The Milwaukee International Short Film Festival (MSFF) is back Sept. 11-12 at the Avalon Atmospheric Theater. After 28 years, MSFF is the city’s longest running film festival honoring local filmmaking – and it will “most likely” be the last, says MSFF Founder and Director Ross Bigley, who is moving into semi-retirement.
This year’s fest will feature over 30 films. All but one of the films are Milwaukee premieres, and most are from Wisconsin filmmakers. Bigley and local filmmaker Emma Kipp spoke with Lake Effect’s Audrey Nowakowski to discuss this year’s programming.
You can get tickets and check out the full lineup here.
Friday, Sept. 11: The Giant Spider Invasion
On Friday at 6:30 pm the fest will host a special 50th anniversary screening of sci-fi horror The Giant Spider Invasion, with new footage. Invasion has become a cult classic in the decades since it was featured on a 1997 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
A Q&A with the film’s director, Bill Rebane, will follow the screening. Rebane will also be presented with a pace-setter award for his achievements in Wisconsin’s film scene.
“He’s the person that pretty much brought indie filmmaking to Wisconsin,” says MSFF Founder and Director Ross Bigley. “His studio, The Shooting Ranch, was the first film studio in the Midwest, and it was located here in Wisconsin. He's such a trailblazer that we want to honor him on this 50th anniversary.”
Saturday, Sept. 12: 'Voices Heard'
Saturday will feature three short film blocks at 1 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. “Voices Heard” is the first block, highlighting selections by local filmmakers of color – including the animated short The Path and documentaries like Little Madeline McGuire and Section 48 to King Drive.
“Both documentaries share similar themes, because they're looking at Chinese culture,” says Bigley. “One is [about] a young woman trying to discover her grandparents who don't travel here very often. The other ... is a discovery of the Chinese laundries in Milwaukee about 100 years ago.”
Saturday, Sept. 12: Two additional short film blocks
The 4:30 p.m. block of short films will feature a “mix of the avant-garde, comedy, drama, social commentary and some horror,” the Avalon’s website says, while the 7 p.m. block will highlight “local horror, drama, comedy, music and animation.”
The earlier block includes Emma Kipp’s AI-themed horror short Human Error. Kipp explains how it came together in a film course at UW-Milwaukee.
“All 10 of us were in the same exact class called ‘collaborative filmmaking’ by the instructor Tate Bunker,” she says. “We get into the class and he breaks us up into two different groups on day one, and you have to just make a film within three months – all your ideas, your editing, your production, everything.”
Looking ahead
As Bigley moves into semi-retirement, he says this year’s fest will "most likely" be the last. But with upcoming festival programming at Milwaukee Film, newer film festivals popping up in places like Sheboygan and the return of the Twisted Dreams horror festival, he says it’s a great time for the local film scene.
“There are many, many opportunities now in this area for filmmakers,” he says.
And that’s especially true for young and upcoming independent filmmakers like Emma Kipp.
“I think indie's on the rise, and I am honored to be a part of it,” she says.
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