While production never did end at R31 during the past two years of pandemic, we’re still being careful moving forward and things have started to really get busy now.
First and foremost, R31 is excited to announce that it is already in full production on a new series: Almost Unsolved. Examining murder cases that went cold or seemed almost unsolvable, the series puts a sharper focus on the victims family/loved ones and the investigators and journalists that worked so hard to bring justice and closure.
Aside from being busy with a series, we recently not only completed our film The Satanic Panic and the Religious Battle for the Imagination but already have it on the festival circuit. The film follows the Reverend Derek White as he examines that weird time in the eighties when the game Dungeons & Dragons drew the ire of the religious authorities. While it did screen at Gary Con in March to a private audience, the feature documentary will be having its official USA premiere at Gen Con, the largest gaming convention in North America.
Gen Con was initiated back in the late 60’s by none other than the late Gary Gygax who was the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons- the perfect place to begin the festival run for The Satanic Panic.
Finally, the awards!
We are delighted that not only is Volendam: A Refugee Story still out there and being screened but also Boom: A Short Film. Volendam premiered at the Reel to Real Film Festival in Winnipeg, February 2020 where it won best feature documentary (while setting a festival attendance record) to then only a month later have Covid hit and turn everything upside down. While the film’s festival run wasn’t all that normal, it managed to garner many awards, including Silver at the ICVM Crown Awards and a Humanitarian Award at the International Christian Film & Music Festival. Volendam now has just won a Special Jury Award at Houston Worldfest 2022, a fantastic recognition for a film we at R31 are all so very proud of.
In addition to the success of Volendam, the short film titled Boom, which examines the Keira Bond Story and was also completed just before the pandemic, picked up a best Sports Documentary Short Award at the Dallas Short Film Festival in Texas. The inspiration story of Keira Bond still manages to engage the world.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, it is exciting to see not only production move forward but our completed films just keep going. Our films are not only being but recognized with awards and accolades from all over.
R31
