Des Moines, Iowa September 25 - 27, 2020

Announcing the Winners

After much deliberation, our distinguished panel of judges has selected this year’s winning films. Congratulations to all of the filmmakers and teams who participated. We are proud to announce our winners.

Kudos to Retro Neon Film for winning Best Film of 2020. Their film Sanity will go on to represent Des Moines against all the other city winners around the world at Filmapalooza 2021.


1st Place: Best Film of 2020

Sanity by Retro Neon Film

2nd Place: Best Film of 2020

The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

3rd Place: Best Film of 2020

Fuchsia by Illustrate

Required Elements

  • Character: Les or Lily Rostinger, Landscape Designer
  • Prop: a pencil
  • Line: "She told me to tell you, "She's leaving town". OR She told me to tell you, "She is leaving town"."

Audience Favorite: Group A

Bad Words by 1 coffee, 2 creams

Audience Favorite: Group B

The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

Best Writing

The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

Honorable Mention
Coda by Trans-Iowa Canal Company

Best Editing

El Engaño! by Tiny Explosions

Best Directing

Sanity by Retro Neon Film

Best Cinematography

Sanity by Retro Neon Film

Best Sound Design

Fuchsia by Illustrate

Best Actor

Skyler Ferguson Sanity by Retro Neon Film

Honorable Mention
Ben Bjorholm The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

Best Actress

April Melody Tan Fuchsia by Illustrate

Honorable Mention
Amy Wonderlin Alstroemeria by Negative Space

Best Use of Character

The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

Best Use of Prop

The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

Best Use of Line

Bad Words by 1 coffee, 2 creams

Best Use of Genre

The Faded Lilly by Primitive Filmworks

2020 Film List

  • Alstroemeria by Negative Space

    Two friends grow apart due to career related stress.

  • Bad Words by 1 coffee, 2 creams

    I'm just a dude that's enthusiastic. What's wrong with that?

  • Coda by Trans-Iowa Canal Company

    A man reminisces with his father as they are selling his prized guitar.

  • Date Night by Handsome Bear Productions

    A Romantic Date Night Takes An Unexpected Turn

  • El Engaño! by Tiny Explosions

    An inventive, but misguided man ventures to travel back in time and prove everyone that pandemics are all a lie.

  • Fuchsia by Illustrate

    Lily Rostinger, a visionary landscaper, finds friend and foe in a mysterious client.

  • Generation Gap by Gladhouse Studio

    A grandfather and granddaughter clash over her political awakening.

  • Hell of a Day by Kramerica Productions

    Les has a very interesting day.

  • In the Weeds by One Genome Short Productions

    When most people think of landscaping, they think of sun and flowers and glamour. Few are aware of the intrigue and danger involved in the landscaping profession.

  • Love U2 Death by AlottaBit Studios

    When James is trying to figure out what is real and what is in his head. He needs to make the right choice or end up dead.

  • Lucky Lilly by Working for Exposure

    In the near future, an android longs for human attachment, but is unaware of the potential risk.

  • Marigolds by Sliding Rock Productions

    A women is killed, but who did it? Husband, boss, client?

  • Sanity by Retro Neon Film

    A man underoges a psychiatric evaluation while on trial for a horrific crime.

  • The Faded Lilly by Primitive Filmworks

    She's dangerous

  • The Garden by Schilling Multimedia LLC.

    Lilly, a landscape designer, finds herself in over her head as she goes to a mysterious garden.

  • The Landscaper by LightSmith Media

    A mistaken identity leads a bumbling landscape designer into a murder for hire plot

  • the Reaper by 1 bad idea compounded

    Gamblers play poker with the Reaper for 20 million cash.... or death

  • The Trip On Beggar's Night by Blankscape Studios

    A group of friends go on a camping trip for Halloween, they soon find out that something is watching them.


Important Message: Copycat DisclaimerPrivacy Policy

Copyright © 2001-2023 48 Hour Film Project, Inc. All Rights Reserved