2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Call for Entries
Milwaukee Film 229 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
WHEN CAN I SUBMIT MY FILM FOR CONSIDERATION TO THE 2017 MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL?
Submissions will be accepted starting February 28, 2017. The online application must be completed by June 12, 2017. All DVD screeners MUST be postmarked by June 12, 2017 to be considered.
WHERE DO I SEND MY FILM?
We accept DVD screeners (NTSC format Region 1 or 0), as well as password-protected online streaming services. Please send your DVD screener to:
Milwaukee Film Festival
Attn: Call for Entries
229 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 200
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Include the film title, runtime, and contact information on your DVD (no sticker labels on the DVD, please). Please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard if you would like us to notify you by mail when we receive your DVD. DVD screeners will not be returned.
Links to online screeners can be submitted with the online application. If your screener link is password protected, please include that in the field provided on the application.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SUBMIT?
Your first film submitted is FREE. Tell everybody! Submissions are limited to one per person though, so any additional films submitted by the same filmmaker without consent from our programming team will be automatically rejected. Please email entry@mkefilm.org if you’d like to inquire about submitting more than one film.
WHAT TYPES OF FILMS DOES THE MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL ACCEPT?
We accept short (under 40 minutes) and feature (40 minutes or longer) lengths of documentary, narrative, experimental, animated films, and music videos. Works in progress will not be accepted. Please see our Rules & Regulations for additional eligibility requirements.
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WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LOCAL CATEGORIES SUCH AS CREAM CITY CINEMA AND THE MILWAUKEE YOUTH SHOW?
In order to qualify for the Cream City Cinema program or the Milwaukee Youth Show (our short film showcase for local filmmakers ages 18 & under), your film must meet the following requirements:
- Director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, lead actor(s), or sound editor must reside in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Walworth, or Washington County
- Your film cannot screen publicly in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Walworth, or Washington County after June 1, 2017. Please note that screening your film in one of the above counties prior to June 1, 2017 will be taken into consideration by our programming staff.
Additionally, to qualify for the Milwaukee Youth Show:
- All films submitted must be short films of approximately 20 minutes or less
- The work must primarily have been created by young people (ages 18 and under) with only minimal help from adults in an advisory capacity
- Work may have been created in or out of school or other educational environments. In the online application you will be asked to explain such contexts.
DOES THE MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL OFFER ANY AWARDS TO LOCALLY MADE FILMS?
Milwaukee Film, in its ongoing efforts to inspire and promote filmmaking in southeastern Wisconsin, offers two awards for locally-made film.
Shorts and feature-length fiction and documentary films that are screened in the Cream City Cinema section and whose director resides in the greater Milwaukee area (see counties above) are eligible for our Cream City Cinema Jury Award which includes a cash prize of $5,000. Films selected to screen in competition for this award will be notified in advance of the festival.
In 2016 we launched a second local film award to celebrate the local music and film communities together. This award will be given to the best music video as selected by our jury and includes a $5,000 cash prize to be shared evenly between the video’s director(s) and the video’s musical act.
However, it should be noted that Milwaukee Youth Show films, those films made by employees of Milwaukee Film or their families, and any films produced in conjunction with Milwaukee Film education programs are ineligible to receive these awards.
ARE ANY AWARDS OFFERED FOR NON-LOCAL FILMS AND FILMMAKERS?
Outside of our Cream City Cinema program, the Milwaukee Film Festival offers several additional cash awards annually. The following juried cash awards are scheduled to be given in 2017, with additional possible awards to be announced at a later date:
- Herzfeld Competition Award ($10,000)
- Black Lens Jury Award ($5,000)
- Cream City Cinema College Filmmaker Award ($2,500 cash)
- Cream City Cinema Jury Award ($5,000)
- Documentary Jury Award ($5,000)
- The Milwaukee Music Video Show Award ($5,000)
- Shorter is Better Award ($1,000)
- Kids Choice Short Film Award ($1,000)
In addition, two audience awards, presented by Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig, are given to the top-rated short- and feature-length films in the festival based on audience ratings.
WHEN CAN I EXPECT TO HEAR ABOUT THE STATUS OF MY SUBMITTED FILM?
You will be notified about acceptance via email no later than Friday, August 25, 2017. Please do not contact our office before that time.
MY FILM WAS NOT ACCEPTED – CAN YOU SEND ME FEEDBACK?
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Unfortunately, due to the vast amount of submissions we receive, we cannot provide feedback for any individual films.