Charlotte's Web, Firehouse Dog among Kids First! winners

By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 10/7/2007

Mallory Lewis, with Lamb Chop, received the Kids First! Palmer-Vision Award.

OCT. 7 | The Coalition for Quality Children’s Media gave out more than 25 Kids First! Best Awards in Malibu, Calif., over the weekend, including five “Best of the Fest” prizes to films that represent the gamut of children’s entertainment.

The Best of the Fest winners were Charlotte’s Web (Paramount Home Entertainment); Firehouse Dog (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment); Viola, a drama created entirely by high school students led by writer/director James Marcus Haney’ My Backyard Was a Mountain (Palmavejo Films); and Phonics 4 Babies (Starz Home Entertainment).

The group also presented the 2007 Kids First! Palmer-Vision Award to Mallory Lewis, daughter of the late children’s entertainer Shari Lewis.

“As our festivals and film submissions grow, so grows the honor and pride our award winners take home as Kids First! Best recipients,” said Ranny Levy, founder of Kids First! “For the first time, four of our awards for independent films came with licensing offers—a big coup for indies who are trying to get distribution for their films.”

Among the other awards:

Best Indie Short for ages 2-5: Very Brave Elephant, Gymboree

Best Series for ages 2-5: Paz, Discovery Kids

Best Short Short for ages 5-8: Librarian from Black Lagoon, Weston Woods

Best Short for ages 5-8: Danny & the Dinosaur, Weston Woods

Best Series for ages 5-8: Eloise, Starz

Best Feature for ages 5-8: Firehouse Dog, Fox

Best Series for ages 5-12: Girl Stars, Going to School Fund

Best Feature for ages 5-12: Charlotte’s Web, Paramount

Best Indie Feature for ages 5-12: Tillamook Treasure, Tillamook Treasure

Best Feature for ages 8-12: Flushed Away, Paramount

Best Documentary for ages 12-18: Emmanuel’s Gift, First Look Studios

Best Feature for ages 12-18: Eye of the Dolphin, Monterey Media

Best Infant: Phonics 4 Babies, Starz

Best Parent How-To: Fabulously Fit Moms, Koch Entertainment

Best Screenplay: Earth Kids, Arlene Bogna

Click for a complete list of all winners. Click for clips from many of the award winners.