Winners of 10th Annual MidWest WeirdFest Announced

The 10th annual MidWest WeirdFest wrapped at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, last week. The festival once again delivered a cinematic smorgasbord of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, to enthusiastic audiences at sold-out screenings. Today, MidWest WeirdFest announces the winning films of the 2026 event.

Zachary Nicols writer/director of VARIATIONS ON VIOLENCE: “Best Film” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

VARIATIONS ON VIOLENCE captured the festival's prestigious “Best Film” award. The film is a masterful and breathtaking feature debut from sculptor, and once collaborator with the late David Lynch, Zachary Nicols. Drawn from interviews with real U.S. military drone pilots living with PTSD, VARIATIONS ON VIOLENCE visualizes trauma’s inescapable spread.

"I’m honored that VARIATIONS ON VIOLENCE received the Best Film award,” says Nichols. “MidWest WeirdFest brought together an audience genuinely open to strange, challenging cinema and created a rare space where films like this really shine. Seeing the film connect with that audience was deeply rewarding.”

An overview of the festival's other award-winning films follows:

Tim Connery writer/director of THE DRIFTLESS: “Best of the MidWest” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

This year, MidWest WeirdFest introduced a new feature award category: “Best of the MidWest”. Submissions to the festival reached a record high for the 2026 season. And with so many feature films submitted to the festival hailing from the Midwest, the festival team decided it was time to acknowledge outstanding midwestern feature productions; the same way that the fest has long done with midwestern shorts.

Tim Connery's masterful and terrifying horror anthology feature THE DRIFTLESS won the inaugural “Best of the Midwest” feature film award.

L to R: Thomas Eliot writer/director and Nick Jackson sound designer/composer of THE PHILIP EXPERIMENT. Winner “Palmer d'Or Award” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

The fest's “Palmer d'Or Award” was awarded to Thomas Eliot for his feature debut THE PHILIP EXPERIMENT. Inspired by a parapsychology experiment from 1972, this found footage gem blurs the lines between real paranormal history and edge-of-your-seat terror. MidWest WeirdFest instituted the Palmer d'Or award in 2023 to honor the memory of Wisconsin sci-fi and Fortean pioneer, Raymond A. Palmer, and recognize excellence in the field today.

“Best Director” was taken by Nick Funess for his confronting, and uncomfortably hilarious, THE HEDONIST. Funess also stars as the film's titular character, a young man who hires an escort to take care of him for a week, following his work-related melt-down. THE HEDONIST marks Funess as a major new talent of American cinema.

“Best Documentary” was awarded to Elijah Sullivan's THE HOLE STORY. This captivating film draws you into a deep and unsettling mystery on California's Mount Shasta, where fringe beliefs and criminality intersect.

As with the “Palmer d'Or”, the fest's“Best International Film” was awarded to a found footage film: The genre-twisting WE PUT THE WORLD TO SLEEP, a Romanian production. Directed by Adrian Țofei (BE MY CAT: A FILM FOR ANNE), and produced by Țofei and Duru Yücel the film also stars this real-life married couple, playing themselves. Part reality-bending sci-fi, part chilling horror, part domestic drama, WE PUT THE WORLD TO SLEEP masterfully subverts and surpasses the conventional tropes of found footage.

Alex Cherney (with microphone) writer/director/producer of THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER. Winner “Best Horror Film” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

“Best Horror Film” was awarded to the taut, atmospheric, descent into paranormal paranoia which is THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER, from writer/director/producer Alex Cherney. Set in 1992 Long Island, it is one of the freshest and most captivating horror films of the decade, and has all the trappings of a modern classic.

While “Best Sci-Fi Film” was awarded to PERSONHOOD. This lo-fi sci-fi gem, from writer/director/producer Richard Jordan, deals with a twisted love triangle between a physically disabled man, his vindictive brother, and a beautiful android.

L to R: Jonnie Stapleton AD/dance choreographer, and Chris Alan Evans writer/star of PEEPING TODD; with Dean Bertram, MWWF programming director. PEEPING TODD winner “Best Comedy Film” MidWest WeirdFest 2026

PEEPING TODD, captured the fest's “Best Comedy Film” award. From writer/director Josh Munds, producers Alexander Jeffery and Melissa Munds, and writer Chris Alan Evans. Evans also stars as the titular character in this hilariously deranged musical, which was adored by the fest's audience.

Joshua Land and Victor Fink writers/directors/producers of INCUBATION. Winner “Best Thriller Film” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

INCUBATION - the edge-of-your-seat home invasion shocker, that takes place during a fictional pandemic - from fest alumni Joshua Land and Victor Fink was awarded “Best Thriller Film”.

Aurelio Voltaire co-writer/director/producer/star of THE DEMONATRIX. Winner “Best Horror Comedy” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

“Best Horror Comedy” was awarded to the frightening, kinky, and at times hilarious THE DEMONATRIX from Aurelio Voltaire and Jeff Ferrell.

Andrew Salerno writer/director/producer of WAKING STATE. Winner “Independent Spirit Award” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

MidWest WeirdFest's “Independent Spirit Award” was won by WAKING STATE. From writer/director Andrew Salerno, the film is an artfully crafted and compelling thriller, riffing on the great conspiracy movies and shows of the past, but with a contemporary, and indie, edge.

Michael Conroy producer SUNSET STRIP KILLERS. Winner “Best Actor'“ & “Best Actress” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

“Best Actor” was awarded to Max E. Williams for his intense portrayal of Doug Clark, one half of a real-life, serial-killer couple, in modern master of horror Chad Ferrin's powerful biopic SUNSET STRIP KILLERS. While Susan Prior took “Best Actress” for her terrifying yet sympathetic portrayal of “Carol Bundy”, the other member of that film's notorious duo.

Horror legend Doug Bradley (HELLRAISER, NIGHTBREED) won “Best Supporting Actor” for his role as a demonologist in THE DEMONATRIX.

Rosie McDonald's captivating portrayal of a missing sister, in fest alum Zeshaan Younus' I'VE SEEN ALL I NEED TO SEE, won “Best Supporting Actress”.

Mary Pomilla, co-writer/co-director of KRISTEN, reenacts the film’s opening aerobic dance with MWWF programming director Dean Bertram. KRISTEN winner of “Best Short Film” MidWest WeirdFest 2026

“Best Short Film” was awarded to Mary and Veronica Pomilla's KRISTEN: A stunning, hilarious, and touching, ode to - come social satire of - girlhood, teenagedom and growing up in a privileged Maryland town in the early 2010s.

