Woodstock based film vying for People’s Choice award at LA film festival seeking votes

A 13-minute film focusing on a Woodstock business owner’s efforts to bring awareness to homelessness, mental health needs and substance abuse was chosen as a People’s Choice finalist at a Los Angeles film festival.

The film, “Prevention Through Engagement,” won the first round of the Kino Film Festival and is vying for the top spot.

Supporters can view the film and vote by visiting the Kino website through Jan. 20.

Filmmaker Michael Hyzy is ramping up efforts to snag the win for the film that would be shown at the festival in Los Angeles on Jan. 31.

In August, the film featuring the boots-on-the-ground work of Rob Mutert and his team from Warp Corps, was shown at a screening held in the Woodstock Opera House. About 270 people attended the viewing.

The film has been submitted into nearly 50 festivals nationally and internationally and earned awards from two festivals in Los Angeles for best documentary short, Hyzy said.

In September, the film was nominated for a 2022-2023 regional award at the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).

Should the film be selected for Kino, not only would more eyes see it, but it could generate the funding needed to produce a full-length film, Mutert said.

“I just feel really great about the success of the documentary to this point,” Mutert said. “Our event in Woodstock was a springboard event that really brought awareness to a whole different level of what we do here in the community.”

That awareness, because of the film, created opportunities for others to engage in the mission, he said.

Hyzy said Monday the film won the first round of voting and is now in the finals with 1,100 votes. He said Kino reached out to him directly asking him to apply for the film festival.

“The end goal is that if this wins we will get to go to the festival in LA and have a meeting with financiers and production companies for potential backing for a full-length documentary,” Hyzy said. “Even if that doesn’t happen, if someone picks it up for distribution that would be amazing.”