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RATED
RATED OFFICIAL SELECTIONS & AWARDS
21x AWARD WINNER
14x AWARDS BEST SHORT FILM
60+ OFFICIAL SELECTIONS WORLDWIDE
ACADEMY AWARD QUALIFIED

RATED WINS TOP HONORS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS – SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL:
JURY AWARD BEST SHORT FILM!!

Complete List of Awards Received for RATED:

Best Short Film: Jury Award: Savannah Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: DC Shorts Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: Sonoma International Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: San Jose International Short Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: Big Island Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: Golden Door International Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: South Dakota Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: Et Cultura Film Festival
Best Short Film: Jury Award: South Dakota Film Festival
Best Short Film: Audience Award: Annapolis Film Festival
Best Short Film: Audience Award: Sedona International Film Festival
Best Short Film: Audience Award: Skyline Indie Film Festival
Best Short Film: Audience Award: Vero Beach Film Festival
Best Short Film: Honorable Mention: Fargo Film Festival
Best Short Film: Honorable Mention: Devour Fest
Best Actress: Christie Lynn Smith: Golden Door Int Film Festival
Best Actor: John Fortson: Golden Door Int Film Festival
Best Young Actor: Abby Ryder Fortson: Idyllwild Int Festival of Cinema
Best Ensemble Cast: Special Jury Award: Fort Lauderdale Int Film Festival
Best Ensemble Cast: Idyllwild Int Festival of Cinema
Best Production: Special Jury Award: Fort Lauderdale Int Film Festival
Best Concept In A Short Film: Jury Award: Golden Door Int Film Festival
Best Short Film Finalist: Middlebury New Filmmakers Film Festival
Nomination Best Director: Golden Door Int Film Festival
Nomination Best Director: Idyllwild Int Festival of Cinema

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June 1, 2017

So HONORED!!! RATED is an Official Selection of the very prestigious 22nd annual
STONY BROOK FILM FESTIVAL in New York! Not only were there only 36 films selected from more than 2000 submissions but Stony Brook screens all short films paired with great features in a beautiful theatre filled with more than 1000 passionate film loving people per screening. So excited to go to NY for my first time with my film to screen at this tremendous festival. RATED plays at 9:30PM July 21, 2017 with the feature comedy Let Yourself Go from Italy. Going to be great and all on opening weekend. Thank you SBFF and look forward to seeing you NY!

stonyB

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May 31, 2017

RATED is an official selection of the fiercely independent SOUTHSIDE FILM FESTIVAL in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Absolutely can’t wait to share RATED with all the other great amazing indie films at the wonderfully curated 14th annual SFF!! Pennsylvania here we come. RATED sill play 7:20pm on June 14 & 15 at the Charter Arts Theatre. Come on out and Enjoy!!

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May 6, 2017

AMAZING!! SOLD OUT and one of the most energetic, passionate film going audiences we’ve ever had. More than 500 people filled the historic Mystic Theatre to enjoy our block of films this evening and what an honor to play with 7 other amazing short films and have a Q & A with filmmakers from all over the world including: Uruguay, Germany, Italy and all over the US – Thank you Michael Traina, all the volunteers and everyone from Petaluma who showed up to support indie films. You Rock!

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May 6, 2017

So honored to be invited by the wonderfully passionate Film Festival Petaluma who brings some of the best short films from around the world to screen at the beautiful Mystic Theatre that was built in 1912 and is one of the oldest theaters in the US. Thank you Michael Traina for the invite and so look forward to sharing RATED with your great audiences!

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April 23, 2017

Amazing screening today at the Newport Beach Film Festival with programmer Larry Woolf who brought our film to Newport via Palm Springs Shortfest where he saw RATED. Great audience laughed throughout our screening and then stayed after to talk about the film. Thank you NBFF! So glad I could have our lead actors there, actress Christie Lynn Smith, Abby Ryder Fortson, and Joshua Fortson pictured here with me, John Fortson, and programmer Larry Woolf.

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April 18, 2017

The Academy Qualifying Festival BERMUDA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL has selected RATED to screen at their 20th edition of their amazing festival May 1-7th. What an honor as only 26 short films were selected out of thousands of submissions. Thank you BIFF!!

