As part of her film, “Sole Sisters”, East Dallas-based filmmaker Cynthia Salzman Mondell asked for essays about shoes. And they poured in by the hundreds.

Mondell chose six essays to receive prizes — handmade chocolate high heels from CocoAndré Chocolatier.

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First place went to Terra Larman of Lakewood for her essay “Every Precious Step”. The audience choice award went to Lisa Hurka Covington of Towson, Md. for “My Shoes Speak for Me”.

Runners up were Vivian Castleberry for “My Shoe Story”, Stacy Meier for “Mary Poppins Boots”, Pam Barnes for “Love Letter to My High Heels”, and Mary Martell for “The Shoe on the Road”.

Mondell started the film project because of her own shoe story:

When my mom got sick with pancreatic cancer my sister Ann and I found brand new red high heels in her closet. We told mom that she had to get better so she could get up and dance in those shoes.  She smiled, tried, but didn’t get well.  Those shoes allowed her to dream and hope. “Sole Sisters” is dedicated to my mom and all those women who have special relationships with their shoes.