From Fran Gennuso's Galley Kitchen to the Hollywood Red Carpet: Long Island's "Cookie Angel" and Filmmaker Tom Cavanaugh Head to 17th Annual TASTE Awards
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. and LONG ISLAND, N.Y. and ASBURY PARK, N.J., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Most home bakers feel accomplished finishing a few dozen cookies for a holiday party. Fran Gennuso isn't most bakers. Every December, the Long Island native transforms her modest galley kitchen into a high-volume distribution hub, churning out a staggering 10,000 Christmas cookies almost entirely solo.
Now, her extraordinary mission of "flour, sugar, and spirit" is headed to Hollywood. The documentary short FRANNY'S COOKIES, directed by award-winning filmmaker and Edison, NJ native Tom Cavanaugh, has been named a Finalist for Best Short Film or Documentary at the 17th Annual TASTE Awards.
Often called the "Oscars of Food, Fashion, and Lifestyle Media," the star-studded ceremony will take place on March 7, 2026, in Beverly Hills, where Fran and Tom will be handing out actual samples of the legendary cookies on the red carpet.
Who is Fran Gennuso? The Story of the "Cookie Angel"
While the sheer volume of 10,000 cookies is a feat of culinary endurance, the heart of the story lies in Fran's refusal to sell a single one. Supported only by her husband, affectionately known as "Poor Joe," Fran bakes as a way to give back to those who serve.
Her handmade treats are gifted to local police departments, hospitals, schools, family, and neighbors. Her reach has even expanded across state lines, with carefully packed boxes traveling to 13 states across the country.
"I don't do it for the recognition; I do it because a cookie is a small piece of home and a huge thank you," says Gennuso. "To be recognized by the TASTE Awards is a dream come true, but the real prize is seeing the joy on someone's face when they realize someone remembered them."
Independent Filmmaking: Shot on Smartphone and Edited at Home
The film's nomination is a victory for independent, "guerilla-style" filmmaking and mobile cinematography. Breaking away from high-budget studio norms, Cavanaugh shot the entire documentary on a smartphone.
The post-production process was equally grassroots; Cavanaugh edited the film using Final Cut Pro X from his combined bedroom and office. A playwright by trade, Cavanaugh taught himself the art of digital editing during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. He credits his technical evolution to friends and online filmmaking tutorials provided by his film collective, We Make Movies (www.wemakemovies.org), based out of Los Angeles.
"The goal was to find the 'flavor' of the human experience using the tools I had at my disposal," says Cavanaugh. "To see Fran's story travel from a smartphone and a bedroom desk all the way to Beverly Hills proves that heart beats higher than a budget."
2026 Awards and Upcoming Asbury Park Events
The TASTE Award nomination is part of a "double victory" season for Cavanaugh, highlighting his versatility in screenwriting and documentary filmmaking:
- Film Award: FRANNY'S COOKIES recently won Best Long Short Film at the 2026 Krampus Festival in Asbury Park.
- Screenwriting Award: Cavanaugh's feature screenplay, BEDBUGGERS, won Best Feature Screenplay at the 2026 Garden State Film Festival.
Upon returning from Hollywood, Cavanaugh will host a FREE live reading of his award-winning BEDBUGGERS script featuring an A-list cast on Sunday, March 29th at 10:00 AM at The Berkeley Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ.
How to Watch "Franny's Cookies" Online
Fans can witness Fran's holiday bake-a-thon and Cavanaugh's smartphone cinematography by watching the film online.
- Official Website: www.tommycwrites.com (Click the BIG GREEN BUTTON)
Media Contact
Tom Cavanaugh, Paris Avenue Productions, 1 8183832401, [email protected], www.tommycwrites.com
SOURCE Paris Avenue Productions
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