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April 5, 2017

The Newport Beach Film Festival welcomes RATED as an Official Selection. We are honored to screen close to our hometown of LA again at this prestigious festival. And thankful to programmer Larry Woolf for fighting for our film. Looking forward to joining the great audiences of Newport and LA April 23. See you there.

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April 2, 2017

RATED is the WINNER of the Audience Award for BEST SHORT FILM Thank you Annapolis Film Festival!! It is even more special to me because it will always represent the amazingly beautiful warm hearted people of Annapolis and the Annapolis film festival. Patti White, Lee, Derek, and all of the many wonderful people who worked and volunteered at AFF, and to Janet and Jenn of Tree Branch Design who sponsored our film and to the amazing audiences- Thank you so much- You all have made today a five star day!
Lots of love, Director John Fortson

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January 16, 2017

RATED IS AN OFFICIAL SELECTION OF BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!
Boulder! We love Boulder! Super excited to share RATED at BIFF March 2-5, 2017.

Named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” in the world by MovieMaker Magazine, the Boulder International Film Festival brings films and filmmakers from around the world to Boulder for a four-day celebration of the art of cinema. BIFF has developed a reputation as one of the most influential young film festivals in the U.S., with an extraordinary number of new-but-unknown feature films, documentaries, and shorts that have gone on from early screenings at BIFF to significant box-office success and multiple Oscar nominations.

See you soon Boulder! Can’t wait!

boulder

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April 2, 2017

RATED screens to amazing audiences at the Cleveland International Film Festival. More than 1000 people came to see our Comedy block of shorts and had to be put into 2 theaters. So thankful to Shorts Programming Director Paul Sloop for loving RATED and having us there in Cleveland. Thank you Cleveland for being such a great audience. It was a pleasure.

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March 31, 2017

So honored to be on the panel with other great filmmakers discussing the art of making a great short film. To me Story is King and tell a story you believe in. That’s a great place to start. And the best advice – finish your film. Whether you’re super confident in it or not the best thing you can do for yourself as a filmmaker is to finish it. This will help you toward your next project and the lessons learned are invaluable. Cheers!

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March 31, 2017

So lucky to be in this band of great amazing filmmakers at the Annapolis Film Festival including Jordan Roberts, Me: John Fortson, Chris Brown, Laura Seay, and Ruth Du. All of who have incredible films they’re sharing with me and the great audiences here in Annapolis. If you get a chance check out their films:
Burn Your Maps: Dir Jordan Roberts
The Other Kids: Dir. Chris Brown
Speak: Dir. Laura Seay
The Archer: Producer Ruth Du

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March 22, 2017

Honored again as RATED will be playing the 10th and final edition of
TAOS SHORTZ April 2nd – Thank you Taos for bringing our film. We so look forward to playing with you soon.

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March 18, 2017

Extremely honored to have RATED be an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 5TH annual ANNAPOLIS FILM FESTIVAL March 31-April 1. Thank you to festival Programmer Derek Horne who brought RATED to the festival and his continued support! Can’t wait to bring our film to the great audiences of this historic town. See you soon!

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March 4, 2017

Had an amazing time at the Opening Night of the Boulder International Film Festival and looking forward to RATED screening for the amazing audiences here!

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March 3, 2017

We are over the moon that RATED is an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 41st edition of the prestigious Academy Award Qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. Will be great fun to play with some of the most amazing films from around the world!
March 29-April 9, 2017

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February 26, 2017

RATED WINS COMEDY SHORT FILM at the SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. We couldn’t be more honored to spend the week here in Sedona with amazing SOLD OUT screenings for our film amongst the beauty of the Red Rocks. I was joined by the stars of the film, Actress Christie Lynn Smith, Abby Ryder Fortson, and Joshua Fortson.

Such great audiences and such great Q&As. To the Sedona Festival and the city of Sedona we couldn’t thank you enough for this honor and the lovely time with you all.
Thank you and see you all again soon!

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January 16, 2017

RATED IS AN OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!

We are honored and couldn’t be happier to be premiering in Arizona at SIFF Feb 18-26, 2017. Sedona is simply one of our favorite cities, being one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Their festival is already recognized by filmmakers and audiences as one of the top festivals in the nation (and named the “Fest to Impress” by MovieMaker Magazine), the 2017 edition will continue a tradition of honoring those motivated by passion for their art and driven by a love for making timely, moving and important films.