And “Best Director – Short Film” was won by Virginia de Witt for her powerful, shot on film, lo-fi sc-fi short E.D.G.A.R: ENHANCED DATA GATHERING ANALYSIS ROBOT.

Miles August director of THE GIRL IN THE STREET. Winner “Best of the MidWest” short at MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

THE GIRL IN THE STREET, a shocking and expertly realized tale about a young man lured to a small town, from Miles August and Chris Paicely, won “Best of the MidWest” short.

“Best Short Documentary” was won by SYMPATHETIC FLUIDS from Matthew Pagoaga. The film provides a psychedelia-tinged examination of communication methods from snail sex, through the internet, to beyond; Trippy, insightful, and brilliant.

DAMSEL IN GEEKSTRESS, the bloody - and bloody hilarious - film about a pop-culture geek, her pet gerbil, and the lengths she'll go to in her desire to acquire a new limited edition anime figurine, from French writer/director Renaud Parra, took “Best International Short”.

“Best Horror Short” was awarded to Steven Schloss's GIMME: A terrifying and mesmerizing film set on the the first night of Hanukkah, when a grandfather and granddaughter partake in a sinister game of dreidel.

Chris Alan Evans writer/director/producer HIVEMIND DELUXE. Winner “Best Sci-Fi Short” at MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

While HIVEMIND DELUXE, an alien abduction film with a fantastic satirical spin - from Chris Alan Evans, who also co-wrote and starred in this year's “Best Comedy Film” PEEPING TODD - won “Best Sci-Fi Short”.

Carter Amelia Davis writer/director HOMEMADE GATORADE. Winner “Best Animated Short” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

Carter Amelia Davis' HOMEMADE GATORADE, a surreal, hilarious, and delightfully deranged film, captured “Best Animated Short”.

METHUSELAH, a dark and haunting exploration of the darker aspects of humankind's relationship with trees, from Nathan Sellers, won “Best Experimental Film”.

“Best Fantasy Film” was awarded to MARGARET THE BRAVE; a touching film about a divorced father's attempts to prepare his daughter for her future, from director Danny Chandia and producer Rachel Johnson.

Alex Geffen and Cass Huckabay's CLEAN SLATE - an edge-of-your-seat film that imagines a near future where criminals have their memories, and propensity for crime, erased, and how this impacts their victim's families – won “Best Thriller Short”.

“Best Comedy Short” was won by STATUS: ACTIVE; the hilarious film from Bob Morley, that follows a food delivery driver, who will stop at nothing, so long as her customers' reviews remain high.

Tim Schwagel writer/director/producer of BLOSSOM NEEDS A RIDE HOME. Winner “Best Horror Comedy Short” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

The riotous BLOSSOM NEEDS A RIDE HOME, from Eau Claire's own Tim Schwagel was awarded “Best Horror Comedy Short”. The film addresses the question: How does the “final girl” in a slasher movie make her way home after the killings subside? It's already been making waves on this season's festival circuit.

3 TO DIE, from Mitch Yapko and Allen Rueckert, won “Best TV/New Media”. This fantastic short film, come proof of concept for a horror/comedy feature, follows three young girls, in 1994, who are drawn into a bizarre reality via a sinister video arcade game.

“Best Actor – Short Film” was awarded to Caleb Fullen, for his compelling performance as a relapsed alcoholic, in Chicago-based filmmaker Wenzler Powers’ fantastic, and Twliight Zone-esque, DRINK UP.

Gabriela Lopez writer/director/producer/star of SOVEREIGN. Winner of “Best Actress - Short Film” MIdWest WeirdFest 2026.

Gabriela Lopez won “Best Actress – Short Film” for her bravura performance of an imprisoned woman searching for her amputated arm, in the stunning, experimental horror short SOVEREIGN. The film was also written, directed, and produced by Lopez.

Anthony Ruptak recording artist/director of PHANTASMAGORIA. Winner “Best Music Video” MidWest WeirdFest 2026.

And “Best Music Video” went to the powerful and catchy PHANTASMAGORIA, from filmmaker, and recording artist Anthony Ruptak (co-directed with Cole Naylor).

MidWest WeirdFest also hosts both a feature and short screenplay competition.

The winning feature screenplay DEVIL'S DISCIPLE: THE NIGHT STALKER was written by Chad Ferrin (Chad's feature film THE SUNSET STRIP KILLERS also captured “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” for its two leads at this year's MidWest WeirdFest.). Eric Silvera and Sean Kenealy's REJECT took the 1st Runner-up spot. And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was awarded to Ryan Jackson for his screenplay NIGHT GAMES.

The short screenplay competition was won by Phil Bucci for THE STAIN. The 1st Runner-up was EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, written by Aidan Jones. And Kevin Hosey's DEATH IMMINENT was awarded 2nd Runner-up.

A full list of the semi-finalists, finalists, and winners of both the short and feature screenplay competitions is available here

The 11th annual MidWest WeirdFest will take place at Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, March 4-7, 2027.

Filmmakers and screenwriters can enter their work to the 11th Annual MidWest WeirdFest via FilmFreeway, here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest

Fantastic 10th Annual MidWest WeirdFest Full Program

The 10th annual MidWest WeirdFest - a cinematic celebration of of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird - takes place March 5-8, 2026 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The fest's fantastic line-up of horror, sci-fi, underground, paranormal, and documentary cinema showcases 16 feature films, and almost 70 shorts; including world premieres of four feature films.

One of the films that is world premiering at the festival is the terrifying and claustrophobic home invasion shocker INCUBATION.

“We couldn’t think of a better place to premiere our movie, INCUBATION, than MidWest WeirdFest”, says Joshua Land who wrote and directed the film with his longtime producing partner Victor Fink.

“In 2020, we launched our feature film, BAD WITCH, at MidWest WeirdFest. When we got back home, the entire world shut down. Naturally, it seems only fitting that our new film about a fictional pandemic and a family locked in their isolated cabin in the woods infects the screen here six years later. Of course, we hope the return trip goes better this time. MidWest WeirdFest is such a unique, special, community-focused festival, and it means the world to us to be able to be included once again. Festival director Dean Bertram has created such a wonderful, closely knit, supportive community of filmmakers and audiences. It’s truly an honor to finally unleash the product of years of 'blood, sweat, and tears' in such an incredible place. Let’s keep it weird!”

