Click here to read or download the front-page story that appeared in the February 25, 2021 Laguna Woods Globe
The Video Club’s Annual Short Video Contest, held this year via Zoom on February 18, drew 10 entries with top awards going to Stephanie Brasher (shown above with her 2020 Goldie award), first place, for “The Brig Pilgrim”; John Glassco (center), second place for his animated video, “Lego Houdini”; and Don Hill, third place, for his humorous take on pandemic life, “The Year 2020 in 4 Minutes.” The contest is open only to club members with entries limited to four minutes. Fifty-two participants attended the presentation, and members present cast votes for the statuette awards – dubbed “Goldies” in 2020 in honor of Laguna Woods Village’s Golden Rain Foundation, as well as club members themselves – all “golden oldies.”
Normally, showing the contest videos is the centerpiece of an elegant sit-down banquet, complete with live music and wine. This year would have been the Video Club’s 11th Annual Awards Banquet, according to President Steve Carman, who emceed the evening, suggesting that a “make-up” banquet may be held later this year, if possible, to present the awards. He described this year’s crop of entries as “some of the best ever.”
A “surprise” video was played during the vote counting, when Vice President Tom Nash introduced Nikol Ivanova, a 15-year-old photography student from Bulgaria, who had submitted a two-minute video, having heard about the contest through her photography school. Although Nikol was not eligible to compete (as a non-member), she was up at 5 am Bulgarian time to attend the Zoom meeting. In her video, “Passion,” a young girl, Anelia Gospodinova, plays the piano and shares her love for music.
Below, scenes from “Brig Pilgrim,” “Lego Houdini,” and “The Year 2020 in Four Minutes.”
videocluboflagunawoods.com 
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