Thank you Sedona! We look forward to sharing our film with you soon!

sedona

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RATED WINS: JURY AWARD BEST SHORT FILM at
THE SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL

We were pinching ourselves after enjoying an incredible week of amazing films at the world renowned Savannah Film Festival where RATED won the festival’s top honor: JURY AWARD BEST SHORT FILM.

Everything about SFF was first class with audiences of 800+ people attending our screenings, then staying for our great Q & As. Audiences of Savannah, the people, are pure film lovers and it was such a pleasure to not just screen our film for you but it means that much more to have won amongst other amazing films. Thank you SCAD, SFF & Savannah!

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This award for Best Short Film was extra special as I was able to attend the festival with the actors starring in the film, Christie Lynn Smith (Justified, The Crazies), Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man, Togetherness, Transparent) & Joshua Fortson.

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Nov 23, 2016

RATED WINS: JURY AWARD BEST US COMEDY SHORT FILM at
ET CULTURA FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL

One of the coolest film and music festivals out there and in their first year! I can see many more years to come and heres to becoming the east coasts SXSW. Et Cultura was expertly programmed with amazing shorts and we were proud to be a part of their inaugural festival. Winning was just the icing on the cake. Thank you to all the amazing audiences who came out and to the jury! Cheers!

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Nov 23, 2016

RATED WINS: SPECIAL JURY PRIZE BEST PRODUCTION AND ENSEMBLE CAST at
THE 31st FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Very honored for the love from FLIFF! So touched that audiences and jury members so connected to our film to recognize it in this way. Thank you!

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Oct 25, 2016

RATED WINS JURY AWARD BEST COMEDY SHORT FILM at
SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

What a great festival! Such passion for short films and what great audiences!
We attended the SAN JOSE INT SHORT FILM FESTIVAL where RATED played to big audiences and where we participated in a great Meet the Filmmakers Q&A just for our film. Such great questions and thoughts about our film. So fun. Thank you to everyone who came out and supported all the films! And a big thank you to festival creators and programmers: Bill Hargreaves and Sinohui Hinojosa

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Oct 25, 2016
RATED screens at the HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL!
This is such a special screening for RATED. Please come out and enjoy this amazing festival.
RATED screens: 
Oct 21 @ 10AM
Oct 22 @ 3:15PM
Oct 25 @ 5PM
Here’s the link for tickets and info: Enjoy!
heartland2016
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Oct 24, 2016
So HONORED!! RATED screens at the SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL. I’ll be attending along with my wife, actress Christie Lynn Smith(Justified, Weeds, The Crazies), who stars in the film, actress Abby Ryder Fortson (Marvel’s Ant-Man, Togetherness), also in the film and my son, Joshua Fortson, who makes his film debut in RATED. Come out and say Hello.
RATED screens Oct 24th at 11:30am & Oct 27th at 4:30pm at the beautiful Lucas Arts Theatre!
Here’s the link for info and tickets! Hope to see you there!
savannahfilm
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Oct 21, 2016
RATED plays SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL. I’ll be attending along with my wife, actress Christie Lynn Smith(Justified, Weeds, The Crazies), who stars in the film, actress Abby Ryder Fortson (Marvel’s Ant-Man, Togetherness), also in the film and my son, Joshua Fortson, who makes his film debut in RATED. Going to be so much fun as SJISFF will be hosting an “In Depth: Meet the Filmmaker” special screening of RATED. Please  come out and say hello! We’d love to meet you!
Oct 21, 7:30pm as part of the MAKE EM LAUGH Program &
Oct 22, 4pm for the Special Screening: Meet the Filmmaker
Here’s the link:
See you there!

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Oct 13, 2016
WOODSTOCK here we come! RATED plays Woodstock! Check out our screenings in their shorts program called JESTS. RATED screens Oct 15, 4:30pm / Oct 16, 11:30am
Come on out and enjoy, laugh, and get some ideas to think about with these great shorts!
 