The feature films screening at the 10th annual festival include:

THE DEMONATRIX (Aurelio Voltaire, Jeff Ferrell / USA) - WISCONSIN PREMIERE - A Mexican priest comes to the aid of his good friend and neighbor, a dominatrix, when she unwittingly summons an incubus demon. Starring Doug Bradley (Hellraiser), Larry Fessenden (Jakob's Wife, Brooklyn 45), Hannah Fierman (V/H/S, Creepshow) and Nivek Ogre (Repo! The Genetic Opera, Skinny Puppy). Kinky chills and scares abound in this demonic thrill ride, which is sure to satiate the appetite of diabolic cinema lovers.

THE DRIFTLESS (dir: Tim Connery / USA) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - Deep river valleys, tall limestone bluffs sawing through the sky... thousands of years ago, this unique portion of the Midwest escaped the crushing effects of the giant Ice Age glaciers. But with its scenic beauty, this preserved primal landscape also conceals unimaginable terrors. THE DRIFTLESS is a horror film that weaves through four terrifying Midwest tales of the macabre. Guided by a mysterious antique store owner, these stories delve into a Mississippi River cult of masked assassins, a grieving musician's struggle with a cursed bottle of liquor, a motel pool cleaner's uncanny ability to retrieve time-altering artifacts, and a woman's blood-thirsty revenge from beyond the grave. A Night of Horror presents not only the Midwest premiere of this terrifying anthology, but it's first ever screening in “The Driftless Area”!

THE HEDONIST (dir. Nick Funess) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - Reed's monotonous days lead to a meltdown at his dead-end job. He bails and heads to his parents' place in Arizona, spending his days floating in the pool while his parents persuade him to get back on track. Reed comes up with a wild plan instead. He hires an escort, Tess, to take care of him for a week. Debauchery and buffoonery ensue as Tess joins Reed on his journey to nowhere fast. Confronting, and uncomfortably hilarious, THE HEDONIST marks director/star Nick Funess as a major new talent of American cinema.

THE HOLE STORY: (dir. Elijah Sullivan) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - The discovery of a sixty-foot man-made hole on a California mountain implicates a small town’s unusual local industry in a bizarre unsolved crime. Abandoning the conventional investigative format, THE HOLE STORY unfolds as a multi-faceted oral history, immersing us in personal mythologies and painting a haunting and unsettling portrait of a community shaped by fringe belief. A captivating documentary that draws you into a deep and unsettling mystery.

INCUBATION (dir: Joshua Land, Victor Fink) - WORLD PREMIERE - In an isolated cabin amidst a devastating pandemic, Helen takes every precaution to protect her children Ethan and Lily. But when a mysterious stranger named Gideon arrives, the family's fragile reality shatters. As secrets unravel and a deadly confrontation ensues, Ethan must make a harrowing choice to protect his sister and mother. A shocking and brutal new addition to the home invasion sub-genre, from fest alumni Joshua Land and Victor Fink (BAD WITCH).

I'VE SEEN ALL I NEED TO SEE (dir: Zeshaan Younus) – WISCONSIN PREMIERE - Two sisters are separated by the expanse of death. Parker, an actor in Los Angeles, returns to her hometown in search of answers after the sudden and violent loss of her estranged sister, Indiana. Told through a non-linear and haunting lens, I’VE SEEN ALL I NEED TO SEE is equal parts ghost story and noir. It looks at the gaps in space, time, and judgment that are created when attempting to move on from personal tragedy.

THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER (dir: Alex Cherney) – MIDWEST PREMIERE - When a young girl summons a driver using a seemingly innocent ritual, she must fulfill his demands if she ever wants to get back home in 1992 Long Island. A taught, atmospheric, descent into paranormal paranoia; THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER is one of the freshest and most captivating horror films of the decade. Do not miss it's 2nd ever screening, only at MidWest WeirdFest.

PEEPING TODD (dir: Josh Munds) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - When his peeping passions become compromised, Todd decides he’ll do whatever it takes to continue stalking his beloved Claire. An obsessive HOA fleet and a dense boyfriend are obstacles Todd must dance around if he wants to sing his way into Claire’s heart. As Claire gets wrapped up in the lies of her fiancé and the web of her stalker, she must escape the two most toxic relationships she’s ever faced. Disturbing, toe-tapping fun, this gloriously deranged musical has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.

PERSONHOOD (dir: Richard Jordan) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - In a near-future world, a lonely, physically challenged man purchases a companion robot to escape his isolation. But his own insecurities and a jealous brother threaten his chances of ever finding love. PERSONHOOD captivates the viewer, drawing us in to a story which becomes increasingly difficult to watch, but hooks so deep that one is unable to look away. A lo-fi sci-fi masterpiece.

THE PHILIP EXPERIMENT (dir. Thomas Eliot) - WORLD PREMIERE - Inspired by a parapsychology experiment from 1972, a team of paranormal researchers led by an unscrupulous documentary filmmaker try to summon the ghost of a fictional character. This found footage gem blurs the lines between real paranormal history and edge-of-your-seat terror.

PSYCHOPOMP (dir: Jeremy Sher ) - MIDWEST PREMIERE – A young man steals a Hearst from a funeral home. Soon after he narrowly escapes a run in with locals at a dive bar, and picks up a female hitchhiker in the process, who joins him on his mission. PSYCHOPOMP has the makings of a mumblecore classic; resonates with the type of weird cool of an early Hal Hartley film; and is steeped in the spirit of early 90s American indie cinema.

THE RULES OF ATTRACTION (dir: Roger Avery) – MEMORIAL SCREENING - Come and join us for a very special retrospective screening of THE RULES OF ATTRACTION, to commemorate the life of the film’s departed star James Van Der Beek. Since it’s release in 2002, THE RULES OF ATTRACTION, has been all but forgotten by the mainstream. Often misunderstood, and almost never given the attention it deserves, it is an incredible film: Hilarious, disturbing, poignant, and as much a snapshot of late 90s early 2000s misplaced machismo as the much better know FIGHT CLUB. This dark satire of nihilistic college life - masterfully directed by Roger Avary (PULP FICTION) and based on the novel by best-selling and infamous author Bret Easton Ellis (AMERICAN PSYCHO) - features one of Van Der Beek’s best and most memorable performances.

SUNSET STRIP KILLERS (dir. Chad Ferrin) - WORLD PREMIERE - From prolific modern master of horror exploitation, Chad Ferrin (THE CHAIR, DEEP ONES, ED KEMPER), comes this vicious true crime stunner. Los Angeles, 1980. Beneath the glittering lights of the Sunset Strip, a horrifying tale of obsession and bloodshed unfolds. Carol Bundy, a lonely nurse, crosses paths with Doug Clark, a charming but dangerously unstable man. Drawn into his web of deceit and depravity, Carol's quiet existence spirals into a nightmare she never imagined.

