The first films were short films. Motion pictures began in the 1890s with two-minute actualities of real life and by 1900 they were telling stories. However, the movie industry moved on. Except for the intro clip for Pixar animation features, short films were seldom seen through recent years, in either multiplexes or art houses.
During the past two decades the Milwaukee Short Film Festival has filled the gap. In the years since it began, the event gained importance as a forum for filmmakers from Milwaukee and around the world and was recognized as a significant point in the growing network of festivals programming short subjects.
Like so many other annual events, this year’s Milwaukee Short Film Festival, scheduled for September at the Fox-Bay Cinema, has been canceled. The festival’s director, Ross Bigley, responded to questions about the cancellation, the “virtual option” showcasing top films from previous years and the future.
What led you to what must be a painful decision to cancel?
I was paying attention to the various events in town and what was happening, Summerfest going later, Irish Fest cancelling, which is just a few weeks before us, but I was paying closer eye to the actual pandemic news more so. Back in early March I was still planning to do the event, but after seeing week after week of the situation not improving here in the U.S., I just didn't feel comfortable having our event going on in a venue with people gathering. Also, many colleges were even going to stick to online courses for the fall—another clear indication to avoid a public gathering.
Just in the last week, seeing the push to open concerned me. And seeing some of the social distancing plans being laid out, I just didn't want to risk it. Due to where our festival is positioned on the calendar we couldn't exactly move to later in the year. Not with us being too close to other events.
What do you think about the future of cinema? Is the idea of people gathered together in front of a big screen a doomed concept if pandemics continue? Are there safe ways of gathering in movie theaters in times of a contagion?
I do think cinema will go on. But it has to be on a pause right now. We are in a situation that the only way we can get control of it is to stay home. Not a difficult thing to do, honestly. It will be a slow process. I know some areas have opened movie theaters and then closed them again, drive-ins are also becoming popular once more. I think big blockbusters will sit on a shelf until this is over. I can't see a studio putting out a 200 million dollar film as the first one to release, because the risk of losing money on it. I think studios will gamble on a smaller budget film as a test to see if people will come out again.
And I think they will. Looked at those packed beaches this past weekend. But a theater will struggle, social distancing guidelines will be in place. I just don't want to be responsible for someone getting sick by being at our event, or having sponsors supporting an event that a person could get sick at. So we are on a pause until next year.
When will the virtual best-of go live?
We’ll have the selected films posted on Sept 11. We will announce those selected films by mid-August, and I’ll be working with past filmmakers on getting everything ready by then. Details are still being discussed on if it'll be film blocks we'll have up, or just links. Also included would be information on our sponsors, the ones that have been with us through the years, many of which are small businesses. They too are struggling so we want to help them as well, to support them since they supported us.
Are you encouraging submissions for the Short Film Festival 2021 or are you putting a temporary halt to it?
Yes, our website and submission service, Filmfreeway, has been updated with the latest information. What we are doing is the Virtual “Best Of” will be Season 22, and the deadlines for this year have been extended to next season. We are in our regular deadline which is now April 30, 2021. No price increase. Our final deadline is June 10, 2021 and also no bump in price. The price of submitting right now stays at that price up to June 10 of next year. And all films submitted to this season are being held for next season. A few have already been selected and they will screen next year at our live event on Sept 10 and 11 2021 at Fox Bay Cinema.