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Oct 10, 2016

This week! RATED plays Sapparo Shortfest in Sapporo, Japan! Can’t wait to bring our film to the audiences of Japan! Check the link below for all the showtimes and theatres.
We play many times:
Oct 11, 5pm / Oct 12, 3pm / Oct 13, 7pm / Oct 14, 12:45am / Oct 16, 12pm

sapporo

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Sep 25, 2016
RATED WINS BIG AT GOLDEN DOOR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL!!
We are so honored! RATED won 4 Jury Awards including Best Short and earned a Nomination for Best Director for John Fortson!
Special Mention has to go to our amazing lead actress Christie Lynn Smith who took top honors with the Jury Award for Best Actress! Congratulations Christie! You deserve it, giving everything you had to your character, delivering a spot on, every moment true performance that carries our film.
Our Awards:
JURY AWARD BEST SHORT
JURY AWARD BEST ACTRESS: CHRISTIE LYNN SMITH
JURY AWARD BEST ACTOR: JOHN FORTSON
JURY AWARD BEST CONCEPT IN A SHORT FILM
NOMINATION: BEST DIRECTOR: JOHN FORTSON
golden-door
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Sep 15, 2016
RATED is an Official Selection of the HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL!
One of the most prestigious festivals in the country. Heartland Film’s mission is to inspire filmmakers and audiences through the transformative power of filmHeartland Film is a curator and supporter of purposeful filmmaking, honoring a wide variety of cinema and awarding storytellers from all over the world. The films we select and exhibit – whether they inspire and uplift, educate and inform, or have the ability to shift audiences’ perspectives on the world – all have one thing in common: they are entertaining films that do more than just entertain. RATED could not be prouder than to be selected this year! What an honor!
25-years-heartland
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Sept 12, 2016
RATED WINS DC SHORTS: JURY AWARD: REVIEWER’S CHOICE: BEST SHORT
WOW! Completely pinching ourselves that the prestigious DC Shorts Film Festival has awarded RATED with one of it’s top prizes! DC Shorts proved to be one of the best screenings yet, with another sold out screening for a fantastic program titled Technology Addiction by programmer Derek Horne.
The audience hung on every moment of RATED’s screening and laughed throughout! Additionally, I was so inspired by other films I saw and filmmakers I met at this festival. Bravo and Thank you, DC Shorts!
dc-shirts
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September 5, 2016
RATED is an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the SAVANNAH FILM FESTIVAL!
And what an honor! Only 14 of the top Professional Short Films from around the world screen along side amazing features. The 19th Annual edition of the festival presented by SCAD, Savannah’s College of Art Design, includes some of the top features and shorts from around the world. This year’s lineup includes: Jackie, starring Natalie Portman, La La Land with Ryan Gosling, and Arrival with Amy Adams as well as a slate of upcoming major studio films.
Every year more than 40,000 people attend the eight day festival enjoying a wide variety of competition film screenings, workshops, special screenings, panels and lectures.
savannahfilm

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September 1, 2016
Peace, Love, and RATED! Wow! So excited that our NEW YORK Premiere will be with the incredible, fiercely independent, WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL!!  Each year film and music lovers from around the world gather at the Woodstock Film Festival for an innovative variety of films, first-class concerts, workshops, celebrity-led panels, an awards ceremony, and fantastic parties. Woodstock Film Fest will take place October 13-16.
woodstock

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August 27th, 2016

 
RATED an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the SAN JOSE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL!
Now in it’s 8th year, SJSFF passionately screens shorts Oct 20-23.  The San Jose International Short Film Festival began as a collaboration between two Silicon Valley businessmen, both avid movie fans and patrons of the arts.  Looking for ways to connect brilliant short form filmmaking to appreciative audiences here in San Jose, they organically grew the festival from a single screening to the four day event it is today. 
 
I’ve been so impressed with the respect and love for films in the short form by the founders that this was a festival RATED could not miss. Also RATED was invited to participate in a Meet the Filmmaker Program with an “In-Depth” look at the making of RATED and our amazing actors. The entire family will be present for this presentation, which includes, Director/Writer John Fortson, Actress/Co-Writer Christie Lynn Smith, Actress Abby Ryder Fortson, and Joshua Fortson making his film debut in RATED. This will be a great time! Thank you San Jose!
san-hose-film

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Aug 15th, 2016
 
Domo Arigato! RATED an Official Selection of the incredible SAPPORO SHORTFEST JAPAN! Out of more than 3500 film submissions RATED was chosen for the International Competition. Close to my heart, Japan, was a country I called home for 3 years when I was ages 7-10. 
 