VARIATIONS ON VIOLENCE (dir: Zachary Nichols) – WORLD PREMIERE – Johnny – a traumatized military drone pilot - and Mary are siblings bound together through childhood abandonment, scraping by in a dead-end rural town. Through tragedy, the film’s reality shifts into an abstract afterlife, where personal guilt is stripped of its human scale and dissolves into something vast and impersonal. This is a masterful and breathtaking feature directorial debut. Nichols was a collaborator with David Lynch, and fans of the late auteur will feel Lynch’s presence resonate in some sequences.

WAKING STATE (dir: Andrew Salerno) – MIDWEST PREMIERE - After watching a top secret videotape, a small town law clerk must track down the tape's origin and its connection to a deeper conspiracy. An artfully crafted and compelling thriller, riffing on the great conspiracy movies and shows of the past – from the 70s films of Alan J. Pakula through THE X-FILES and THE LONE GUNMEN - but with a contemporary, and indie, edge.

WE PUT THE WORLD TO SLEEP (dir. Adrian Tofei) – WISCONSIN PREMIERE - The highly anticipated, genre-bending film, from cult director Adrian Tofei (BE MY CAT: A FILM FOR ANNE) and Duru Yücel. Part reality-bending sci-fi, part chilling horror, part domestic drama, this film masterfully subverts and surpasses the conventional tropes of found footage. Adrian and Duru get lost in the characters they play in an apocalyptic film and embark on a secret mission to end the world for real. What follows goes beyond their wildest imagination.

Full program and schedule here.

Buy festival passes and tickets to individual sessions here.

Durring the festival tickets and passes also available at the Micon Downtown box office.

10th Annual MidWest WeirdFest Announces First Programming Wave

MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave of 2026 today. The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is celebrating its 10th  anniversary when it returns to the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, March 5-8 2026.

“MidWest WeirdFest is delighted to reveal its first wave of feature programming for 2026, one that's jam-packed with incredible world and midwest premieres.” says festival founder and director Dean Bertram. “Whatever way your predilection for the weird swings, we have films to satiate: Blood drenched serial killer and home invasion thrillers, terrifying atmospheric horror, confronting dark comedies, unsettling documentaries, mind-bending found footage films that blur the line between reality and terror, and even a hilariously perverted musical. And that's just the first programming wave! So come get weird with us, and celebrate MidWest WeirdFest's first 10 years of cinematic weirdness this March!” 

Discounted festival passes are now on sale here:

Last year, full season festival passes, as well as Friday and Saturday passes, sold out. So we recommend getting passes early, to avoid disappointment.

Individual tickets to each film will go on sale closer to the festival; both on the fest's website, and directly from the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Additional films, full schedule details, and filmmaker guests will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The first eight feature films announced for the 2026 festival follow:

THE HEDONIST (dir. Nick Funess) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - Reed's monotonous days lead to a meltdown at his dead-end job. He bails and heads to his parents' place in Arizona, spending his days floating in the pool while his parents persuade him to get back on track. Reed comes up with a wild plan instead. He hires an escort, Tess, to take care of him for a week. Debauchery and buffoonery ensue as Tess joins Reed on his journey to nowhere fast. Confronting, and uncomfortably hilarious, THE HEDONIST marks director/star Nick Funess as a major new talent of American cinema.

THE HOLE STORY:  (dir. Elijah Sullivan) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - The discovery of a sixty-foot man-made hole on a California mountain implicates a small town’s unusual local industry in a bizarre unsolved crime. Abandoning the conventional investigative format, THE HOLE STORY unfolds as a multi-faceted oral history, immersing us in personal mythologies and painting a haunting and unsettling portrait of a community shaped by fringe belief. A captivating documentary that draws you into a deep and unsettling mystery.

INCUBATION (dir: Joshua Land, Victor Fink) - WORLD PREMIERE - In an isolated cabin amidst a devastating pandemic, Helen takes every precaution to protect her children Ethan and Lily. But when a mysterious stranger named Gideon arrives, the family's fragile reality shatters. As secrets unravel and a deadly confrontation ensues, Ethan must make a harrowing choice to protect his sister and mother. A shocking and brutal new addition to the home invasion sub-genre, from fest alumni Joshua Land and Victor Fink (BAD WITCH).

THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER  (dir: Alex Cherney) – MIDWEST PREMIERE - When a young girl summons a driver using a seemingly innocent ritual, she must fulfill his demands if she ever wants to get back home in 1992 Long Island. A taut, atmospheric, descent into paranormal paranoia; THE MID-NIGHT DRIVER is one of the freshest and most captivating horror films of the decade. Do not miss its 2nd ever screening, only at MidWest WeirdFest.  

PEEPING TODD: (dir: Josh Munds) - MIDWEST PREMIERE - When his peeping passions become compromised, Todd decides he’ll do whatever it takes to continue stalking his beloved Claire. An obsessive HOA fleet and a dense boyfriend are obstacles Todd must dance around if he wants to sing his way into Claire’s heart. As Claire gets wrapped up in the lies of her fiancé and the web of her stalker, she must escape the two most toxic relationships she’s ever faced. Demented, toe-tapping fun, this gloriously deranged musical has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.

THE PHILIP EXPERIMENT (dir. Thomas Eliot)  - WORLD PREMIERE - Inspired by a parapsychology experiment from 1972, a team of paranormal researchers led by an unscrupulous documentary filmmaker try to summon the ghost of a fictional character. This found footage gem blurs the lines between real paranormal history and edge-of-your-seat terror.

SUNSET STRIP KILLERS (dir. Chad Ferrin) - WORLD PREMIERE - From prolific modern master of horror exploitation, Chad Ferrin (THE CHAIR, DEEP ONES, ED KEMPER), comes this vicious true crime stunner. Los Angeles, 1980. Beneath the glittering lights of the Sunset Strip, a horrifying tale of obsession and bloodshed unfolds. Carol Bundy, a lonely nurse, crosses paths with Doug Clark, a charming but dangerously unstable man. Drawn into his web of deceit and depravity, Carol's quiet existence spirals into a nightmare she never imagined.

WE PUT THE WORLD TO SLEEP  (dir. Adrian Tofei) – WISCONSIN PREMIERE - The highly anticipated, genre-bending film, from cult director Adrian Tofei (BE MY CAT: A FILM FOR ANNE) and Duru Yücel. Part reality-bending sci-fi, part chilling horror, part domestic drama, this film masterfully subverts and surpasses the conventional tropes of found footage. Adrian and Duru get lost in the characters they play in an apocalyptic film and embark on a secret mission to end the world for real. What follows goes beyond their wildest imagination. 

