2025 Films: Gillyfish

Gillyfish by Sarah Sellman
Ireland (Wisconsin Premiere)

Running Time: 11 minutes
Drama/ LGBTQ

Avalon Atmospheric Theater
2473 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207

When GILLIAN takes on her partner’s identity to confront their father, she finds a connection she didn't expect in the strange exchange she has with him. A short about healing by proxy, and stepping into new identities.

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2024 Winners at the 26th Annual MKE INT Short Film Fest

2024 Winners at the 26th Annual MKE INT Short Film Fest

This year we screened more films than we have in the past, our judges who do the hard work didn't have a consensus so there are a few ties. Nothing wrong with that.

Again, thank you filmmakers, and thank you judges. Timothy J. Lonsdale, Hisonni Mustafa, Jaimelyn Gray, Allie Morgan, Ricardo Tenorio, and Immanuel Baldwin, plus I have to thank Bill Quirmbach, Glen Popple, Char Burtt, Anieya Walker, LaRheatra Cole, Shun Powell, Clarence "Sammy" Aumend, and Julia Teeguarden for making this festival happen.

And a big shout out to our photographer, Troy Freund.

And finally to the Avalon theater who could not be more supportive of this event. Many filmmakers flying in to our festival loved your theater.

2024 Advance Tickets

Purchase Tickets:

To buy advance tickets you have to go to the website of the Avalon theater. And scroll down to near the bottom of the page. The Avalon will be handling all ticketing for the festival. 

avalonmke.com/

There are five blocks of programs. Voices Heard, Juried Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Please be sure that your friends and family know the program block that your film is in. 

Below are each of the blocks, and they link to the blocks on the Avalon's site.

Also, please be sure to tell them that the Avalon has a strict policy on refunds and exchanges.   

TICKET REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES - The Avalon Theater/Neighborhood Theater Group Refund Policy.

Tickets are valid only for the film, theater, showtime and date specified. Refunds and exchanges are available in person at the theater for which the ticket was purchased before the showtime and date on that ticket. 

Purchases made online can additionally be refunded and exchanged in person before the showtime and date on the ticket. Refunds will not be provided after the showtime and date specified on the ticket.

We are suggesting everyone to arrive up to 30 minutes earlier. Our shows have sold out in the past and you want to be sure that you can sit with your group. 

Prices:

The Avalon has priced the tickets at a reasonable $11.00, a price lower than the average ticket price in the city. But if you purchase a ticket online there is a surcharge of $1.00. 

Parking:

The Avalon does not have their own parking space. It is all street parking. Please come early.  Again, we are suggesting everyone to arrive up to 30 minutes earlier since our shows have sold out in the past. 

More info on the filmmakers are on our Facebook page, our Instagram account and our Youtube Channel, including filmmaker interviews and trailers to select films.  

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September 7th
Block 1: Voices Heard, 1:30PM

SHORT FILMS | R | 85M

The Milwaukee Short Film Festival celebrates diversity in filmmaking with the nineth year of "Voices Heard", the only film event in Milwaukee spotlighting the work of local filmmakers of color. This wildly successful program returns this year to screen eleven films from talented local, multicultural filmmakers.

With Voices Seen, Featuring Poetry Performances by Mario “The Poet” Willis, King Kamonzi, and

Order of films:

Mending by John Carlo Rosillo

Somewhere Over by Jazmyn Yun Babler

The Red Goose by Mad James McGuire

Observations by Nati Rosa Rodriguez

deSire: One Man’s POV by Trez Gee

Freight Train by Jocelyne Berumen

Echoes of the Sacred Pool by Ramesh Kumar

​​The Kingdom Call by KayCee M Kelsey

Night Hag by Brandon Champ Robinson

She's by Yaya Edmonds

Maladjustment by Anatasha Blakely

Brief Q&A to follow after the films with attending filmmakers.

Click here for more information on the films, or on the title of each film.

