Awards for the 12th annual Indie Memphis Film Festival were given tonight at the Hi-Tone Café. Festival screenings continue through Thursday at Studio on the Square. Encore screenings were also announced, and are listed at the bottom of this post.

Director Edward Valibus Phillips and his Corduroy Wednesday crew (Erik Morrison and Benjamin Rednour) took the Hometowner Award for best local feature for their web series The Conversion, which will debut in its entirety at the festival Tuesday night with screenings at 8:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. (The earlier screening is sold out. Some tickets remained at press time for the latter screening.)

"We figured we'd cast everyone in Memphis in the move. That way they'd all buy tickets to the screening and we'd sell it out," Phillips cracked, accepting the award. "It worked!"
On a more serious note, Phillips praised the festival and took note of what has become a significant moment in the development of many Memphis moviemakers. "For a local filmmaker, Indie Memphis is the first Everest you climb," Phillips said.