Local director Karen Lund recently won the award for Best Director at the City of Angels Film Festival in Los Angeles on Oct. 25.

"This was great, I certainly wasn't expecting this when we made the film," said Lund.

Perhaps that is because it was the first film she has ever directed.

As the associate artistic director for the Taproot Theatre Company, a nonprofit theater in Greenwood, Lund is experienced with all aspects of theater but decided to enter the world of film.

"It is different technically than theater but basically it boils down to the same idea - storytelling," said Lund.

And evidently this story was a good one.

"Fool4LuV" is about a single man who fires his fairy godmother and takes matters into his own hands after her attempts at matchmaking leave him physically injured one too many times.

The film did well in the 168-Hour Film Project, in which teams are challenged to make an entire short film in only a week. From there, producers Thom and Lauri Deason, both Los Angeles natives, decided to enter it in the 14th annual City of Angels Film Festival.

"Fool4LuV" received nominations for Best Comedy, Best Actor (Kevin Brady) and Best Sound Editing from the 168 Hour Film Project.

The film was shot in Seattle and used only local talent.

"The best part of the movie was showing off how not only we could make a successful movie with Seattle talent, but we could make one better than the celebrity-rich films in LA," said Lund.

According to Daytona Strong, communications manager at Taproot, Brady, the lead actor and a common face on Taproot's stage, has some funny scenes with dates at Romio's Restaurant across the street from Taproot 's building.

"The screenwriter and producers (Thom and Lauri Deason) have successfully worked with Lund in the past and decided that Lund was the one they wanted to direct their film," said Strong.

Those associated with the film will enter it in more upcoming festivals, including the Seattle Film Festival.

"We want to sweeten the sound some and edit more, but working with people I've previously worked with and everyone embracing an improv style of acting really helped, and we feel good about the film," said Lund.

Bret Lundgaard is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory and may be reached via bnteditor@robinsonnews.com