2018 Festival Winners!

This has been an extraordinary year, never in our history have we had so many tie scores by the judges. The quality of these films were the best that we've ever seen. 

Thank you filmmakers, you make us a better film festival.

2018 Pace-setter Honoree: Eric Levin

Eric Levin, a beloved Milwaukee fixture in the film world, has been managing movie theaters since the 1980's. It was at the Avalon Theater where most of us first met Eric. He became the owner/operator of the Avalon from 1987-1994, and then he bought the Times Cinema and ran it from 1993- 2007.

From there Eric moved to the Oriental Theater and for 11 years ran and operated it until Milwaukee Film took it over this past July.

While owning and running those movie theaters in Milwaukee he became a favorite of the Milwaukee filmmaker community. He helped the Milwaukee Short Film Festival get off the ground in its early years when we were at the Times. He supported local filmmakers by giving them exposure and screening their films, and allowing them use his facilities to film their projects. He backed the local film scene any way that he could.

Eric also produced the restoration of Nosferatu, giving it a 35 mm print with corrected subtitles and inter cards. The 2018 Pace-setter award goes to Eric in recognition of a long and productive career as a valued member of the local film community.

The Pace-setter will awarded at Fox Bay Cinema on September 7th, during the closing moments of our Opening Night selection of films. The event begins at 6:45pm. 

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2018 Voices Heard: Trapped

Trapped by Michael Villalobos
Wisconsin (Milwaukee Premiere) 

Running Time: 4 minutes
Screening Time: Friday September 7th 9pm
Drama/Horror
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An alien clone has come to planet Earth to abduct people of color, keeping them trapped in the basement until they try to escape.


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Director's Bio:

Young Filmmaker, Michael Villalobos (19), studies film and television at DePaul University. He was born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin. Michael found his passion for filmmaking at no better time in his life. This was around the time he was looking to further his education and go off to college. Now, Michael has begun his journey towards the filmmaking dream. His short film "Trapped" was Michael's directorial debut.

2018 Festival Judge: Joseph Rogge

Joseph Rogge : A Milwaukee native, and studying Fine Arts at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Joseph has been immersed in and contributing to the arts community his entire career.

As a painter, Illustrator and Creative Storyteller, Joseph has nearly 35 years of professional artistic and creative execution. Today, Joseph is the Chief Creative Officer / Partner at EPIC Creative, leading award winning creative, brand and advertising campaigns for key accounts like Speed Queen, John Deere, Lowe’s, Burpee, IBM, GE as well as Milwaukee’s Performing Arts Groups such as UPAF.

Anniversary Film: Weeds

Weeds by Aurum Design
Milwaukee 
Running Time: 4 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, September 8th 6:45pm Juried
Animation 
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A strong female character discovers the power of words in a numinous book garden. Created for the 48hr film project and screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Won "Artistic Achievement in Visual Design" at our 10th Annual Festival

2018 Films: Garbage Money

Garbage Money by Rusty Cwiklis
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere) 
Running Time: 10 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, September 8th 6:45pm Juried
Dark Comedy
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Our gunman has seen the movies, knows what to avoid when it comes to needing money quick. Never rob a bank, because an off duty cop just happens to be in there, or try to steal from a company, only for an intern I.T. worker to catch you. Lucky for him, he has an idea, take the people who are forced to come to his front door hostage. Not so lucky for his two Garbage Men and Mailman. But just because he has a genius idea, doesn’t mean he’s thought it all the way through. From installing bullet proof windows, to forgetting to lock the front door, our Garbage Men are in for quite the day. Normally, they pick garbage up, but today, they’ll have to deal with it.

Director's Bio:

Growing up a fan of Chris Farley and Robin Williams, Rusty loved watching comedy movies and videos, knowing one day he wanted to make them. And when gas prices soared higher than his high school GPA, he knew he made the right decision pursuing a creative career.

Advanced Tickets for 20th Annual Milwaukee Short Film Festival

Purchase Tickets:
To buy advance tickets we set up these Paypal options. We use paypal to avoid adding extra surcharges and fees that Event Brite charges. This keeps our tickets at $10




First: Use Firefox rather than Windows Internet Explorer. We find that Windows gets twitchy when using Paypal.


Second: Tickets will be tracked and held at the door. 

We will not mail tickets. 

It is will call.

When going to your preferred show specify at the door the name in which the tickets were purchased under, the show (Fri 6:45pm, Sat 4:30pm , etc), the number of tickets bought and please bring your confirmation email as well.



Third: Be sure that you pick the right block of films. Tickets will be sold singly, pairs, sets of three, four and five. If you need more than five you will have to go back in and purchase more. We are sorry if you have to do that, but we find people don't usually bring more than 4 or 5 friends. There will be tickets sold at the door as well.


Fourth: There is no credit card purchases on site, cash only sales. ATM's are within walking distance to the venue.


