Turbo Cola Claims Top Honors as Award This! Best Indie Movie of the Year

In a resounding victory for independent cinema, Turbo Cola has been crowned the Best Indie Picture of the Year at Film Threat’s prestigious annual awards ceremony, “Award This!”, held on December 10 at the iconic Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, California. The event was attended by many of the nominated filmmakers (some brought their moms) and hosted by the incomparable stand-up comedian Lila Hart.

Turbo Cola, a dynamic and innovative low-budget gem, triumphed over a field of exceptional independent films, reaffirming the power of creativity and artistic freedom in the world of filmmaking. It’s the story that takes place on the eve of Y2K about a soon-to-be high school graduate planning to rob the gas stop ATM where he works. In his review, Alan Ng says, “Turbo Cola is not so much about the heist but Austin confronting the elements of his life holding him back.” This remarkable achievement underscores the spirit of independent filmmaking that continues to captivate audiences and industry professionals alike.

Film Threat would like to congratulate all of the winners and nominees of this year’s ceremony, including This is Gwar, a documentary about the legendary metal band, and winner of Directress of the Year, Stacey Maltin, for her LGBT musical Triple Threat.

Award This! was sponsored by Liquid Death, Encyclopocalypse, NEFT Vodka, Rhythmz Wifi Backpack, ShortsTV, Sugar Studios, and From the Heart Productions.

The two-hour event is available on the Film Threat YouTube Channel.

Award This! 2023 Nominees and Winners

Award This! Film About Movies or Filmmaking

• Back to the Drive-In – WINNER
• The Horror Crowd
• Only In Theaters – WINNER
• Pennywise: The Story of It
• The Story of Film: A New Generation

Award This! Music Documentary

• Finding Her Beat – WINNER
• One for ALL: The DJ Chris Villa Story
• Pistoleros: Death, Drugs and Rock N’ Roll
• This is Gwar – WINNER
• We Thrive

Award This! Socially Relevant Documentary

• Clean Slate
• The Irritable Heart
• Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic
• Syndrome K – WINNER
• Truelove: The Film
• This Land

Award This! Pop Culture Documentary

• Bad Attitude: The Art of Spain Rodriguez
• Batman and Me
• Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection – WINNER
• Out in the Ring
• The Pez Outlaw
• The Rookie Season

Unreal Outsiders Documentary

• The Balcony Movie
• Chop & Steele – WINNER
• Eternal Spring
• A Life On The Farm
• My Old School
• Science Friction

Award This! Documentary

• A Life On The Farm
• Chop & Steele
• Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection
• Eternal Spring
• Finding Her Beat
• This is Gwar
  
• This Land – WINNER
• Truelove: The Film

Award This! Indie Sci-Fi

• Alpha Code
• The Breach
• Breaking the Loop
• Life Cycle – WINNER
• Madelines
• Talent Keyhole

Award This! Indie Horror

• Blood Relatives
• Bloody Bridget
• Brightwood
• Terrifier 2
• The Quantum Terror – WINNER
• Wormhole – WINNER

Award This! Indie Comedy

• Bernice, Too – WINNER
• The Daphne Project
• I Love My Dad
• Support Group Olympus
• The Take Out Move
• Turbo Cola – WINNER

Award This! Indie LGBTQ+ Themed Film

• Bliss of Evil
• Borrowed
• Bristol Fashion – WINNER
• Neptune Frost
• Swallowed
• Triple Threat

Award This! Indie Animation

• Absolute Denial
• Death of a Rockstar
• Eternal Spring – WINNER
• Mad God
• Unicorn Boy

Award This! Indie Action/Thriller

• Corsicana
• Creatures of Necessity
• Escape the Field
• Hunt Her, Kill Her
• Once Upon a Time in the District – WINNER
• The Squad

Award This! WTF Indie like “What the F**k is This Movie Even?”

• Bernice, Too
• Mad Heidi
• Ninja Badass – WINNER
• The Nudels of Nudeland
• No Shark
• Adult Swim Yule Log

Award This! Indie Romance

• The Good Hearts Club
• Hank and Jolene
• I Love My Dad
• Love in Kilnerry
• Seize the Night – WINNER
• Tehranto

Award This! Indie Drama

• 18 ½
• ICON – WINNER
• Crossing
• Ragged Heart
• Topside
• Waiting for Bojangles

Award This! Indie Made for Less Than the Contents of an Oscar Gift Bag (Under $100K)

• 18 ½
• Bernice, Too
• Creatures of Necessity
• The Daphne Project
• The Nudels of Nudeland
• Planet Of The Astronauts – WINNER

Award This! Christmas Horror Film

• A Christmas Karen – WINNER!

Award This! Short Film

• Bunco Babes
• Home Sweet Home
• Incidental
• Pulp Friction
• Return to Sender
• Same Old
• Starship
• The Wrong Guy – WINNER

Award This! Director

• Christopher Morvant (Life Cycle) – WINNER
• Damien Leone (Terrifier 2)
• Dan Mirvish (18 ½)
• Isaiah Washington (Corsicana)
• James Morisini (I Love My Dad)
• Justin Souriau-Levine (Planet Of The Astronauts)
• Luke Covert (Turbo Cola)

Award This! Directress

• April Wright (Back to the Drive-In)
• Dawn Mikkelson & Keri Pickett (Finding Her Beat)
• Lisa Hagopian, Co-Director (We Thrive)
• Maria Peek (Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic)
• Stacy Maltin (Triple Threat) – WINNER
• Susan Stern (Bad Attitude: The Art of Spain Rodriguez)
• Zora Iman Crews, Co-Director (The Daphne Project)

Award This! Indie Movie of the Year

• 18 ½
• Brightwood
• The Daphne Project
• I Love My Dad
• Mad Heidi
• Planet Of The Astronauts
• Terrifier 2
• Turbo Cola – WINNER