On the big Closing Night of the 28th Annual Dances With Films festival LA: concludes it’s triumphant edition of Los Angeles’ largest indie film festival and announces the Filmmaker Awards winners during a joyous and heartfelt celebration at The TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, as it wrapped the 28th edition of Los Angeles’ leading indie film festival, featuring more record audiences, more films, more events, and an ever-growing footprint in L.A.’s indie film community!
The Grand Jury Prize winners were led by Nate Hilgartner’s No Choice (Best Narrative Feature) photo on the left, and David Anthoiny Ngo’s Never Get Busted! (Best Documentary Feature), the below left photo, and Hans Augustave’s NWA (Black) (Best Narrative Short). Heading the list of Audience Choice winners were Andrew Jack Zuckerman’s Good Sport (Best Narrative Feature), and Davide Fiore’s A Little Fellow: The Legacy Of A.P. Giannini (Best Documentary Feature). 
Dances With Films’ Founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent, said, “Lindsey began as a volunteer with us seven years ago, but her passion for independent cinema, shaped by her own experience as an actress in indie films, quickly set her apart. As DWF has grown into a major force on the festival circuit, she has embraced every challenge with heart, vision, and unwavering dedication.” Scallon and Trent added, “We are thrilled to have found a kindred spirit in Lindsey. She works tirelessly on behalf of the groundbreaking creatives we champion. More importantly, she truly believes in every filmmaker who walks through our doors.”
Smith-Sands said, “Dances with Films creates an incredibly meaningful space for talent that otherwise goes uncelebrated. After seven years of growing with the festival, I’m honored that Michael Trent and Leslee Scallon see me as a guardian of the festival’s legacy and a steward of its future. With their guidance, I look forward to collaborating with everyone on our fantastic team to continue elevating independent film in LA, NY and beyond.”
The Smith-Sands announcement was part of a filmmaker awards ceremony with emotions running high as the film festival’s volunteers received a standing ovation as recognition for their work during DWF:LA, and the presentation of the DWF “Family” Award to Tammy Sims and Bennie Woodell. Both also began as volunteers and now serve as resident theatre managers, as well as serving on screening committees, and in Woodell’s case – as the Lead Programmer of the Midnight Series, which was just cited by Dread Central as DFW:LA was named a top 40 festival with horror/genre films.
Our favorite winner was “MORE THAN SANTA BABY” A DOCUMENTARY SHORT BY TAMAR SPRINGER that won the AUDIENCE AWARD AT DANCES WITH FILMS!
It’s a loving tribute to the life and career of composer Philip Springer who wrote Santa Baby for Eartha Kitt and dozens of other top hits for Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Judy Garland!
“More Than Santa Baby”, a multi-layered story of Philip Springer’s vast musical legacy and a loving tribute by his filmmaker daughter Tamar Springer, took home the Audience Award for Documentary Short at the 28th Dances With Films, Sunday, June 29th, at the TCL Chinese Theater Hollywood.
It’s an intimate look at the famed composer’s lifelong journey from his start as a young man in 1940s Tin Pan Alley to 1970s Hollywood and through his most successful decade when he reached his 90s.
Originally composed for Eartha Kitt, “Santa Baby” became a global holiday classic, recorded by many iconic artists including: Alicia Keys, Cher, Gwen Stephani, Laufey, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Frankie Avalon, and Ann-Margaret. Springer also wrote with award winning lyricists, including E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, Fred Ebb, Carolyn Leigh, Joan Javits, and in addition to his top hit for Eartha Kitt, he also wrote for such famed performers as Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Judy Garland and others.
“It was an honor to showcase the world premiere of a heartfelt documentary which tells the little known story of a man with an incredible music career who created a song which has become a holiday classic,” said Jackie Tepper, Producing Partner and Documentary Programing Chair with the Dances With Films Film Festival.
“Everyone knows the hit songs, but we often don’t know the stories behind these unsung heroes. At 99 years young, Philip Springer is still an inspiration,” said Tepper.
“I have long believed that my father’s music beyond his worldwide classic Christmas song is much deserving of recognition,” said Springer. “His story is adorned with legendary artists of the Golden Era and is one of perseverance, hope and resilience. He is still composing and he just turned 99!”
