Poster by Brian Ewing

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – The Royal Flush Festival concluded its highly anticipated and eclectic line-up of independent films, live music, and underground art during its Closing Night Party and “Skullieâ€? Awards ceremony sponsored by Sailor Jerry Rum last night at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. Named after Royal Flush Magazine, the killer, nationally-distributed rag that celebrates underground music, art, video games, pop-culture and indie movies with original & customized artwork, the Royal Flush Festival has more value than any other film festival in New York while doing so at a fraction of the cost.

Skullies were handed out to filmmakers in categories awarded by the festival’s jury, as well as the audience. Indie rock/pop band, Red Directors (http://www.myspace.com/reddirectors), followed the ceremony with a live music performance.

The jury awarded Shan Nicholson’s Downtown Calling with Best Feature Documentary, and the best Narrative Feature jury award went to Dan Eberle’s Prayer to a Vengeful God. The Audience Award for best Documentary Feature went to Robert Patton Spruill’s Do It Again, and Prayer to a Vengeful God also won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.

The Royal Flush Festival’s esteemed panel of film jurors comprised of U.S. Director of Shooting People Ingrid Kopp, acclaimed documentary filmmaker Liz Nord (Jericho’s Echo: Punk Rock in the Holy Land), and New Filmmakers curator Bill Woods.

And the winners are:

Jury Award – Documentary Feature
Downtown Calling
Directed by Shan Nicholson

“Downtown Calling captures the energy and creativity of New York in the late 70s and 80s ­ from the Mudd Club to Paradise Garage, from Disco to No Wave to Hip Hop, from graffiti to downtown art stars like Jean-Michel Basquiat. Using an impressive range of interviews, excellent use of archival material and evocative music, Downtown Calling remembers the grittier days of New York City. We chose this film for the sense of hope it displays in illuminating the creativity that can emerge out of difficult times.� – Jurors Ingrid Kopp & Liz Nord

Jury Award – Narrative Feature
Prayer to Vengeful God
Directed by Dan Eberle

“Prayer to a Vengeful God is the first revenge thriller I’ve ever seen that speaks to the audience without saying any words and tells a tale so beautifully about love, loss, and redemption.� – Juror Bill Woods.

Audience Award – Documentary Feature
Do It Again
Directed by Robert Patton Spruill

Audience Award – Narrative Feature
Prayer to Vengeful God
Directed By Dan Eberle

Audience Award – Short
I Am A Fat Cat
Directed by Alex Brook Lynn

Best Animated Short
The Lift
Directed by Robert Kohr

One of Kind Award
Feline Frenzy
Directed by Jenna Payne

Best Music Video
The Bedroom Philosopher – Northcote (So Hungover)
Directed by Craig Melville

Best Short Film Award
Stuffer
Directed by Nathan Crooker

Best Comedy Short
Suicide
Directed by Shane Ramon

Best of Fest
El Monstro Del Mar
Directed by Stuart Simpson

Submissions for the 2011 Royal Flush Festival will open November 1, 2010. For more information on the Royal Flush Festival, visit www.royalflushfestival.com.