Updated Recap for Global Entrepreneurship Week Nevada Featuring the 2025 Dragon Award Winners

GainesCon 2025, held at Brenden Theatres inside the Palms Hotel Las Vegas, showcased a powerful convergence of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. Global Entrepreneurship Week Nevada appreciates how the festival underscored the role of independent filmmakers, actors, composers, and performers in driving growth in Nevada’s creative economy.

Through screenings, interviews, special appearances, and the Dragon Awards ceremony, GainesCon demonstrated how storytelling and entrepreneurship intersect to create opportunity and impact.

A Venue Built on Entrepreneurial Legacy

Brenden Theatres was founded by Johnny Brenden, grandson of Hollywood theatre magnate Ted Mann, former owner of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. This venue represents a long-standing legacy of entertainment entrepreneurship. Hosting GainesCon here strengthens Nevada’s connection to both historic cinematic institutions and the rapidly expanding creative industries of today.

Day One: A Showcase of Independent Vision

The festival opened with CEO remarks and the premiere of the Alter New Media Commercial, followed by an extensive lineup of independent films.

Featured titles included:

Sponsor commercials from:

Alter New Media

EOFlix Intro

DAY ONE – BLOCK 1 (1–49)

Anonymous
Foundry
Bad Day Bad Dreams
Ding & Daisy
Nature Valley
Door of Light
Dreamkiller

Highway Rivalry
Hunter
Mission 17
Night Shift
Joan & Talbot

DAY ONE – BLOCK 2 (1–17)

Teammates
Bad Day Good Man Gone Wrong
Dante’s Inferno
Code of Honor
Death Curse

DAY ONE – BLOCK 3 (1–14)

Adrenaline
Fashion Police
Enter the Room
Into Reality
Desolate

DAY ONE – BLOCK 4 (1–101)

Halo The Rebellion
Marthians Wings
Our Last Scar
Sales and Stuff
The Transition Room
Hitman EX

The day also included two notable industry interviews:

Composer Michael Vignola shared insights into the business of emotional storytelling through music, describing the entrepreneurial journey that led to becoming a sought-after scorer in independent film.

Hollywood stuntman Rustic Bodomov discussed skill development, career sustainability, and the behind-the-scenes reality of action filmmaking.

Day Two: Entrepreneurial Storytelling, Special Features, and Awards

Day Two highlighted episodic filmmaking, creator interviews, and a significant feature presentation.

Featured works included:

DAY TWO – BLOCK 5 (1–57)

Bad Day EP2
Knight Owls
Offering
Knight Of The Ronin
Quarantine
Rise of Chow

DAY TWO – BLOCK 6 (1–18)

The Girl
Special Activities
Sunset Night School
Summoned

SPECIAL FEATURE

Mafia Wars (Starring Tom Welling)

CEO Barry Gaines delivered updates on the festival’s growth and future direction.

Special Feature Presentation: Mafia Wars

GainesCon’s marquee screening featured “Mafia Wars,” starring Tom Welling, who is internationally recognized for his portrayal of Clark Kent on the television series “Smallville.”

Before the screening, Welling delivered a surprise video message congratulating the festival and offering a personal thank-you to Nicole Gaines for being his “number one fan.” This message was one of the most talked-about moments of the event and demonstrated the meaningful connection between mainstream talent and Nevada’s independent creative community.

Following the feature, Scott Windhauser participated in a creator interview discussing the production, creative strategy, and business considerations behind “Mafia Wars.”

The day also featured a performance by the hip-hop group Affliction (check out their music on Spotify), showcasing the entrepreneurial strength of independent musicians.

Affliction Music, a duo to be reckoned with in rap and hip-hop

2025 Dragon Awards: Full Winners List

The Dragon Awards closed the festival by recognizing excellence across multiple creative and technical categories.
Below is the complete list of award recipients for 2025.

Red Dragon Trophy

Best Picture: Dante’s Inferno
Directed by Sofian Francis

Golden Dragon Trophy

Best Director: Mandy Kowlski – The Girl
Best Actor: Ace Hilton Tuvilla – Knight Owls
Best Actress: Samantha Kraly – Sunset Night School

Additional Awards

The Dragon Certificate: (Category awarded; no winner listed)
Best Trailer: None this year
Best Action Sequence: Ding and Daisy
Best “No Budget, No Problem” Film: Dreamkiller
Best Screenplay: 5 Stars

Why GainesCon Matters for Nevada’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

GainesCon aligns closely with the mission of Global Entrepreneurship Week by highlighting:

• Independent filmmakers operating as founders and producers
• Actors, composers, and creatives building personal brands and businesses
• Directors leading small production teams and micro-studios
• Musicians leveraging performance and digital distribution
• Creators transforming artistic passion into economic opportunity

The festival demonstrated Nevada’s momentum as a rising center for creative entrepreneurship and innovation. With expanding access to film spaces, local media organizations, and events like GainesCon, the state is cultivating an environment where creative businesses can thrive.

Incredible food at Serrano Vista cafe in the Palms Hotel

That’s a Wrap!

GainesCon 2025 showcased the talent, resilience, and entrepreneurial drive that define Nevada’s creative economy. Through dynamic screenings, insightful interviews, community engagement, and the recognition of excellence through the Dragon Awards, the festival reinforced the role of creative industries in shaping Nevada’s economic future.

This year’s event confirmed that Nevada is not only a home for creators but a launchpad for local entrepreneurs looking to scale their stories, their brands, and their impact.