“Potato Dreams” Wins SXSW Short Doc Award

March 15, 2017• byMichael Strangeways

A shot from the Seattle made LGBTQ film “Potato Dreams”
Photo: Mechanical Dreams

Winners have been announced for competing films at the 2017 SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas and local filmmakers Wes Hurley and Nathan M. Miller won the Jury Award for Best Short Documentary for their film POTATO DREAMS. The 13 minute long film chronicles the life of Hurley aka “Little Potato” growing up gay in the Soviet Union before the fall of communism and his subsequent life in America after his mom becomes a “mail order bride” to enable their escape to the U.S.

“Little Potato” features interviews with Hurley and his mother as well as visual reenactments of their lives in the Soviet Union. IndieWire has an article and exclusive clip of the film HERE.

Congrats to the entire “Potato Dreams” team!

http://variety.com/2017/film/festivals/sxsw-film-awards-top-prizes-1202009199/

Director Bio

Wes Hurley is a producer/director of two feature films – documentary “Waxie Moon” and musical comedy “Fallen Jewel”. Hurley is also the writer/producer/director of the award-winning and critically acclaimed comedy series “Capitol Hill”. Nate Miller is a cinematographer/director. Miller lensed “Lamb,” “Uncle Kent 2,” and “Rainbow Time” — all SxSW Premieres.

Twitter: @potatodreamsusa @weshurley

Credits
Director: Wes Hurley, Nathan M. Miller
Producer: Mischa Jakupcak, Mel Eslyn, Lacey Leavitt
Screenwriter: Wes Hurley
Cinematographer: Nathan M. Miller
Editor: Parsnip Millhouse
Production Designer: Christopher Balder
Sound Designer: Kristen Quebe
Music: Robyn Miller
Principal Cast: Wes Hurley, Elena Bridges, Benjamin Jakupcak, Matthew Cotner, Darlene Sellers
Additional Credits: Sound Mixer: Tara Neuman, PA: Keisuke Kobayashi, Gaffer: Mike Astle, Stills Photographer: Bronwen Houck, Wardrobe Designer: Harmony Arnold

About the Author: Michael Strangeways

As the Editorial Director/Co-Owner, Michael Strangeways writes, edits and does about a million other jobs for Seattle Gay Scene, Puget Sound's most visited LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment website now celebrating its 14th year as a media outlet. A semi-proud Midwesterner by birth, he's lived in Seattle since 2000. He's also a film producer who would like you to check out the Jinkx Monsoon documentary, "Drag Becomes Him" now available on Amazon.com. In his spare time, he gets slightly obsessive about his love for old movies, challenging theater, "otters", vodka, chocolate, "I,Claudius", Lizzie Borden, real books made out of paper, disaster films, show tunes, Weimar era Germany, flea markets, pop surrealistic art, the sex lives of Hollywood actors both living and dead, kitties, chicken fried steak, haute couture and David Bowie. But, not necessarily in that order.