My dad was in the Navy and thus we were stationed in Yokosuka and I loved it! I climbed Mt. Fuji, visited many of the great sights Japan offers, but mostly enjoyed the amazing people of Japan, who were always kind, creative, and inspiring in everything they did. Thank you Sapporo! 
So look forward to screening with you Oct 10 – 16th.
sapporo

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Aug 13th, 2016
 
What a pleasure to screen RATED with HollyShorts in their Primetime Program of the 10 best films of the festival at the historic Mann’s TCL Chinese Theatre to 400+ people! And to do it with my extremely talented wife, actress Christie Lynn Smith, who stars in our film as well as my extremely talented daughter, actress Abby Ryder Fortson, who also stars in our film. 
 
Abby(Marvel’s Ant-Man, Togetherness) was giggling throughout and got a huge round of applause from the audience. As usual everyone was moved by Christie’s vulnerably powerful performance as Maggie. Great time! Thank you to all who came out for our LA Premiere! 

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Aug 13th, 2016

So honored again! Our Jury Award Winning RATED has been chose to screen tonight at HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL with the 10 best films of the festival in a program called PRIMETIME at 7:30pm at the infamous Mann’s TCL Chinese Theatre. Go see RATED! This program will sell out and we will be there for a great Q & A. All the films are amazing in this program, so we truly hope to see you there to share this special night!

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Aug 12th, 2016

Today!! 3:30pm 2016 Jury Award Winning RATED plays the Academy Award Qualifying
RHODE ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL as part of the program Trouble in Paradise. Get tickets and go see this great slate of 5 films including RATED. We are honored to be selected by RIIFF in it’s 20th year as the absolute top film festival on the east coast and an Oscar Qualifier. This is our 5th Oscar Qualifying Festival on our run this year. Go see RATED and Enjoy!

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July 26th, 2016

We are over the moon! The good people of the CRESTED BUTTE FILM FESTIVAL have selected RATED to screen at this years festival Sep 29 – Oct 2nd. Crested Butte is Colorado’s top film festival with excellent programming and we are honored to have touched their hearts there. This festival is set in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. If you can go, go! Cheers to everyone at Crested Butte!!

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July 23rd, 2016

Wow, what a compliment, RATED has been selected by DC SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL in Washington DC playing Sep 8 – 18. This is the East Coast’s top rated shorts festival and one of the top in the nation! RATED received universally high marks from DC’s programmers including this one I’m honored to share:

“This work is among the top 3 films I’ve screened during this DC Shorts season and one of the best short films I’ve ever seen. It is simply extraordinary. The concept, design, story, acting, filming, editing and special effects are all terrific. Our DC Shorts audiences will truly enjoy this smart, funny and thoughtful work. They’ll give it “5 stars”.

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July 20, 2016

We are so honored that DESTINY CITY FILM FESTIVAL in Tocoma Washington has selected RATED as on of only 18 films to screen at this years festival Aug 25-27. Now in it’s 3rd year DCFF, boasts a extremely select, handpicked slate of films. Emily Alm, Program Director, right out of Seattle International and the Tocoma FF, has created an amazing community festival that is proving to be a spotlight for the best films touring on the circuit as well as a vital part of the film going community of Tacoma. Cheers to DCFF, we look forward to seeing you all soon!

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July 13th, 2016

Our Jury Award Winning film RATED will have it’s LA Premiere at the amazing HOLLYSHORTS Film Festival Aug 11-20th. Now in it’s 12th year, HollyShorts, has become the stand alone top Shorts film festival in Los Angeles and we are honored to have been chosen. We look forward to sharing RATED with our cast and crew and all our friends at the historic Mann’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd.

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June 27th, 2016

As a result of playing PALM SPRING SHORTFEST, RATED was invited by programmers who saw our film to 4 world class film festivals that we cannot announce yet. We are extremely excited and honored to have so connected to programmers that they wanted RATED for their festivals. Congrats to everyone involved with RATED. Our film is reaching people worldwide and on the highest tier of festivals, creating stimulating conversations. Very proud.