MidWest WeirdFest Announces 2025 Award Winners

The 9th annual MidWest WeirdFest wrapped last week at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The festival once again delivered a cinematic smorgasbord of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, to enthusiastic audiences at sold-out screenings. Today, MidWest WeirdFest announces the winning films of the 2025 event.

The fest's “Palmer d'Or Award” was awarded to Joseph Granda for his touching and hilarious feature film THE SASQUALOGIST. Granda wrote, directed, and stars in the incredible film that presents the microcosm of the Bigfoot research community more accurately, and more entertainingly, than any film ever has before. The award was instituted in 2023 to honor the memory of Wisconsin sci-fi and Fortean pioneer, Raymond A. Palmer, and recognize excellence in the field today.

(L) Jospeh Granda holding the 2025 Palmer d’Or award for THE SASQUALOGIST. (R) Fest Director Dean Bertram

“It was an honor to win the Palmer d'Or at MidWest WeirdFest,” says Granda, the veteran actor and filmmaker. “Truly a film festival that embraces and captures the spirit of that lost era of independent filmmaking. I can only pray that my next film is weird enough to be selected as it was this time.”

An overview of the festival's other award-winning films follows:

SELF DRIVER captured the festival's prestigious “Best Film” award. The film is a rapidly accelerating thrill ride, that follows an Uber-type driver, head-hunted by another more ominous transport company. It's a spectacular example of just how strong independent filmmaking can be, far surpassing any contemporary multi-million dollar Hollywood thriller.

“Best Director” was taken by Adam Seidel for his taught, twisting, and character driven neo-noir thriller ANYWHERE. The film's star, Harley McFarland, won “Best Actress” for her captivating portrayal of a very modern femme-fatale. One of her co-stars, Sean Gunn, was awarded the fest's “Best Supporting Actor” award for his creepy performance role as a Machiavellian landlord.

(Center) Writer/Director of ANYWHERE, Adam Seidel, in the audience at the 9th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

“Best Documentary” was awarded to LOCH NESS: THEY CREATED A MONSTER from Scotland's John MacLaverty; a fascinating film that turns the cameras around focussing on the individuals who researched and popularized Loch Ness mythology, rather than on the monster itself.

“Best International Film” was also won by a documentary: The revealing BEYOND BIZARRE: THE LIFE AND ART OF JOHN WILLIE. From French documentarians Charlotte Grondin & Guillaume Pin, the film is a captivating examination of John Wille; the brilliant draughtsman, photographer, and editor, who left his mark on fetish iconography and on the history of erotic and bondage comics with SWEET GWENDOLINE.

Ehrland Hollingsworth, writer/director of DOOBA DOOBA at MidWest WeirdFest 2025.

“Best Horror Film” was awarded to the twisted, confronting, and entirely, original indie gem DOOBA DOOBA from Ehrland Hollingsworth. A film, and a phrase, that was on everyone's lips who saw this unexpected horror hit at the fest.

And “Best Sci-Fi Film” was awarded to TIM TRAVERS & THE TIME TRAVELERS PARADOX; the hilarious, and darkly comedic sci-fi hit of this season's festival circuit, from visionary filmmaker Stimson Snead.

Another hilarious feature, COCAINE STEPDAD, captured the fest's “Best Comedy Film” award. From filmmakers and actors Cody LaRue and Dylan Grady. This crude, crass, shocking, and jaw-achingly hilarious film is THE underground comedy film of the year.

L to R: Angela Wingard, Sarah Lienard, and Ben Goldman creators of DWELLER, and fest director Dean Bertram. Photo courtesy of Steve C. Chappell.

“Best TV/New Media Feature” was awarded to the chilling paranormal documentary DWELLER, from directors Ben Goldman and Sarah Lienard, with collaborators Angela Wingard and Brienna Shear. Now streaming on Paraflixx, the film tracks the team's encounters with, and research of, a mysterious supernatural entity known as the Dweller on the Threshold.

While Bean McKee's twisted coming of age film, come sports fandom critique, FANBOY, took the fest's “Independent Spirit Award”. This stunning and personal feature debut, heralds McKee as an emerging, and unique, voice of independent American cinema.

MidWest WeirdFest's “Best Actor” award was presented to Australian performer Alan King for his bravura portrayal of the titular character in VINCENT. King also wrote and directed this very unique cinematic experience, which is equal parts, comedic, terrifying, and enlightening.

Genre stalwart Maria Olsen won “Best Supporting Actress” for her chilling portrayal of the manipulative matriarch in writer/director Craig Ouellette's masterful blend of horror and romance which is STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING.

“Best Short Film” was awarded to Ben Tedesco's OBIT, a devastatingly moving film about an obituary writer (played by the incredible Natalie Lynch) who is preparing to write her final piece.

And “Best Director – Short Film” was won by Madeline Kate Kann for HONEY, her disturbingly beautiful drama about three sisters navigating their relationships with their father and with other men.

(L) Matthew Hughes DOP of TERMINAL EMULATOR. (R) Writer/Director Benjamin Capps, at MWWF 2025.

The erotic sci-fi/horror TERMINAL EMULATOR from Benjamin Capps, won “Best of the MidWest”. That film's lead Katherine Bellantone won “Best Actress – Short Film” for her brave and convincing portrait of a woman haunted by a tragic erotic relationship, and a demonic predator.

While “Best Actor – Short Film” went to Daniel Berkey for his compelling and sinister performance in writer/director David J. Schultz's extsitential horror film THE CIRCLE.

“Best Short Documentary” was won by LOOK AT MY FURNITURE from Michael X. Ferraro. The film examines how an encounter between the late, great David Lynch and legendary music producer Butch Vig, led to the creation of the Silversun Vig-Ups song “David Lynch has a Painting Made of Fly Eyes.”

ALIVE INSIDE, a terrifying, futuristic, fever-dream, about human test subjects trapped in a sterile room, from German writer/director Niklas Heuer-Jungemann, took “Best International Short”

Joe Lueben writer/director of PANDORA, INC. at the 9th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

“Best Horror Short” was awarded to Joe Lueben's PANDORA, INC. A disturbing, erotic, AI nightmare, based on Lueben's screenplay of the same title that won the fest's 2024 Short Screenplay competition.

While THE FUTURE SOON from Douglas DeVore - a touching, hilarious, and fast-paced short, accompanied by a catchy pop track; about a boy who creates a robot dystopia to impress the girl of his dreams – won “Best Sci-Fi Short”.

