Monty Miranda may have put himself on the movie map - and Denver's along for the ride.

The filmmaker scored a major victory Tuesday when his debut, Skills Like This, took the audience prize as best feature at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

"We were pretty blown away," Miranda said Wednesday. "We were up against some really big competition. We're this little film from Denver shot in 17 days. We were up against a Sharon Stone film (When A Man Falls in the Forest) and a film (Flakes) by Michael Lehmann, who did Heathers."

Miranda, 40, grew up in Colorado Springs, attended film school at the University of Colorado and has earned a living doing commercials in Denver.

"We were really excited to get into this festival. I think the movie is a really good fit for this festival. It's a fun ride, and it has a lot of music in it."

The win for the film, produced by Academy Award winner Donna Dewey of Denver, provides the kind of momentum that could result in a distribution deal. The movie is being represented by Cinetic Media, which sold Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine and other high-profile indies.

"They're here, and they say the buzz is really hot on the film," said Miranda. "I guess they've had some inquiries from some pretty big names. We have our fingers crossed."

Skills tells the story of a failed writer who turns the lives of his buddies upside down when he decides to rob a bank. "He thinks he's finally found his one true skill," Miranda said.

For Miranda, who has been dreaming about making a film since he was 8, one goal dominates the moment:

"I just hope we get as many people to see the film as possible."

denersteinb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5424