ActionFest facts for kids

ActionFest was a special film festival held every year in Asheville, NC. It was started by Carolina Cinemas, Bill Banowsky (who founded Magnolia Pictures), and Aaron Norris, a director and producer known for action films like Missing in Action III and Walker, Texas Ranger.

What made ActionFest unique? It was the very first film festival in the world that was all about action movies! It was also the only festival that honored amazing stunt performers. The festival wanted to fill a gap because the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the group that gives out the Oscars) doesn't have awards for stunt men and women.

ActionFest's main goal was to "recognize, honor and appreciate the remarkable efforts of these amazing people who risk their lives every day to make Hollywood films look exciting and great."

ActionFest 2010

The first ActionFest happened from April 15 to 18, 2010, at The Carolina Asheville cinema. It kicked off with the world premiere of a movie called Centurion, directed by Neil Marshall.

The 2010 festival showed more than 25 action films from all over the world. This included the first-ever showing of Undisputed III: Redemption. The famous martial artist and action movie star Chuck Norris was there. He was supposed to get the ActionFest’s Action Star of the Decade Award. But he actually gave the award to his brother and long-time creative partner, Aaron Norris!

Besides showing movies, ActionFest also featured real movie stuntmen, stunt coordinators, and other experts. They put on two live stunt shows! These shows included exciting improvised fights, falls from three or four stories high, rappelling down buildings, sky-diving, and even a flying jetpack demonstration!

ActionFest 2010 Awards

In its first year, ActionFest started giving out awards to celebrate achievements in action movies. These awards honored stunt work, second unit directing (which handles action scenes), and action stars.

The ActionFest Awards included:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Paul Weston – He was a stunt coordinator and second unit director for many famous movies like James Bond films, Robin Hood, Aliens, and Superman.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Kinnie Gibson – A stuntman known for Walker, Texas Ranger, Robocop 2, and Delta Force 2. He was also a jet pack operator!
• Action Star of the Decade Award: Chuck Norris
• Stunt Coordinator/2nd Unit Director of the Decade: Jeff Haberstad (worked on The Last Airbender and Spiderman)
• Rising Action Star: Marko Zaror (starred in Mandrill and Undisputed III: Redemption)

ActionFest 2010 Jury Awards

A special group of judges, called a jury, also gave awards to films shown at the festival.

The winners of the ActionFest 2010 Jury Awards were:

• Best Fight Scene: The teahouse battle in 14 Blades between Green Dragon (Donnie Yen) and the Judge of the Sky Eagles (Chen Wu).
• Best Fight Choreographer: Larnell Stovall (for Undisputed 3)
• Best Director: Isaac Florentine (for Undisputed 3)
• Best Film: Merantau (Directed by Gareth Evans)

The ActionFest 2010 Jury Panel

The judges for ActionFest 2010 included:

• Drew McWeeny (from Hitfix.com)
• Devin Faraci (from chud.com)
• Colin Geddes (from Toronto Midnight Madness)
• Todd Brown (from Twitchfilm.net)
• Jury President: Chuck Norris

ActionFest 2011

ActionFest came back for its second year from April 7 to 10, 2011, at the Carolina Cinemas Asheville. It continued to highlight action films and the amazing stunt performers who work in them.

ActionFest 2011 Awards

The ActionFest Award winners for 2011 were:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Buddy Joe Hooker – A stuntman who worked on movies like First Blood, Deathproof, The Wraith, and Hooper.
• Stunt Coordinator of the Year Award: Russell Towery (for Machete)
• Man of Action Award: Michael Jai White (starred in Never Back Down 2, The Dark Knight, and Black Dynamite)
• Action Film Of The Year Award: Machete (Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis)
• Producer of the Year Award: Somsak Techaratanapresert (from Sahamongkol Film International, produced Chocolate and Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior)
• ActionFest Recognition Award: Stunts Unlimited, for 40 Years in the Action Business.

ActionFest 2011 Jury Awards

The judges also gave out awards for ActionFest 2011:

• 30 Seconds of Action: Evan Pease’s Action Figures
• Best Action Sequence: The exciting garbage truck/dune buggy chase at night 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 ActionFest 2011 Jury Panel

The judges for ActionFest in 2011 included:

• Katrina Hill (from actionflickchick.com)
• Tim League (Founder and CEO of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema)
• Russell Towery (Stuntman, Stunt Coordinator, 2nd Unit Director)
• Scott Weinberg (Writer for Twitch, FEARnet, Movies.com, and more)
• Freakin' Jay Deacon (Program Director, 105.9 The Mountain)

ActionFest 2012

The third ActionFest was held from April 12 to 15, 2012. This year, they honored the legendary stuntman Mickey Gilbert with the third annual Lifetime Action Achievement Award.

A brand new award was introduced: the Chick Norris (Best Female Action Star) Award! The first winner was MMA fighter and action film star Gina Carano. She received the award in person at ActionFest 2012. The Chick Norris award is given to "a woman working in film today who best represents the spirit, attitude, athleticism and grit of Hollywood legend Chuck Norris."

Festival Director Colin Geddes returned to help plan the festival's movies and events.

ActionFest 2012 Awards

The ActionFest Award winners for 2012 were:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Mickey Gilbert – A stuntman known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Wild Bunch, and The Last of the Mohicans.
• Fight Choreographer of the Year Award: JJ Perry (worked on Mortal Kombat, Haywire, Get the Gringo, and Django Unchained)
• Man Of Action Award: Jack Gill (worked on Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, and Fast Five)
• Producer of the Year Award: Courtney Solomon (from After Dark Action, produced Dragon Eyes and Transit)
• Chick Norris Award: Gina Carano (for her role in Haywire)
• Rising Action Star Award: Cung Le (starred in Bodyguards and Assassins, True Legend, and Dragon Eyes)
• Best Car Stunt Of The Decade Award: Tom Elliott (President, Stunts Unlimited, worked on Criminal Minds)
• Best Young Stuntman Of The Year Award: Trevor Habberstad (worked on The Amazing Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises, and After Earth)

ActionFest 2012 Jury Awards

• 30 Seconds Of Action: Tim McGaren (for Operation C)
• Best Action Sequence: The Lost Bladesman
• Best Director: Felix Chong & Alex Mak, for The Lost Bladesman
• Best Picture: I Declare War
• Best Screenplay: I Declare War
• Best Villain: James Frain, in Transit
• Spirit Of ActionFest: Manborg
• Best Fight: The opening fight scene in Dragon Eyes

The ActionFest 2012 Jury Panel

The judges for ActionFest 2012 included:

• Mitch Davis (from Fantasia Film Festival)
• Dan Guando (from The Weinstein Company)
• Borys Kit (from The Hollywood Reporter)
• Marc McCloud (from Orbit DVD)
• Eric Vespe (from Ain't It Cool News)
• Sadie (from The Mountain radio station)