Red Dirt Film Festival 2017 Spotlight: Cindy Maples

In the month of March, we’re getting our fix of the most luscious ladies of independent film with the sultry Cindy Maples is a cert for global adulation. She stars in the western short film “The Prisoner of Perdition” which premieres at this year’s Red Dirt Film Fest and involves a US Marshall trying to protect his prisoner. Little does he know, he is a captor of a cunning criminal mind. Cindy is also the director of the mysterious short “Out Of My Mind” which is about Carter (Rusty James), a tortured mystery writer who chances upon a blonde (Mina Fedora) who becomes his haunting vision. Putting her own stamp on dark romanticism which harks back to the days of Edgar Allan Poe, “Out Of My Mind” with it’s play on foreboding atmospheric terror is fascinating. It’s fitting that “Out Of My Mind” is one of the nominees for Best Horror Short Film at the iHorror Awards 2017.

Having won Best Actress for her enthralling performance in “Random” just last year, there will be many more accolades to be bestowed upon her in the months ahead. Audiences were in unison in praising her ingenuity as a film-maker, having been impressed with the shocking ending of “Random”. I feel honoured to be have her talk about her career and her projects right here as she could soon be an influential figure of the independent scene.

Last January I had the honor of attending my 2nd year at the Blaquefyre Independent Film Festival, where A WEDDING LIKE THAT (https://vimeo.com/137048773) and RANDOM (https://youtu.be/uOURyE2UwQc) were both official selections. I was honored with their first ever Spirit Award, given to honor one individual filmmaker who exhibits extraordinary talent, creativity and spirit through their work. February brought snow, a Carmen Sandiego photo shoot and my 6th trip the Unscripted Indie Film Xperience as the producer and co-star of A WEDDING LIKE THAT. And I’m happy to report I will be heading back for the 7th visit on February 4, 2017 with my latest short OUT OF MY MIND. By the beginning of March I was back in front of the camera working on the short film SIREN, (https://vimeo.com/195027602). April was the premiere of WIG’D OUT (https://youtu.be/xBa8xubCE7M) at the Alhambra Theatre Film Festival, were we won the Audience Award. April 30th brought the premiere of both SIREN and MARGO (https://www.facebook.com/pg/margomovie/videos/?ref=page_internal). May was the month when horror came screaming back into my life with IT LIVES IN THE ATTIC and VOLUMES OF BLOOD: Horror Stories (https://www.facebook.com/pg/VOBanthology/videos/?ref=page_internal). VOB2 has already been named to 5 Best of 2016 List, including one for Fangoria. June was my second trip to HoosierDance Film Festival and a chance to work with Cameron McCasland on PRISONER OF PERDITION. Then in July I directed my second short film, OUT OF MY MIND (OOMM). November gave me the chance to work with Fuller and Green Productions on their horror short, HELL’S HALF ACRE and a holiday commercial for UNITED STATE OF INDIANA. My travels the past year allowed me to visist the East, West and Gulf Coast.

2016 has also been a year of great personal accomplishment for me. RANDOM won the Spirit Award at Blaquefyre, Best Short film/Best Actress at MayDay, Best Short Film and Runner-up Best Plot Development at Imaginarium Film Festival and finally Best Picture at Lexington Short Film Festival. I actually had to find a bigger shelf for the trophies, and that was a pretty great feeling. As much as I loved seeing RANDOM receive those honors; the best part was the encouragement it gave me to continue on as a director. I felt that strength while working on OUT OF MY MIND and I’m really proud of how this short turned out and I expect to be adding to that shelf soon. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m determined to continue down this path. Much like RANDOM, I have another story haunting me and trying to get out. I won’t be able to resist much longer and the short story I’ve already written will expand soon. Keep your eyes open, because there is a feature trying to get out. Of course, I will always be an actress first and 2016 was a great year in that department as well. I am now signed with 3 talent agencies and I have set a personal goal for 2017 and I won’t stop until I reach it.

Do visit the Cindy Maples Official Site for all the latest updates