Finally: Fox Bay Cinema has plenty of available parking near them and behind them. They also have food and drinks. Also, we suggest that our film selection is suitable for those 16 and up. Please keep that in mind.

ADVANCED TICKETS STOP ON SEPT 6th. 

PLEASE ARRIVE 30 MINS EARLY FOR ALL SHOWS 

 Sorry no refunds.

For the 9pm shows, please show up on time. 

The Kitchen closes 30 minutes after that show begins.

Fri. Session 1: (6:45pm) OPENING NIGHT EVENT!! Juried Part 1

Super Dad! Directed by Maria Pretzl, Hoan Alone Directed by Aaron Johnson, The Neighbor Directed by Evan Atwood, Pearls Directed by Shelley Thompson, Marie Directed by Katie Theel, Get in the Truck Directed by Neil Brookhsire, Cross My Heart Directed by Alex Langosch, Goldblooded Directed by Tom Botchii Skowronksi, Maggot Brain Directed by James J Roufus, Anniversary Film: The Phantom Limb Directed by Mark G.E. and our Pace-setter awarded to Eric Levin

Online sales ended for this showtime. We reached our limit. There will be a few seats available at the door. Cash sales only.  





Friday. Session 2: (9pm) VOICES HEARD! LOCAL MULTI-CULTURAL FILMMAKERS

Lost (Found) Directed by Jonah Castañeda Barry, Flammable Directed by Rubin Whitmore II, An Inconvenient Finis Directed by J. Anthony Ramos, Children's Stories #1 Directed by Michelle Trujillo,Crash Directed by Yinan Wang,Inner Directed by Ricardo Tenorio, Trapped Directed by Michael Villalobos, The Deer Queen Directed by Brooke Thiele, Last Resort Directed by Klifford Barkus, 
Anniversary Film:ThreeSixFive Directed by Ken Lawrence, Anniversary Film: Hero in Limbo Directed by Van Campbell III

DOOR SALES ONLY BEGINNING AT 6PM. Door sales will stop for this show at 9:15pm. The Kitchen will close at 9:30. Cash only.





Sat. Session 3: (4:30pm) Tickets sales on Sept 9th begin at 3:30pm

Mondo Lucha! Aria Directed by Daniel Andera, Nicolas Cage Mother Mary Directed by Jozef K. Richards , When I Was Four Directed by Hugo Ljungbäck, Silhouette of a Storm-Bent Tree Directed by Nick Zoulek, Lawman Directed by Matthew Gentile, Step One Directed by Sean Patrick Leonard, Upstairs Directed by Julia Smith, The Pleasures of the Glove Directed by Duane Michals, Anniversary Film: 3 daYs Directed by Chris Marks and Gilly Petrovic, Anniversary Film: From the Darkness Theatre Directed by Michael Viers

DOOR SALES ONLY BEGINNING AT 6PM on Sept 8th. Door Sales will stop for this show at 4:45pm. Cash only.

 

Sat Session 4: (6:45pm) Juried Part 2

Singer Directed by Paloma Lopez, Emptying, To Make Room For Overflowing Directed by Hannah Hamalian, Artemis & the Astronaut Directed by A. L. Lee, Operation Wolf Patrol: Poacher's Kingdom Directed by Joseph V. Brown, Girl Eating Banana: Audition Directed by Natasha Babenko, Garbage Money Directed by Rusty Cwiklis, Trick Of The Light Directed by Kyra Boprie, Stakeout Stories Directed by T.C. De Witt, Ready to Go Directed by Lynda Reiss, Anniversary Film: Aldara Directed by Eric Gerber

DOOR SALES ONLY BEGINNING AT 6PM on Sept 8th. Door Sales will stop for this show at 7pm. Cash only

Sat Session 5: (9pm) Juried Films Part 3.

Love Hotel Directed by Matty Crawford, #9 Directed by Jack Wilkins & Kimon Bolaris, A Thousand Words Never Said Directed by Megan Massey & Caroline Fu, Every Ghost Has An Orchestra Directed by Shayna Connelly, Ouroboros Directed by Emma Keehan, The Noize Directed by T.C. De Witt, Lady M Directed by Tammy Riley Smith, The Deer Queen Directed by Brooke Thiele, Control by Alison Becker and Kimmy Gatewood, Anniversary Film: Missed Connections Directed by Susan Kerns & Kara Mulrooney

DOOR SALES ONLY BEGINNING AT 6PM on Sept 8th. Door sales will stop for this show at 9:15pm. The Kitchen will close at 9:30. Cash only. 

Remember tickets will not be mailed, bring your email notification, and enjoy the show!

