Milwaukee Film Festival 2017 awards $140K in prizes

The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival, presented by Associated Bank, announced this year’s festival jury award winners, who were awarded $87,000 in cash and more than $60,000 in production services.

Among the top films selected include Scott Road, a film with local ties shot entirely in China; Rat Film, a documentary exploring the rat infestations and their socioeconomic connections in Baltimore; and Quest, a documentary following a North Philadelphia family over the course of a decade.

In addition to the festival awards, recipients of the 2017 Brico Forward Fund were announced. This year awarding $50,000 in cash and over $60,000 in production services to nine projects, the annual grant giving program was established to support worthy film projects by local filmmakers. Past recipients include Erik Ljung for his project The Blood is at the Doorstep, which was the Centerpiece Film at this year’s festival after premiering at the SXSW Film Festival in March.

The Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig Audience Awards for Best Feature and Best Short will be announced after the festival.

2017 MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL JURY AWARDS

Abele Catalyst Award
Brico Fund

Black Lens Jury Award ($5,000 cash)
Dear Mr. Shakespeare (dir. Shola Amoo)

Special Mention: Unrest (dir. Jennifer Brea)

2017 Brico Forward Fund Recipients ($50,000 cash and $60,000+ in production services)
The Sacred and the Snake (dir. Jonathan Klett)
$20,000 cash and legal consultation from Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

Wander (dir. Vasilena Slavova)
$10,000 cash and legal consultation from Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

Dying of Thirst (dir. Daniel Boville)
$7,500 cash, $10,000 from North American Camera, $2,500 from Independent, and legal consultation from Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

Pet Names (dir. Carol Brandt)
$5,000 cash, $5,000 from Independent, and legal consultation from Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

A Grave Situation (dir. Michael Vollmann)
$2,500 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, $2,500 from Independent, $5,000 from Electric Sun, and legal consultation from Dan Kattmann of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

In Pursuit of the Stars (dir. Jessica Farrell)
$2,500 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, $2,500 from Independent, $5,000 from Electric Sun, and legal consultation from Dan Kattmann of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

The Inhabitants (dir. Tate Bunker)
$10,000 from Electric Sun, four studio days at Steinhafels Studios, and legal consultation from Dan Kattmann of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

Operation Wolf Patrol: The Rod Coronado Story (dir. Joseph Brown)
$2,500 cash, $7,500 from Independent, and legal consultation from Dan Kattmann of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

The Stolie Tippers (dir. Trevonte Maxwell-King)
Two studio days at Steinhafels Studios and legal consultation from Dan Kattmann of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

Cream City Cinema College Filmmaker Award ($2,500 cash)
ANGELAAA (dir. Shannon McInnis)

Cream City Cinema Jury Award ($5,000 cash)
Scott Road (dir. William Tang)

Special Mentions: Deer Queen (dir. Brooke Thiele), Manlife (dir. Ryan Sarnowski), and Seeking Century City (dirs. Adam Carr & Wes Tank)

Documentary Jury Award ($5,000 cash)
Quest (dir. Jonathan Olshefski)

Herzfeld Competition Award ($10,000 cash)
Rat Film (dir. Theo Anthony)

Special Mention: Stranger In Paradise (dir. Guido Hendrikx)

Kids Choice Short Film Award ($1,000 cash)
Litterbugs (dir. Peter Stanley-Ward)

Special Mentions: Lemonade Mafia (dir. Anya Adams) and Little Bird and the Caterpillar (Der Kleine Vogel Und Die Raupe) (dir. Lena von Döhren)

Milwaukee Music Video Award ($5,000 cash)
IshDARR – “Locals” (dir. Damien Blue)

Pitch Us Your Film! Contest ($2,500 cash)
Rawspace (dirs. Kyle V. James & Mallori Taylor)

Shorter Is Better Award ($1,000 cash)
The Burden (dir. Niki Lindroth Von Bahr)

Special Mention for Best Documentary Short: Little Potato (dir. Wes Hurley and Nathan M. Miller)

Special Mention for Best Screenwriting: All Exchanges Final (dir. Annabel Oakes) and Special Mention for Best Directing: Make a Wish (dir. Jonatan Etzel)