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June 23rd, 2016

RATED played PALM SPRINGS SHORTFEST last night to a SOLD OUT crowd who so loved the film, hanging on every moment and giving RATED a resounding round of applause. We also could not go anywhere without someone running up to us saying I just saw RATED and loved it and or your wife in the film deserves more stars – hilarious and honored. Cheers to the great audience for all the good questions and all your great comments for our film! We love you Palm Springs!

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June 16th, 2016

Hello, we are pinching ourselves as we’ve just been selected by another of the finest film festivals in the country if not the world. RATED is now an Official Selection of FLICKERS’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. We couldn’t be more honored! RATED was chosen out of more than 5000 film submissions! Check back for exact dates. The festival runs from August 9-14th in Providence, Rhode Island.
Thank you FLICKERS!!

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June 12, 2016

RATED is an Official Selection of the 2016 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL SHORTFEST!! One of the best film festivals in the United States. We are so honored to be joining all of the great films from around the world. All together 327 films will be shown in various programs playing at the historic Camelot Theatre in downtown Palm Springs.

RATED screens Thursday June 23rd at 8:30pm as part of the A World Imagined program. A terrific time slot with terrific audiences who love movies! We can’t wait!

Come enjoy the film with Director/Writer,John Fortson and Writer/Lead Actress Christie Lynn Smith!

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June 10th, 2016

RATED Wins! a JURY AWARD in the BEST SHORT Categories at the Big Island Film Festival in Hawaii! Mahalo and thank you to everyone for recognizing RATED. What an honor! So moved by the emails I received from audiences there declaring RATED: “The best short. Fun! So interesting. Spoke to me about who we are. Acting is excellent. Gave me so many laughs!” Thank you Big Island!

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June 10th, 2016

RATED Wins! the AUDIENCE AWARD for Best Short at the Inaugural Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival. We are so touched at how much RATED connects with audiences and so appreciate this award and all of the people who came out to support all the great films!

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April 30, 2016

RATED plays to SOLD OUT screenings at the Montclair Film Festival winning over the crowds with vibrant discussions and comments after the show. So fun and such great support for our film. Thank you Montclair – what a great city and what great audiences!

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April 29, 2016

RATED’s director John Fortson attends Opening night of the Montclair Film Festival with a screening of the Sundance film, LIFE, ANIMATED. Excited to share RATED with Montclair’s great audiences tomorrow!

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April 20, 2016

RATED is an OFFICIAL SELECTION OF JAPAN’S PRESTIGIOUS: SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Short Shorts is an Academy Award Qualifying festival and we are so happy to be a part of it. SSFF got more than 6000 submission films from 100 different countries and only 40 were chosen to screen in their international competition. We are so honored. Here is our link to Short Shorts.

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April 5, 2016

RATED is an OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE 5TH ANNUAL MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL

We are so honored to be chosen to screen at Montclair, such an amazing community of artists and art appreciating audiences. MFF2016 runs from April 29th – May 8th and RATED will be part of the Comedy Shorts block screening Saturday, April 30 at 9:45pm. I’ll be there so come enjoy and ask some good questions at the Q & A.

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JURY AWARD BEST SHORT COMEDY

Sonoma International Film Festival 2016

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rated is an OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE PRESTIGIOUS 2016 SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL!!

March 24, 2016

Wow, what a treat and an honor that we will be screening at the 19th Annual 2016 SARASOTA FILM FESTIVAL! This was the secret selection we couldn’t tell you about yet but were dying to share. And in the same year that SFF16 is giving a lifetime achievement award to the beautiful and amazing Sophia Loren. I have been watching her movies for years and always enjoying her powerful subtle performances. Honored!

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We have been given two screenings! So you have 2 chances to catch RATED.

Monday, April 4th at 4:15pm
Tuesday, April 5th at 1:45pm

And I, director John Fortson, will be there to see you, answer your questions, take part in a Q & A, and enjoy sharing the film with you all! So come on out and let’s watch some movies together!

