2026 Film: Never Fell in Love

Never Fell In Love by Tommy Simms
Wisconsin (World Premiere)
Running Time: 4 minutes

Thriller/Horror/Music Video

 

September 

Avalon Atmospheric Theater

2473 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207

Bereft of life, an aristocrat's estate is at stake. Motives unfold around a debonair heir, who is set to inherit the keys to the kingdom. Further suspicions arise as accusations fly about the estate’s staff. Time for the detective to swoop in and solve this whodunnit! What clues will be unearthed behind this bloodthirsty enigma?

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Director's Bio:

Tommy Simms is an interdisciplinary artist and award-winning filmmaker, specializing in stop-motion animation. While pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Tommy discovered that filmmaking combines his passions for a variety of art forms. Animation is his main focus, but his work also ventures into puppetry and live-action. No matter the artistic style, the narratives of Tommy's films are executed with an animated approach. Capping off his time at UWM, Tommy single-handedly animated his senior stop-motion, “The Legend of Leatherface Larry,” which earned the honor of being showcased at the 67th Festival de Cannes. His subsequent works have been featured in film festivals around the world, on PBS, in theatre productions, and even at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Tommy’s work on the candy-coated animated short, "She Was Crying Sugar" granted him a Best Director award from Milwaukee's International Short Film Fest, and won Best Mixed Media at the Los Angeles Animation Festival, among other notable accolades. In addition to filmmaking, Tommy shares his creative knowledge with aspiring artists. For years, he taught puppetry and stop-motion courses online and at art camps across the United States alongside public television's Emmy Award-winning cartoonist, Mark Kistler. Now, a frequent collaborator with the indie rock band, Fuzzysurf, and one half of the storytelling duo at Simwig Studios, Tommy’s animated adventures continue with the production of independent films and music videos.

Director's Statement:

Originally conceived as a music performance, Fuzzysurf’s “Never Fell In Love” evolved into a fully conceptualized whodunnit a few days before the film shoot. Upon viewing the vintage decor of Milwaukee’s event venue, Dandy, inspiration struck the band as they realized this moody location could double as the perfect setting for a sinister story. And thus, the narrative was penned. Taking notes from classic literary and cinematic whodunnits, our penny dreadful follows an eccentric detective toiling through a dire case that would delight the likes of Agatha Christie. The usual suspects are mustered up, allegations are spewed, and evidence is revealed, all set to the score of Fuzzysurf’s melodramatic tune. The song’s lyrics act as the script of the deceased’s letter, a testament to why he won’t leave his inheritance to a potential lover. Tensions rise amongst the characters with each passing verse. However, the entire story is presented without anyone uttering a single word. The players pantomime their way through every plot twist leading up to the eventual conundrum, is being caught red handed just a red herring?