Michael Granberry's LES BÊTES, a mesmerizing stop-motion dark fantasy, inspired by the works of Ladislas Starevich, captured “Best Animated Short”.

Michael Basha, co-director of FLASHES at MidWest WeirdFest 2025.

FLASHES a spectacular ode to Hollywood, as well as a scathing critique of its influence on our violent fantasies, from directors Michael Basha and Larson Rainier, won “Best Experimental Film”. It's the second time a film from Basha has won this award at MidWest WeirdFest.

“Best Comedy Short” was won by the bloody, and bloody-hilarious, HAT TRICK, about a magician's act at a children's birthday party that goes horribly wrong; from filmmaking duo Tess Lafia and Noah Deats.

Ian Steven director of THE SKY, THE CANVAS, AND EAU CLAIRE (with mic) at the 9th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

THE SKY, THE CANVAS, AND EAU CLAIRE, from director Ian Steven and producer Stephanie Turner, won “Best TV/New Media Short”. Taken from Steven's YouTube series ALIEN WISCONSIN, this engrossing short news piece deals with the profound impact a childhood UFO encounter had on a local artist.

And “Best Music Video” went to the hilarious and confronting MY FACE from filmmaker, actor, and recording artist Jeff Hilliard, about a powerful executive who has an interesting way to relieve her stress through creative role-play.

MidWest WeirdFest also hosts both a feature and short screenplay competition.

“I always look forward to my annual trauma that MWWF delivers,” says returning competition head reader Lisa DeVita; known for her work as an armorer as well as writing the cult horror hit PEELERS. “A few sleepless nights from the night terrors that result from reading some truly bone-chilling and mind-bending scripts is a worthy sacrifice indeed. And this year's entries did not disappoint. The usual favorites were in the running (time travel and zombies), with some new arrivals on the scene: Banana rapists and my worst fear realized....toilet sharks! Always a (sick) pleasure to be part of this fest!”

The winning feature screenplay RESTORATION was written by Don Stroud and Winter Mead. Adam Seidel's THE SALESMAN took the 1st Runner-up spot. (Adam also won “Best Director” for his feature film ANYWHERE at this year's MidWest WeirdFest.) And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was awarded to Adam Goudchaux for his screenplay ON THE RECORD.

The short screenplay competition was won by Lauren Loud for LIZ. The 1st Runner-up was SAM, written by Daniel Talbott. And Matt Shade's MULVA? was awarded 2nd Runner-up.

A full list of the semi-finalists, finalists, and winners of both the short and feature screenplay competitions is available here.

The 10th annual MidWest WeirdFest will take place at Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, March 5-8, 2025.

Filmmakers and screenwriters can enter their work to the 10th Annual MidWest WeirdFest via FilmFreeway, here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest

9th Annual MidWest WeirdFest Announces Full Program

The 9th annual MidWest WeirdFest - a cinematic celebration of of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird - takes place March 6-9, 2025 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The fest's fantastic line-up of horror, sci-fi, underground, paranormal, and documentary cinema showcases 14 feature films, and almost 70 shorts. Including dozens of world, international, US, and midwest premieres.

One film that is having its first ever screening at the festival is the incredible, twisting, neo-noir thriller ANYWHERE.

ANYWHERE from writer/director Adam Seidel

"There are moments in life where you're compelled to step out on a ledge and just go for it, ” says writer/director Adam Seidel. “For me, making my directorial debut with ANYWHERE was absolutely one of those moments, and perhaps if I didn't believe in the story as much as I do, I'd have shriveled. But for better or worse, I jumped in head first, and with the unwavering support of an ultra talented cast, crew, and producing team who were ride or die, I made this insane, beautiful film. I cannot express how grateful I am to Dean Bertram for selecting the film to screen at Midwest WeirdFest, which I consider to be among the top genre festivals in the United States."

The feature films screening at the festival include:

ANYWHERE (dir: Adam Seidel) SPECIAL ADVANCED SNEAK PEAK SCREENING

A roughneck commits a hasty and brutal crime after discovering his scumbag brother is planning to run off with his cheating wife, completely upending the only life he's ever known. A taught, twisting, and character driven neo-noir thriller, reminiscent of early classics from the Coen Brothers.

BEYOND BIZARRE: THE LIFE AND ART OF JOHN WILLIE (dir: Charlotte Grondin & Guillaume Pin) US PREMIERE

A captivating examination of John Wille's tumultuous life, from the Edwardian era to underground New York. Champion of sexual freedom through his magazine BIZARRE, and a brilliant draughtsman, photographer, and editor; Willie left his mark on fetish iconography and on the history of erotic and bondage comics with SWEET GWENDOLINE. For the first time, a documentary recounts the life and work of this passionate artist.

COCAINE STEPDAD (dir: Cody LaRue & Dylan Grady) WISCONSIN PREMIERE

On the run from the law, former stepdad Terry Miller (Cody LaRue ) must travel across the state with his estranged 12 year old stepson Kyle Kulansky (played hilariously by bearded adult actor and co-director Dylan Grady), in order to stop his ex-wife from re-marrying. Crude, crass, shocking, and jaw-achingly hilarious, COCAINE STEPDAD is THE underground comedy film of the year!

DOOBA DOOBA (dir: Ehrland Hollingsworth) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Arriving at her babysitting job, Amna she learns that her ward is not only a sheltered sixteen year old girl who goes by the name of Moony, but that she is being watched at all times by in-home security cameras. It quickly becomes apparent that Moony is unaccustomed to socializing and that she has a grave misunderstanding of the term friendship. A disturbing, offbeat, and unexpected horror hit of the genre fest circuit this season. A completely original film that spirals into bizarre levels of surreal terror.

DWELLER (dir: Ben Goldman & Sarah Lienard) MIDWEST PREMIERE

This chilling documentary follows a team of young paranormal investigators as they research and experience a terrifying, and perhaps misunderstood entity, that hovers at, and guards, the liminal space between our world and the other. It is known as the Dweller on the Threshold.

ERASERHEAD (dir: David Lynch) SPECIAL TRIBUTE SCREENING

The late, great David Lynch's debut feature film, and surreal masterpiece of American cinema. It screens at the festival as part of a special David Lynch tribute, which also includes two modern shorts about Lynch and his long-lasting influence on our culture.

FANBOY (dir: Bean Mckee) MIDWEST PREMIERE

A young man seeking to embrace a perceived legacy unwittingly sparks a notorious chain of events while visiting his father's alma mater. A potent midwestern coming of age film, come thriller, come cinematic portrait of a descent into psychosis. Shot in Columbia, Ohio, the film resonates with the madness that can encapsulate sports fandom, and the weird mix of isolation, dissociation, and paranoia often engendered by modernity. A stunning and personal feature debut, which heralds director Bean McKeen as an emerging, and unique, voice of independent American cinema.