Thank you Sarasota! I look forward to seeing you soon! – John

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rated  is an OFFICIAL SELECTION of the 2016 RINCON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

March 23, 2016

We are honored once again with the Official Selection of our film into the 2016 Rincon International Film Festival  Held in the city of Rincon, Puerto Rico, April 11-17th, outside in beautiful venues, RIFF is the largest and most celebrated film festival in Puerto Rico.  We are excited to bring rated to the audiences of Rincon and Puerto Rico. The story of how we are more and more rating people and their services in this world is one that resonates with everyone and obviously being the focus of our film, rated, can bring these issues to the table for people to talk about. Exciting. If you are in Puerto Rico, we look forward to seeing you there!

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rated    GOES TO HAWAII! OFFICIAL SELECTION BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL 2016
 
March 14th, 2016
Aloha! Wow, we’ve just officially finished our film this past week and today marks our 7th festival selection. We are so honored. It’s one thing to make a film and believe in it, but it’s even more special to have people align themselves with your belief and see the vision in your film that you felt in your gut when you first conceived of the idea.
We LOVE Hawaii and are so proud of rated to be playing at the BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL from May 26 – 30th. How can you beat screening your film in Hawaii with the warm water, great waves, and warm tropical air? We gotta get there to see it with you all and if you are there go see rated!
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rated   OFFICIAL SELECTION OSCAR QUALIFYING ATHENS INT FILM FESTIVAL
February 28th, 2016
February is a magic month! We are so deeply honored to announce that the Academy Award Qualifying ATHENS INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST has selected our film rated to compete in their shorts program.
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Short Supply | Athens International Film + Video Festiva…

Showing: Monday, April 4 at 3:15 PM Short Supply Dir. Kevin Molony Poland, United Kingdom, Narrative 57 min. A visit to the Dentist leads to a fatal extraction . An…
Preview by Yahoo
Running April 4-10th, this is the 43rd year of this amazing festival with such an amazing history. Thank you AIFVF! We look forward to joining you on screen and in the audiences.

athens

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rated      Selected to a SPECIAL SECRET FESTIVAL WE CAN’T ANNOUNCE YET!
February 18th, 2016
I love February! We are pinching ourselves! We just found out we were selected by a very special festival but we can’t let the cat out of the bag yet. Not until March 16th when they announce the schedule but we are thrilled to be joining them! Will fill you in on the details soon!
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rated     Selected Again! OFFICIAL SELECTION GASPARILLA INT FILM FESTIVAL 2016!
February 17th, 2016
Great! More February selections! We are over the moon! Thank you to THE 10th GASPARILLA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL which takes place in our home state of Florida. What a pleasure our film is connecting to people all over the country and what a great festival to have our Florida Premiere!
Gasparilla is celebrating it’s 10th year and will run in Tampa Bay from March 30th – April 3rd. So hope you’ll go check them out if you are in that area and see our film while you’re at it. rated
 gasparilla

 

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rated     Goes International! OFFICIAL SELECTION BRUSSELS FILM FESTIVAL 2016!
February 15th, 2016
Wow. What great news! Our film rated has been chosen as an official selection of the BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL – again even before the film has been finished!
We are so proud and honored that festivals are connecting to our story and the concept of the film. So look forward to talking to audiences about our film.
Thank you BIFFF! Thank you for making us International!
 brussel
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rated     OFFICIAL SELECTION SONOMA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2016!
February 8th, 2016
Hello everyone. We are thrilled to announce that our film rated has been chosen as an official selection of the 19th Annual SONOMA FILM FESTIVAL running March 30-April 4th. Actress Christie Lynn Smith and I will be heading up to Sonoma for the World Premiere. Thank you Sonoma – look forward to seeing you all there and sharing our unique film with your audiences.
 sonoma
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 poster-Rated-film
Hello World! We love you and this is our film rated. We are excited to share this story with you all where ever you are as everyone who’s seen it is struck with conversation and thought. rated explores our world one step in the future where people can “rate” each other. Intriguing and Terrifying at the same time. This rating system is one you can see, all the time, no matter who you are, it’s there.
rated is the story of Maggie, a wife and mother of two, who must find the courage to own up to her behavior when she wakes up to a world where every adult has received a YELP-like star rating floating over their head. While most everyone has a shining 4 and 5 star rating, Maggie’s only got 2.5!
We look forward to sharing and talking about this concept and story with you. So look for rated at a film festival near you and if you want to see it, email your local film festival and ask them to select rated!