TICKETS

Presented by Outpost Natural Foods Co-op, FM102/1, WUWM, Pizza Shuttle, and Fractured Imagination.

After this block of films, Voices Heard will hold its first ever panel.

"Being a Filmmaker of Color in MKE". 

Featuring: QDavis Lea (Untangled) , Trez Gee (deSire - One Man’s POV), KayCee Kelsey (The Kingdom Call) and J Anthony Ramos (Becoming Undead III). Moderated by Clarence Aumend.

This will be at 3:30PM in the Avalounge.

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September 7th
Block 2: Juried Part 1, 4:15PM

SHORT FILMS | R | 105M with Q/A

A strong showing of local and International fare with drama, horror, documentary, comedy, music, animation and a bit of the Avant-garde.

Order of films:

Aunque es de noche by Guillermo García López

Adágio by Johanna Unden

Dentildo by Natalie Feinstein

Flash Cube by Alexander Eberhage

​Unit 17: Week 3 by David Kaye & Theresa Stefaniak

​Observations by Mason Anthony Garcia

Meat Deux by Daniel Wilson

Pole Kisses by Aliya Surti

Lurker by Savanna Wrobel

First Act by Randy Slagle

Brief Q&A to follow after the films with attending filmmakers.

Click here for more information on the films, or on the title of each film.

TICKETS

Presented by Outpost Natural Foods Co-op, FM102/1, WUWM, Pizza Shuttle, and Fractured Imagination.

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September 7th
Block 3: Juried Part 2, 7PM

SHORT FILMS | R | 105M

A strong showing of local and International fare with documentaries, comedy, music, animation, and horror.

Order of films:

End of an Era by Brian J Ewig

Marisol Writes An Email by Matt J Weber

When Did I Become a Senior? by Bob G Tapp

Boo by Anthony Montoya

​The Avon Lady by Carolina Espiro

Science Fiction by Debra Zarne

Hoop Dynamics by Alyssa Jouett

Lost Boys Pizza by Cassie Llanas

Wiggle Room: Appendix A & B by Vincent Maslowski

The Crane Wife by Caleb C Adams

Hide the Body by Ethan Lelinski

Sentinel by Jake Viaene

Brief Q&A to follow after the films with attending filmmakers.

Click here for more information on the films, or on the title of each film.

TICKETS

Presented by Outpost Natural Foods Co-op, FM102/1, WUWM, Pizza Shuttle, and Fractured Imagination.

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September 8th
Block 4: Juried Part 3, 3PM

SHORT FILMS | R | 105M

More thought-provoking films that'll entertain you. A great mix of the avant-garde, comedy, drama, social commentary, and some animated horror.

Order of films:

Safety State by Jeanette L. Buck

[I Love you Very Much Redux] by Amber Rose McNeill

Spark Plug by Cole J Sheldon

Fine Valentine by Vincent Maslowski

​Top Secret Jazz by Tommy Simms & Joe Ludwig

2064 by 鸠 李

In Cardboard by Prisca Elzen

​Friends With Myself by Ella Freigang

Locksmith by Corey Benson Powers

Good Stuff by Ethan Kulinski

The Gatekeeper by Sam Sorenson

Brief Q&A to follow with attending filmmakers.

Click here for more information on the films, or on the title of each film.

TICKETS

Presented by Outpost Natural Foods Co-op, FM102/1, WUWM, Pizza Shuttle, and Fractured Imagination.

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September 8th
Block 5: Juried Part 4 + Awards, 6:30PM

SHORT FILMS | R | 120M

The last block of the night has more films to excite you, with local horror, drama, comedy and romance. 

The night closes with the awards presentation after the Q/A.

