ActionFest is an annual film festival in Asheville, NC, started by Carolina Cinemas and Magnolia Pictures founder Bill Banowsky and action director/producer Aaron Norris (Missing in Action III, Walker, Texas Ranger). ActionFest[1] is the first film festival in the United States devoted exclusively to action movies.
ActionFest 2010
The first annual festival took place at The Carolina Asheville cinema April 15–18, 2010. ActionFest opened its inaugural festival with the world premiere of director Neil Marshall's bloody sword and sandal epic, Centurion. The 2010 festival featured over 25 films from around the world, including the world premiere of Undisputed III: Redemption. Legendary martial artist and action movie superstar Chuck Norris was on hand to receive ActionFest’s first annual Lifetime Action Achievement Award in Action Cinema[2], but he actually presented the award to his long-time creative partner, his brother Aaron.
In addition to screening action movies, ActionFest also showcased movie stuntmen, stunt coordinators and other technical experts, who gave two live stunt performances with improvised fights, three to four story falls, rappelling, sky-diving and a flying jetpack demonstration.
ActionFest 2011
ActionFest returned to the Carolina Cinemas Asheville for its second year on April 7 - 10, 2011 and continued to shine a light on Action films and the stuntmen and women who perform in them. ActionFest's Lifetime Achievement Award was this time handed to Buddy Joe Hooker for his 40 plus year career in the stunt industry. The ActionFest Jury Awards included:
30 Seconds of Action: Evan Pease’s Action Figures
Best Action Sequence: The noctural garbage truck/dune buggy chase in Tomorrow, When the War Began
Best Stuntwork: Bangkok Knockout‘s stunt team
Best Director: Julian Gilbey for A Lonely Place to Die
Best Film: A Lonely Place To Die
The 2nd Annual ActionFest Awards also honored:
Producer of the Year: Somsak Techaratanapresert (Sahamongkol Film International) (Chocolate, Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior)
Stunt Coordinator of the Year: Russell Towery for 'Machete
Man of Action: Michael Jai White (Black Dynamite, The Dark Knight)
ActionFest Lifetime Achievement Award: Buddy Joe Hooker (First Blood, Deathproof, The Wraith, Hooper, and too many others to count!)
ActionFest Recognition Award: Stunts Unlimited on their fortieth anniversary
ActionFest 2012
The third annual ActionFest will be held on April 12-15, 2012, and will honor legendary stuntman Mickey Gilbert with the third annual Lifetime Action Achievement Award. The annual awards ceremony will also include the first annual "'Chick' Norris" award to "a woman working in film today who best represents the spirit, attitude, athleticism and grit of Hollywood legend Chuck Norris."[3]
Notes
[1] ActionFest Photos and Review [2]