland. With fourteen more festivals in this film festival season, Attardi has a chance to continue his record that may never be broken.
One would think that Michael Attardi would be flying in the clouds and why not, he’s won the Telly, Aurora and Accolade awards to sweep the animated short filmmakers “Triple Crown,” series for this year. Only five other short animated films had ever achieved this honor and they were films made by Pixar, DreamWorks and Disney. As if this was not enough, Attardi will face these studio giants as they’ll compete for the Academy Awards. A feat that may not be obtained since it is driven by high priced marketing and public relations that run in the figures of over a million dollar campaign. The last time I’ve spoke to him, Attardi had said that he does not have that kind of money to stage a serious Academy Awards campaign. Attardi was very proud of his animation team who had got him his well received honors. “I really believe that my animation team, ran by Jeff Sheetz and my musical composer, Dani Donadi had everything to do with our success. Having professionals like them, joined with amazing talents like Belushi and Curry, creates a recipe for greatness. I really am very humbled by the fact that my peer’s in the animation world has embraced our film for what it was. For example, HaydenFilms Film Festival believed in the ground breaking animation and married it to their innovative program online.” Attardi continued, “The support I have had from my friends from Long Branch, Orlando, Hollywood and New York have been incredible. I was able to put together a team, lead by two really great friends Gary Mason (Millstone Twp.) and David Ciambrone (Rumson) who not only believed in my dreams but their own dream’s as well. That is what made this film magical. It was never about me, it was always about the story.”
Isn’t it always about the story? Maybe that is why this story was important to tell. Like Forest Gump, Michael’s story will never end. We learn that when the feather falls out of Forrest’s book and flies away into the clouds, it leaves us to believe that this is just the beginning of great things.
This is the link to AWN review:
http://mag.awn.com/index.php?ltype=pageone&article_no=3429&page=2
