Jess Berry’s short film ‘Daughters’ earns Audience Choice award at festival

Filmmaker Jess Berry and mother Janae display the poster for “Daughters,” which won the Audience Choice Award Sunday at the Indy Shorts Film Festival.

Courtesy photo

Back home again in Indiana, Jess Berry couldn’t have asked for a better visit.

She got some home cooking. Saw some friends and relatives. And oh, yea, won the Audience Choice Award at the Indy Shorts, a film festival presented by the Heartland International Film Festival last weekend at Indianapolis.

Indy Shorts screened 150 short films over the six-day film festival, and Berry’s film “Daughters” took home one of the seven Audience Awards. “Daughters” was featured in the Indiana Spotlight program alongside other Hoosier filmmakers and films.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with our Audience Choice Award at Heartland,” actor-producer-director Jess Berry told the Banner Graphic. “To have such an incredible turnout in the theater -- and those who watched virtually -- to support my first film was amazing. I felt the love and support from my family, friends and community.

“We couldn’t have won the Audience Choice Award without the people who showed up in-person or virtually and voted. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Jess starred in the nine-minute short film shot alongside her mother, Janae Berry, at the family farm outside Greencastle. The nine-minute film, she said, took 2-1/2 years to go from writing to completion.

“Daughters” explores what it means to find independence from your mother and the pain that accompanies growing up. Inspired by actual events, “Daughters” follows a career-driven Sarah, home for a birthday visit when she receives a life-changing phone call revealing she’s landed her dream job and must leave her family’s farm immediately.

“I’m happy our film related with the audience and moved people to see themselves in the film,” Jess said. “So many people approached me after the screening to share their connections to the on-screen mother-daughter relationship and what specifically spoke to them. It’s every filmmaker’s dream to resonate with their audience.”

“Daughters” won a $250 cash prize and the prestigious Audience Award Laurels, which signifies to the greater entertainment industry that the film stood out at the festival and connected with the audience.

In August, “Daughters” will continue its festival circuit and screen at Oscars-Qualifying HollyShorts International Film Festival in Hollywood.