Boca Raton Filmmakers Win “Best Short Film” at Palm Beach International Film Festival

Local Boca Raton filmmakers André Heizer and Nicholas Palmieri have won “Best Short Film” at the 2017 Palm Beach International Film Festival. Their short, titled “Parent-Teacher Conference,” premiered as part of the festival’s Day of Shorts at Keiser University on Saturday, April 1. It follows a teacher and the mother of a student as they clash over how to handle the student’s grades.

Heizer directed the short, Palmieri wrote it, and the two co-produced it together. The two worked with a team of others in Boca Raton and the surrounding areas, including actors Lily Elowitch and Michelle Domb. Principal photography took place over the course of one day at a Boca Raton school, and the overall timeframe from conception to completion was under two months.

“We’re honored,” said Heizer. “This is our first short film, so we weren’t expecting anything like this. It’s crazy. We just wanted to make something that rang true to us. It’s great that other people have been connecting with it too.”

“There was a great audience response at the screening,” said Palmieri. “The teachers in the audience all really enjoyed it and said how realistic the conference was. It’s always nice to hear positive things from people who have been in that situation.”

The two have already applied to more festivals around the state and are waiting to hear back from them. After that? “Nick and I work great together, so we’re definitely going to keep collaborating,” said Heizer. “We like to capture the humor and drama in everyday situations. Whatever our next project ends up being, hopefully it will speak to people in the same way this film did.”