LOCH NESS: THEY CREATED A MONSTER (dir: John MacLaverty) US PREMIERE

There’s another story about the Loch Ness Monster; one that you don’t know. It’s a tale of monstrous egos, of rivalry, flipper fraud, petrol bomb attacks and sex in caravans. This documentary turns the cameras around - and focuses on the Monster hunters themselves - revealing the unbelievable story, behind the unbelievable story. This is the most interesting, important, and best documentary about the Loch Ness mystery ever produced

THE SASQUALOGIST (dir. Joseph Granda) MIDWEST PREMIERE

In the Colorado Rockies, a researcher and his young protégé track a Sasquatch, uncovering the emotional depth of their adventure and the influence of fatherhood. A unique and rollicking film, loaded with heart, and with Bigfoot references. It's sure to delight anyone with even a passing interest in cryptozoology.

SELF DRIVER (dir: Michael Pierro) US PREMIERE

Facing mounting expenses and the unrelenting pressure of modern living, a down-on-his-luck cab driver is lured on to a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. As his first night on the job unfolds, he is pulled ever deeper into the dark underbelly of society, embarking on a journey that will test his moral code and shake his understanding of what it means to have freewill. The film is a rapidly accelerating thrill ride, and a spectacular example of how strong independent filmmaking can be, far surpassing contemporary multi-million dollar Hollywood thrillers!

STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING (dir. Craig Ouellette ) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Two dreamers, small town musician Dani and waitress Kaitlin, start falling for each other on a spontaneous road trip. The future is bright — until they cross paths with a twisted family, led by matriarch Lilly (Maria Olsen, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3, PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: LIGHTNING THIEF), with something much, much darker in mind. A unique blend of romance and horror, filled with nail biting tension and highlighted with original songs sung by Dani, STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING weaves the beautiful and terrible things people do for love into an unforgettable, edge of your seat journey into darkness.

TIM TRAVERS & THE TIME TRAVELERS PARADOX (dir. Stimson Snead) WISCONSIN PREMIERE

It is called the Time Travelers Paradox. In which a scientist creates a Time Machine and kills their younger self. So now a man who should not exist, somehow does. That is the Paradox, and Paradoxes are impossible. And the man who has created it, is Tim Travers: a reclusive, mad scientist. In the course of his adventure, Travers will take on the mercenary gang whose stolen plutonium powers his machine, challenge a conspiracy podcaster to a battle of wits, create a black hole, meet the one woman alive crazier than him, clone himself, destroy the universe, make a new one, and maybe - just maybe - learn to love himself at last.

TRAUMNOVELLE (dir. Florian Frerichs) MIDWEST PREMIERE

A potent adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's novel of the same title (the inspiration for Stanley Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT). Equal parts erotic and disturbing, a woman tells her husband that she has fantasies about other men, triggering a desire for his own sexual adventures. Set in modern, kinky Berlin, the film is much more than a mere reboot of Kubrick's last film.

VINCENT (dir: Alan King) MIDWEST PREMIERE

A dark comedy that follows troubled writer Vincent Tremblay (Alan King), who escapes to an isolated retreat, determined to complete his first novel. However, his solitude is short lived as a powerful force suddenly manifests itself and Vincent finds himself caught firmly in its grasp. Part comedy, part monster movie, part unflinching character study: The multi-award winning VINCENT gnaws down into the subconscious, and delivers a unique cinematic experience: Comedic, terrifying, and enlightening.

The full line-up of visiting filmmakers will be announced soon.

MidWest WeirdFest's full 2025 program and schedule can be viewed here

Tickets to all films, along with discounted festival passes, are available to purchase here

DAVID LYNCH TRIBUTE - ERASERHEAD + SHORTS - AT MWWF 2025

MidWest WeirdFest’s 2025 program will include a special late night tribute to David Lynch, comprised of a retrospective screening of ERASERHEAD, and two related short films. The screening takes place at 10pm Saturday, March 7, 2025 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The surreal masterpiece of cinema, ERASERHEAD was the first, groundbreaking, feature film made by the late American auteur David Lynch, who passed away last month. The 1977 Lynch classic, will screen with a short documentary about veteran rock producer Butch Vig's own strange encounter with Lynch, and the making of the Silversun Vig-Ups song and music video “David Lynch Has a Painting Made of Flies Eyes”, which was inspired by Vig's experience.

Butch Vig in LOOK AT MY FURNITURE

"The dearly departed and deeply delirious David Lynch was, and always will be, a guiding strobe light of creative freedom,” says documentarian Michael X Ferraro. “He ripped open portals of possibility for people like Butch Vig, who vividly remembers seeing ERASERHEAD at the Majestic Theater in Madison four times on its opening weekend. BLUE VELEVET was my gateway drug, and it was quite a thrill to take the electric charge generated by SSVU's Lynch-inspired banger "David Lynch Has a Painting Made of Flies Eyes," and somehow transform it into our weirdo documentary/meditation-on-inspiration, LOOK AT MY FURNITURE."

Bob Antone in 253 YARDS EAST

Also accompanying ERASERHEAD, will be 253 YARDS EAST, a short film from Bob and Laura Antone. They are long time residents of North Bend, Washington, the “real” TWIN PEAKS and the shooting location of David Lynch's and Mark Frost's cult TV series. Within the short, Bob Antone, a well-known and respected folklorist, musician, and author, gives us some insight into this strange geography, where real life and art intersect between parallel and overlapping worlds

Tickets for MidWest WeirdFest’s special David Lynch Tribute, which includes ERASERHEAD, are available for sale now. As are discounted festival passes, here:

Individual tickets to other films will go on sale closer to the festival; both on the fest's website, and directly from the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The festival’s first wave programming announcement can be seen here.

Additional films and full schedule details will be announced next week.

MIDWEST WEIRDFEST 2025: FIRST PROGRAMMING WAVE

MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave for 2025 today. The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 9th year. The festival takes place March 6-9, 2025 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

“We're just two months out from the year's weirdest film festival”, says festival founder and programming director Dean Bertram. “And everyone at MidWest WeirdFest is excited to share our first wave of feature programming for 2025. From films about monster hunters and mavericks of erotica, through twisting neo-noir thrillers and blood-drenched horror romances, to dark adult comedies about time traveling madmen and substance abusing step-parents, there's a bevy of delights for any cinephile who revels in the bizarre.” 