Springer calls himself “a living relic of the golden age of American song” and still laments at the loss of the famed Brill Building at 49th and Broadway in New York City, where he spent the most productive time of his life. His greatest regret was that he never had a show produced on Broadway. But he told his daughter that his music will be his legacy to her and the world. With songs like “Heartbroken”, “The Next Time”, “Moonlight Gambler”, “How Little it Matters, How Little We Know”, “Santa Baby” and the beautiful paean to music “Did You Know the World is Beautiful?”, the world will never forget the contributions he made to songwriting for over the past eight decades.
Tamar Springer is the longtime manager and archivist of the music catalogue of “Santa Baby” composer Philip Springer, her father. She is an accomplished producer, including the award-winning CD/Book “The Last Legacy of E.Y. Harburg,” several CDs featuring her father’s music, musical productions and a single of “Santa Baby” recorded with Eartha Kitt with her father on the piano. Tamar is a voting member of the Recording Academy. “More Than Santa Baby”, a true passion project, is Tamar’s first film.
Additional Audience Choice Award winners were Jake Myers’ Kombucha (Midnight), Andie Arbo’s Loser (Downbeat), Luca Perito’s Ciao, Mama (Fusion Feature), Yale Fried’s Unraveled (Dances With Kidz Pro), and John Redlinger’s Department of One (Pilots). In the Short Film categories, Audience Choice Awards went to Josie Andrews’ Miriam (Narrative), Tamar Springer’s More Than Santa Baby (Documentary), and Kimmie P Callaway’s Mildred 4 A Million (Fusion).
In the Grand Jury Prize competitions, Honorable Mentions went to Brandon Bucsek’s Something Casual (Narrative), Ryan Flynn’s You’re No Indian (Documentary), and Yash Saraf’s Moti (Narrative Shorts).
The Dances With Films: LA’s lineup of 254 films, included 36 feature-length world premieres in the heart of Hollywood. Among the films announcing distribution surrounding DWF were Yoav Potash’s Among Neighbors, Allison Norlian and Kody Leibowitz’ Meandering Scars, Janna Giacoppo’s One But Many, and Adam Finberg’s Star People.
DWF:LA has been noted as consistently drawing large audience to its screenings and events, with more than 20,000 people making their way to the Chinese Theater and additional locations over the course of the eleven days. In addition to the Opening and Closing Night screenings of Chris Hartwell’s Do No Harm and Aaron Sherry’s Captain Tsunami which included full houses, additional films enjoying sold out screenings included Scout and Doug Purdy’s Pilgrim, and Ryan Flynn’s You’re No Indian – both of which nearly turned the sellout trick for their encore screenings, as well. Additional films filling up the seats were Daniel J. Clark’s American Comic, Mark Wilson’s The Calling, Peter Jones’ Fortunate Sons, Andrew Jack Zuckerman’s Good Sport, David Anthony Ngo’s Never Get Busted!, Julian Berger’s Real Couples, Alex Ranarivelo’s Shattered Ice, Avan Hardwell’s Silent Prey, Cate Caplin’s The Unicorn Diaries, and Andrew Davies Gans’ Voices: The Danny Gans Story. Dances With Films: LA also had sold out screenings for several shorts blocks, including a Fusion Shorts Block, Documentary Shorts Block, Midnight Shorts, and Pilots Block.
DWF:LA’s presented nine of its famous Orange Carpet events featuring more than 200 films and more than 1000 filmmakers, cast members, and documentary subjects being photographed and interviewed by Los Angeles press covering independent film; several panels and conversations led by top industry leaders and professionals; and four days of speed-dating style press junkets over the course of the film festival’s eleven days. Setting the tone for the jam-packed film event, for the first time, Dances With Films: LA kicked things off with a pre-fest concert featuring The Laurel Canyon Band at Ovation Hollywood (spearheaded by DWF Producing Partner and Documentary Programming Chair Jackie Tepper) for the attending filmmakers and pass-holders.
Notable attendees included Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ronny Chieng, Catharine Daddario, Matthew Daddario, Rosaline Elbay, Cynthia Gibb, Andrea Londo, Amy Madigan, Kika Magalhães, Alfred Molina, and Harry Shum Jr.