Order of films:

When You're Here, You're Pizza! by Tim Schwagel

BOLD by Alla Kovgan & Miko Malkhasyan​

That's Not a Tasty Pastry by TJ Hill

Unified by Luke Bassuener

The Inheritance by Craig Anthony Knitt & Ian Teal

Sleep Tight by Mary Susan Novak

Slow Dating by Adam Szudrich

​Tuned In by Corey Holl

Lock the Door Behind You by Lauren Barker

Volition by Ashley George

Mess Up by Mark G.E.

Brief Q&A to follow with the Awards ceremony after the films with attending filmmakers.

Click here for more information on the films, or on the title of each film.


TICKETS 

Presented by Outpost Natural Foods Co-op, FM102/1, WUWM, Pizza Shuttle, and Fractured Imagination.

The Awards ceremony will take place after the films have screened in our Juried part 4 6:30PM block. This includes the Voices Heard Films. 

2024 Voices Seen Presentation

Since 2019 Voices Heard has added a live component to its programing block, to bring the area's multicultural arts and businesses to a wider audience. We've had fashion, dance and local business of color, this year we are bringing back poetry. Featuring, Mario "The Poet" Willis, who served as the Milwaukee Public Library Poet Laureate (2022-2024).

2024 Voices Heard Judge: Allie Morgan

Allie Morgan (she/her) is a writer, director, and producer from Madison, WI. She studied entertainment business at Los Angeles Film School and screenwriting at New York Film Academy.  She has written and directed four award winning short films and a proof of concept.

When she is not writing and directing her own projects, she also loves assistant directing and producing other filmmakers projects. She is passionate about telling stories for people of color and the LGBTQ+ community and her ultimate goal is to showcase these underrepresented communities in front of and behind the camera.

2024 Voices Heard Judge: Immanuel Baldwin

Hello, I'm a passionate storyteller, coffee and tea lover, with a deep enthusiasm for technology as it intersects with filmmaking. My journey into filmmaking began in childhood, fueled by my love for the medium and nurtured by my creative mother, who instilled in me a unique perspective on life.

I've led initiatives across diverse domains, including higher education, identity design, marketing, and web/social media. Proficient in multiple mediums such as photography, film, illustration, and animation, I believe that exposure informs creativity and am committed to exploring new avenues for continuous growth.

My approach to directing, design, and storytelling revolves around elevated thinking, meticulous attention to detail, and a dedication to quality. I understand the subtle nuances that can transform a project from visually intriguing to profoundly impactful. I often leverage my diverse skill set to ensure the creative vision is fully realized.

I would describe my directing style as one of Introspective examination and Narrative yet Technical and Precise.

I admire directors such as Darren Aronofsky, Alex Garland, Nick Davies and Solomon Ligthelm.

As I continue to pursue my love for directing, I am constantly seeking new opportunities to elevate my ambitions and make a meaningful impact in the world of storytelling. Additionally, I strive to maintain a balance between being conceptual and technical.

2024 Judge: Jaimelyn Gray

Jaimelyn (she/her) is an Actor, Director, Producer, Theatre Advocate, and the Founder and Artistic Director of The Constructivists (Best New Theatre 2018, Milwaukee Magazine) - a small storefront theatre company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

She is also the co-founder and current President of the Milwaukee Theatre Alliance (MTA), a theatre arts advocacy organization founded in 2019, and the Chief Representative for the Milwaukee Chapter of the Parent Artist Advocacy League (PAAL). Acting credits include the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's Young Playwright's Festival, Riverfront Theatre (Rockford), Eclipse Theatre (Chicago), TUTA (Chicago), and many other powerful Chicago storefront theatres. She collaborated with Luda Lopatina Solomon to form Chicago's only English-Russian cross-cultural theatre company, Bluebird Arts, and is a Marketing Collaborator for Chicago’s Facility Theatre. 

Film credits include Jamie and Jessie are Not Together, Will and Testament, and the shorts Cricket, Gless, and Houseless Hunters. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, with additional training from Southern Utah University, in Cedar City, Utah. 

“Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.” ― Bertolt Brecht theconstructivists.org, jaimelyngray.com