2009 Audience Award Winners

Audience Choice Award Feature Film Winner: Sweet Crude SWEET CRUDE shows the humanity behind the statistics, events and highly sensationalized media portrayal of the region. Set against a stunning backdrop of Niger Delta footage, the film gives voice to the region’s complex mix of stakeholders and invites the audience to learn the deeper story. [More] Run time: 94 min. | USA | Language:English, Nigerian with English Subtitles The Audience Award Winning Feature Film may be a documentary, narrative, domestic or foreign film. The award is granted to the feature film screened at the festival scored highest by the audience.

Audience Award Winning Short Film: Lost Paradise A man and a woman are tenderly making love in a one star hotel room. A moment later when they are both dressed up, the idyll that seamed authentic is now gone. A present-day Adam and Eve story. [More] Run time: 10 min. | France, Israel The Audience Award Winning Short Film may be a documentary, narrative, domestic or foreign film. The award is granted to the short film screened at the festival scored highest by the audience.

Audience Choice Runnerups House of Numbers | Fish Out of Water | For My Father The Audience Choice Runnerup Feature film may be a documentary, narrative, domestic or foreign film. This merit is granted to the three films screened at the festival that scored within the top four by the audience.

Ten Reasons To Go To Tallgrass

The Wichita-based Moving Arts Film Journal has published the delightful 2009 Tallgrass Film Festival: 10 Reasons Why You Should Go. (Not to give too much away, but the number one reason is "Film!".)

Get Your All Access Festival Pass beginning Oct. 5!

2009 Tallgrass Ticket Prices are listed below. VIP All Access Passes will go on sale Oct 5 at Select-A-Seat or 316-755-SEAT. Stay tuned to our website for more details!

The VIP Pass Includes all films, galas, and VIP events for the entire weekend and is a steal at just $150, and only $120 for WAMPA MEMBERS!

VIP privileges include admission to the VIP Filmmaker Lounge where you can hobknob with the filmmakers all weekend, the Mayor's Welcome to Wichita Chili Feed at Cowtown on Friday afternoon, Saturday's private reception for Ad Astra recipient Seymour Cassel, Sunday's Filmmaker Brunch, All Gala Events PLUS all the films you can see!

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General Tallgrass Ticketing Info

General Admission: $9 ($7 for students, seniors and military with valid I.D.)

Friday Matinees: Tickets for all films from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. are $5.

Students-Free Friday: Selected films are free to all High School Students and Teachers with school I.D. from 9 a.m. to 5pm.

Naked City Presents the Opening Night Gala featuring The Only Good Indian: $25 (includes film and party with open bar, food and entertainment)

Ad Astra Award: $15 (Includes presentation of Ad Astra Award to honoree, Ad Astra’s Film of Choice and After Party with food, entertainment and cash bar)

Amira’s Dance Productions presents Underbelly with a special performance by Princess Farhana: $15 (includes film and party with cash bar, food and entertainment)

The Ulrich Museum of Art presents the Closing Night Gala: $20 (FREE for all WSU students, faculty and staff and Ulrich Museum members)

The Day Tripper Saturday Pass (includes all of Saturday’s VIP events, screenings, VIP lounge and Ad Astra Presentation): $75

The Best of the Fest Sunday Pass (includes all of Sunday's VIP events, screenings and the Closing Night Gala): $55

Tallgrass Trivia Returns to the Donut Whole!

Tallgrass Movie Trivia, with bonafide host Jake Euker and your brainy and beautiful trivia hygienist Heather Williams, returns at 7 PM on Thursday, October 15 at the Donut Whole.

Come out for some incredible donuts as well as a chance to win a Ticket Voucher Package for the 2009 film festival and other goodies!

Be armed with information, such as: The man to the right, who will be visiting Tallgrass this year, gave which member of the band Guns 'n Roses his moniker?

Wichita Artist Tabitha Oblinger creates 2009 Tallgrass Key Art

You've been seeing the 2009 festival poster around town for weeks, and you keep asking yourself, "who created that?" Well if you guessed local artist Tabitha Oblinger, you were correct!

Here's a little bit more about Tabitha in her own words:

Tabitha Oblinger has been an artist around Wichita for waaaaaaaay too long. All of her friends wish she would get a life but she's steadfast about not having one, it's very relaxing. Her artwork has always reflected her thoughts and philosophy. Having served on the first Tallgrass Film Festival Programming Committee in 2003, and having known founder Timothy Gruver, being asked to create the poster for the 7th festival was very meaningful. Her work can be seen around Wichita or in her master bathroom. She lives on a small farm north of Wichita, under the alias Pussy Galore, with her two dogs and giant catfish.

What is WAMPA?

The Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA) is a 501 (c) 3 cinematic arts organization. Our mission is to foster community appreciation, education and entertainment through an annual film festival, Cinema Al Fresco Series, Film Education classes and Special Screenings throughout the year, while showcasing the city’s venues, cultural attractions and artistic communities. Affiliating with like-minded film, artistic and community organizations, WAMPA provides support and assistance in all areas of motion picture production, to the local and regional filmmaking communities in order to spark a dialogue among filmmakers and enhance artistic expression in Wichita, Kansas and the Heartland.