Dances With Films will next return for its 4th New York City edition in December 2025. For more information about Dances With Films, please go to: https://danceswithfilms.com/.
GRAND JURY – NARRATIVE FEATURES
NO CHOICE
Director/Writer: Nate Hilgartner
Producers: Shannon Semler, Nate Hilgartner, Steve Hilgartner, Kathleen O’Neil
HONORABLE MENTION:
SOMETHING CASUAL
Director/Writer: Brandon Buczek
Producers: Brandon Buczek, Anie Delgado, Gabrielle LeBlanc, Ben Rejzer
GRAND JURY – DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
NEVER GET BUSTED!
Director/Writer: David Anthony Ngo
Producers: Erin Williams-Weir, Daniel Joyce, David Anthony Ngo
HONORABLE MENTION:
YOU’RE NO INDIAN
Director/Writer: Ryan Flynn
Producer: Michael Sammaciccia, Santana Rabang
GRAND JURY PRIZE – NARRATIVE SHORTS
NWA (BLACK)
Director/Writer: Hans Augustave
Producers: Hans Augustave, Bruno Vernaschi, Raashauna Payne, Matthew Romanski
HONORABLE MENTION:
MOTI
Director/Writer: Yash Saraf
Producers: Karan Shah, Yash Saraf
INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS (UNDER 40′)
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON.
Director/Writer: Greg Rubner
Producer: James Panetta
INDUSTRY CHOICE AWARDS (OVER 40′)
TRASH BABY
Director/Writer: Jacy Mairs
Producers: Jacy Mairs, Karlee Boon and Cameron Holly Dexter
COMPETITION (NARRATIVE) FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD
GOOD SPORT
Director: Andrew Jack Zuckerman
Writers: Andrew Jack Zuckerman and Dillon Orth
Producers: Dillon Orth, John Cronin and Andrew Jack Zuckerman
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD
A LITTLE FELLOW: THE LEGACY OF A.P. GIANNINI
Director: Davide Fiore
Writers: Joseph Mancini and Davide Fiore
Producers: Davide Fiore, Anna Laclergue, Sacha Smith, Joseph Mancini
MIDNIGHT AUDIENCE AWARD
KOMBUCHA
Director: Jake Myers
Writer: Geoff Bakken
Producer: John Condne
FUSION FEATURE AUDIENCE AWARD
CIAO, MAMA
Director/Writer: Luca Perito
Producers: Johnny Wactor, Luca Perito, Micah Joe Parker, Viral Keshwala, Colin Flynn
DOWNBEAT AUDIENCE AWARD
LOSER
Director/Writer: Andie Arbo
Producers: Tina Carbone, Will Westwater
DANCES WITH KIDZ PRO AUDIENCE AWARD
UNRAVELED
Director/Writer: Yale Fried
Producers: Liv Boren, Chris Dooly, Isaak Popkin, Yale
PILOTS AUDIENCE AWARD
DEPARTMENT OF ONE
Director: John Redlinger
Writer: Arcadia Conrad
Producers: Charles Haid, Michael Laskin, Chris Spencer
COMPETITION (NARRATIVE) SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
MIRIAM
Director: Josie Andrews
Writer: Levi Alexander
Producers: Brenda Goodman, Levi Alexander and Josie Andrews
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
MORE THAN SANTA BABY
Director/Writer/Producer: Tamar Springer
FUSION SHORT AUDIENCE AWARD
MILDRED 4 A MILLION
Director/Writer: Kimmie P Callaway
Producers: Kimmie P Callaway, Jason Serrato, Kate Adair, Matt Wood
ABOUT DANCES WITH FILMS
Now in its 28th year, Dances With Films champions the unflinching spirit at the very core of the independent film scene. With most film festivals relying heavily on celebrity, DWF have relied on innovation, talent, creativity, and sweat equity that revolutionized the entertainment industry. And that reliance continues to prove successful with alumni moving on to write, direct, and produce celebrity-studded vehicles, star in blockbuster movies, and television series, produce multi-million-dollar film and create hot TV shows.
So stay tuned and thanks for watching Entertainment & Sports Today TV and Entertainment Today on Time Warner/ Spectrum. To watch other shows go to: EntertainmentandSportsToday.com Celebrating 30 Years being Broadcast on TIME WARNER / Spectrum!
