Bill Thibeault’s October 11 Announcement
On October 11, 2025, Connecticut veteran and filmmaker Bill Thibeault (also known as Bill Teebo) shared an exciting update with supporters:
“My short proof-of-concept film Seventy-Four has been selected and made the finals for the MV Shorts Film Festival, presented by the National Entertainment Awards Academy for Military and Veterans. Winners will be announced at the event which will be held on November 8 at the Culver City Veterans Memorial Auditorium, in Culver City, CA.
Tickets 🎫 here – come support by attending. It’s going to be super fun. 🤩
#mvshorts”
This selection places Seventy-Four among a small group of finalists in a festival that celebrates military and veteran filmmakers. The MV Shorts Film Festival, hosted by the National Entertainment Awards Academy for Military and Veterans, highlights short films that share authentic experiences of service, sacrifice, and storytelling through a veteran’s lens.
About the Film: Seventy-Four
Seventy-Four is a proof-of-concept short film directed by Bill Thibeault and written by Chris Goodenough, produced in partnership with Outtake Pictures and Elite View Studios. The film premiered on YouTube on January 10, 2025, on Bill’s official channel:
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/user/BillThibeault
It dramatizes the story of the three Sage brothers — Gary, Greg, and Kelly Jo Sage — who were among the 74 sailors killed when the USS Frank E. Evans collided with the HMAS Melbourne during a SEATO training exercise in 1969. The film turns the number “74” into 74 human lives, exploring brotherhood, loss, and remembrance through the eyes of those who served.
The project also reflects Bill’s personal history as a USS Frank E. Evans survivor, giving the story authenticity rooted in firsthand experience.
Festival Recognitions and Awards
Even before its MV Shorts finalist selection, Seventy-Four had already earned recognition across several film festivals in 2025:
- 🎬 American Golden Picture International Film Festival — Honorable Mention (Best Fiction Short)
https://www.americangoldenpictureiff.com/about-4-11 - 🎬 New York International Film Awards (NYIFA) — Quarter-Finalist, Semi-Finalist, and Finalist positions in 2025 monthly rounds
https://newyorkinternationalfilmawards.com/ - 🎬 The U.S. Presidential Service Center International Film Festival — 1st Place Grand Prize Golden Chalice Winner (2025)
https://filmfreeway.com/TheUSPresidentialServiceCenterInternationalFilmFestival - 🎬 MV Shorts Film Festival (Los Angeles) — Finalist (2025)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mv-shorts-la-film-festival-tickets-1528642002379?aff=oddtdtcreator
Each of these festivals celebrates emerging voices in independent and veteran filmmaking, showcasing how Seventy-Four has resonated both artistically and historically.
Connecticut Veterans Bulletin Coverage
The Connecticut Veterans Bulletin (CVB) has followed Bill Thibeault’s creative journey closely, covering his earlier film work and ongoing contributions to veteran storytelling. Relevant CVB links that feature Bill Thibeault / Bill Teebo include:
- USS Frank E. Evans Survivor Brings Sailors’ Stories to Life in Film Seventy-Four
- Bill Thibeault Unveils Official Trailer for Debut Feature Film “Put The Stone Down”
- CVB Tag Archive: Bill Thibeault Productions
These stories chart Bill’s progression from local Connecticut veteran artist to recognized national filmmaker. CVB’s reporting has underscored his mission to keep the memory of his fallen shipmates alive through film and music.
Bill Thibeault’s Broader Work
Before Seventy-Four, Bill Thibeault released the trailer for his debut feature project, Put The Stone Down, a film exploring veteran loss and recovery. That trailer also gained traction on social media and was featured on CVB in mid-2024.
As a musician, Bill has produced numerous original songs inspired by service and remembrance, often shared on his YouTube and Facebook pages. His art consistently bridges personal narrative and communal reflection — the lived experience of a veteran transformed into storytelling that honors others.
IMDb profiles for Bill and Seventy-Four provide official production credits and festival listings:
Looking Ahead to November 8
With Seventy-Four now a finalist for the MV Shorts Film Festival, anticipation is building toward the November 8 awards event in Culver City, California. Should the film take home additional honors, it will mark another milestone in Bill’s growing reputation as a veteran storyteller capable of turning history into heart.
Win or lose, Seventy-Four has already achieved what Bill set out to do — ensure that the 74 sailors lost aboard the USS Frank E. Evans are remembered not as statistics, but as individuals whose lives continue to resonate more than five decades later.
Full Reference Links:
🎟️ MV Shorts Film Festival Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mv-shorts-la-film-festival-tickets-1528642002379?aff=oddtdtcreator
🎬 YouTube Premiere – Seventy-Four: https://www.youtube.com/user/BillThibeault
🏆 American Golden Picture IFF: https://www.americangoldenpictureiff.com/about-4-11
🏆 US Presidential Service Center International Film Festival: https://filmfreeway.com/TheUSPresidentialServiceCenterInternationalFilmFestival
🏆 NY International Film Awards: https://newyorkinternationalfilmawards.com/
📄 CVB Article – Seventy-Four: https://ctvetsbulletin.org/2025/01/14/uss-frank-e-evans-survivor-brings-sailors-stories-to-life-in-film-seventy-four/
📄 CVB Article – Put The Stone Down: https://ctvetsbulletin.org/2024/06/30/bill-thibeault-unveils-official-trailer-for-debut-feature-film-put-the-stone-down/
📄 CVB Tag Archive: https://ctvetsbulletin.org/tag/bill-thibeault-productions/
🎞️ IMDb – Seventy-Four: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31187007/
🎞️ IMDb – Bill Thibeault: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12908428/
Summary:
Bill Thibeault’s October 11 announcement reflects a major step forward in his mission to honor fellow veterans through storytelling. Seventy-Four’s success in international and veteran-focused film circuits confirms both its emotional impact and its technical achievement. Backed by years of service, dedication, and creativity — and supported by coverage from the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin — Bill continues to show that veteran voices belong at the center of American film.
I am not a veteran. I am a member of the Civil Air Patrol, the United States Air Force Auxiliary. But in 1991, personal loss brought me to a place I never left.
Over two decades later, that loss led me to the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, where I took on the coordination of Wreaths Across America — which grew into the largest and fastest growing veterans program in the state. I didn’t do it for recognition. I did it for them.
In 2016 I founded the Connecticut Veterans Bulletin. Not because I served, but because I believe those who did deserve to be honored, connected, and kept alive.
Twenty-two veterans die by suicide every day. I knew about that number before it became a hashtag. I knew it personally, long before anyone was talking about it.
This publication exists because that number is unacceptable. Because every veteran in Connecticut deserves to know someone gives a damn.
That someone is me.