2018 Films: Lady M

Lady M by Tammy Riley Smith
London (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 12 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, September 8th 9pm Juried
Dark Comedy
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Hell hath no fury like an older woman scorned
An ageing actress summons the spirit of Lady Macbeth in order to win the part in an upcoming production. The actress, Margot Collins, played Lady Macbeth to great acclaiming her youth. Now in her fifties, she is largely forgotten, struggling for auditions, let alone parts. But when a theatre company announces its intention to stage Macbeth, Margot is determined to land the eponymous role once more ...

At the auditions it is a younger actress, Chloe, who commands the attention of the director, Richard, but he remembers Margot's inspirational performance and agrees to hear her read. It soon becomes clear, however, that Margot has no chance of starring opposite Brad, a hot TV star, twenty years her junior - and is instead offered the art of one of the witches...

But one should never underestimate the spirit of the play to conjure black magic, to summon mishaps and mischief, nor the power of a formidable older woman to get what she wants ...

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Director's Bio:

Tammy Riley-Smith is an award-winning writer-director.

She started her career in the mid 90’s as Development Executive at Working Title Films, working on a slate of films, including Elizabeth, Bean and Plunkett & Macleane.

She wrote and directed Ain’t Misbehavin’, which won the Kodak Short Film Prize, screened at 11 international film festivals including Cannes and was released theatrically with The Dish.

She won WFTV’s Directing Change Award in 2003 and worked as Trainee Director to John Madden on Proof, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins.

Tammy’s debut feature film, Delicious, starring Louise Brealey and Sheila Hancock, premiered in competition at Busan International Film Festival and, after a successful festival run, secured an international release in 2014.

She is currently attached to direct her second feature, The Phoenix, a UK/Australian co-production, produced by Jane Wright and Jane Hawley (Counterpoint). 

Director's Statement:

Numerous studies in recent years have revealed the depressing extent of gender inequality in the film, television and theatre industries, and the woeful prospects for actresses over 40. The few actresses who do find work after middle age tend to play mothers, wives, spinsters or decrepit hags. Meryl Streep, one of those few older actresses still permitted to access interesting roles, recently revealed that she was offered the part of a witch three times in the space of a year.

Lady M, a film about the trials of an ageing actress to secure a relevant role, isn't just a great script, but a metaphor for an underrepresented demographic. Margot’s experience of the world is unpredictable, unresponsive and not always benevolent, one that many older women might identify with. The ability to control one’s environment or the ravages of time seem impossible. In other narratives Margot may have been portrayed as a victim to be pitied, a self-deluded tragic character or a nuisance to be ignored. Here, however, Margot refuses to be beaten. She is a force of nature with a burning ambition to succeed and, like Shakespeare’s iconic heroine, Lady Macbeth, she summons the strength and will to control and shape her own future.

Traditionally in stories, strong, ambitious women have got their comeuppance or fallen apart, but Margot is here literally to steal the show – and in doing so challenges society’s view of older women and what they can be. The experiences of women past middle age, which are so complex, so multi faceted and relevant must no longer be erased from the art form. The stories of these generations of women are a crucial part of the fabric of our Society, of our cultural legacy - and must be told.

2018 Films: Operation Wolf Patrol: Poacher's Kingdom

Operation Wolf Patrol: Poacher's Kingdom by Joseph V. Brown
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 12 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday, September 8th 6:45pm Juried
Documentary
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"Operation Wolf Patrol: Poacher's Kingdom" is a short documentary that focuses on the controversial group "Wolf Patrol." The film follows Rod Coronado, Wolf Patrol's leader, as he endeavors to raise awareness about wolf poaching in Northern, Wisconsin. The film also treats the issue of WI's new "Hunter Harassment" law– a law that makes it illegal to take photos of hunters on public lands. The film should not be confused with the 2016 "Operation Wolf Patrol: Wisconsin Wildlife Issues."

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Director's Bio:

Joe Brown is a filmmaker and educator currently based at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, where he runs the Great Lakes Environmental Film Festival (GLEFF). His documentary work has screened at: The Wild & Scenic Film Festival; New Filmmakers, New York; the Birmingham Sidewalk Festival; the Dallas International Film Festival, and many more venues. Brown holds both a MFA and a MA in video production and currently sits on the board of the University Film & Video Association.

2018 Films: Nicolas Cage Mother Mary

Nicolas Cage Mother Mary by Jozef K. Richards
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 15 minutes
Screening Time: Saturday September 8th 4:30pm
Comedy 
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Stanley moves to Quito, Ecuador to house-sit for a friend, having big plans to start anew and explore the city, but discovers in the house a mesmerizing picture of the Virgin Mary bearing the face of Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage that becomes his obsession.

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Director's Bio:

Jozef K. Richards is the owner and founder of King's Tower Productions and a writer, director, producer, actor, and editor. He is the filmmaker of The Amateur Monster Movie, The Wayward Sun, Batman & Jesus, and "Holy Shit", among others, which are distributed by King's Tower Productions through platforms such as Vimeo, Amazon, and YouTube.