Franklin Ritch is a Jacksonville resident and independent filmmaker, specializing in writing, directing, and editing. Collaborating with Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Britt McTammany, Franklin’s early short, “Bedridden,” kicked off several short film productions. In 2018, Franklin was presented the Rising Star Award by the mayor of Jacksonville. In 2022, he released his debut feature film, “The Artifice Girl,” starring sci-fi legend Lance Henriksen. The film was screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, where it won the Golden Audience Award. It later took top prize at its European premiere in Italy. The film was also screened at SXSW and the Florida Film Festival. Franklin has also been named one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film” by Filmmaker Magazine—audio editing by Rob Hill.