Discounted festival passes are now on sale here:

Individual tickets to each film will go on sale closer to the festival; both on the fest's website, and directly from the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Additional films, full schedule details, and filmmaker guests will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The first seven feature films announced follow:

ANYWHERE (dir. Adam Seidel) A roughneck commits a hasty and brutal crime after discovering his scumbag brother is planning to run off with his cheating wife, completely upending the only life he's ever known. A taught, twisting, and character driven neo-noir thriller, reminiscent of early classics from the Coen Brothers.

BEYOND BIZARRE: THE LIFE AND ART OF JOHN WILLIE (dir: Charlotte Grondin & Guillaume Pin) A captivating examination of John Wille's tumultuous life, from the Edwardian era to underground New York. Champion of sexual freedom through his magazine BIZARRE, and a brilliant draughtsman, photographer, and editor; Willie left his mark on fetish iconography and on the history of erotic and bondage comics with SWEET GWENDOLINE. For the first time, a documentary recounts the life and work of this passionate artist.

COCAINE STEPDAD (dir: Cody LaRue, Dylan Grady ) On the run from the law, former stepdad Terry Miller (Cody LaRue ) must travel across the state with his estranged 12 year old stepson Kyle Kulansky (played hilariously by bearded adult actor and co-director Dylan Grady), in order to stop his ex-wife from re-marrying. Crude, crass, shocking, and jaw-achingly hilarious, COCAINE STEPDAD is THE underground comedy film of the year!

THE SASQUALOGIST (dir. Joseph Granda) In the Colorado Rockies, a researcher and his young protégé track a Sasquatch, uncovering the emotional depth of their adventure and the influence of fatherhood. A unique and rollicking film, loaded with heart, and with Bigfoot references. It's sure to delight anyone with even a passing interest in cryptozoology.

STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING (dir. Craig Ouellette ) Two dreamers, small town musician Dani and waitress Kaitlin, start falling for each other on a spontaneous road trip. The future is bright — until they cross paths with a twisted family, led by matriarch Lilly (Maria Olsen, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3, PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: LIGHTNING THIEF), with something much, much darker in mind. A unique blend of romance and horror, filled with nail biting tension and highlighted with original songs sung by Dani, STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING weaves the beautiful and terrible things people do for love into an unforgettable, edge of your seat journey into darkness.

TIM TRAVERS & THE TIME TRAVELERS PARADOX (dir. Stimson Snead)  It is called the Time Travelers Paradox. In which a scientist creates a Time Machine and kills their younger self. So now a man who should not exist, somehow does. That is the Paradox, and Paradoxes are impossible. And the man who has created it, is Tim Travers: a reclusive, mad scientist. In the course of his adventure, Travers will take on the mercenary gang whose stolen plutonium powers his machine, challenge a conspiracy podcaster to a battle of wits, create a black hole, meet the one woman alive crazier than him, clone himself, destroy the universe, make a new one, and maybe - just maybe - learn to love himself at last.

TRAUMNOVELLE (dir. Florian Frerichs) A potent adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's novel of the same title (the inspiration for Stanley Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT). Equal parts erotic and disturbing, a woman tells her husband that she has fantasies about other men, triggering a desire for his own sexual adventures. Set in modern, kinky Berlin, the film is much more than a mere reboot of Kubrick's last film.

8th Annual MidWest WeirdFest Announces Winning Films & Screenplays

The 8th annual MidWest WeirdFest wrapped last week at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The festival once again delivered a cinematic smorgasbord of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, to enthusiastic audiences in sold-out screenings. Today, MidWest WeirdFest announces the winning films of the 2024 event.

GUNFIGHTER PARADISE captured the festival's prestigious “Best Film” award. The film is a dark comedic examination of the contemporary South. It is as hilarious as it is horrific, and resonates with a genuine understanding of human nature, particularly our violent and religious drives and impulses.

Jethro Waters at the Q&A for GUNFIGHTER PARADISE, world premiere at MidWest WeirdFest 2024. Photo by Luong Huynh

“I am sincerely honored for GUNFIGHTER PARADISE to have won Best Film at Midwest Weirdfest,” says Jethro Waters who wrote, directed and co-produced the film. “The dream for any filmmaker is to create work that truly resonates with an audience - and we were so fortunate to have that rare, magical experience, in a proper movie theater, at the world premiere in Eau Claire. My team and I are sending our deepest appreciation for this award, for the festival, and for all the incredible films we were lucky enough to screen alongside.”

An overview of the festival's other award-winning films follows:

Left: Zeshaan Zounus holding his 2024 Palmer d’Or award for THE BUILDOUT. Right: Fest programming director Dean Bertram. Photo by Luong Huynh.

The fest's “Palmer d'Or Award” was awarded to Zeshaan Younus for his stunning metaphysical thriller THE BUILDOUT, executive produced by fest alum Greg Newkirk. The award was instituted in 2023 to honor the memory of Wisconsin sci-fi and Fortean pioneer, Raymond A. Palmer, and recognize excellence in the field today.

Curtis Anthony Williams and Virginia deWitt during the Q&A for LAST WEEKEND at MidWest WeirdFest 2024.

“Best Director” was taken by Curtis Anthony Williams for his unforgettable and gut-wrenching neo-noir drama LAST WEEKEND. William's co-writer Virginia deWitt (CANDY LAND) won “Best Female Performance”, for her show-stopping portrayal of Sylvia, whose life begins to spiral after she begins a fiery love affair.

“Best Documentary” was awarded to THE UFO'S OF SOESTERBERG from director Bram Roza, a fascinating film which examines the Netherland's most significant UFO wave.

Q&A at the sold out screening and theatrical premiere of BLIND COP 2. Left to Right: Kathy Bonk, Alec Bonk, Isaac McKinnon, Augustin Huffman, and fest programming director Dean Bertram. Photo by Alanna Robelia.

“Best Action Film” was taken by the hilarious 70s/80s action homage BLIND COP 2, from director Alec Bonk. Co-writer Isaac McKinnon's wonderful portrayal of “Schmidty” - the innocent but eager sidekick to the titular crime fighter of BLIND COP 2 – won him “Best Supporting Male Performance”

And “Best Horror Film” was awarded to the confronting and twisting home invasion chiller EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE from UK director Craig Tuohy.

“Best Sci-Fi Film” was awarded to DAUGHTER OF THE SUN. The film echoes the best of 70s genre cinema, both with its fierce immediacy and originality, as well as a heady mix of pending paranormal revelation. The film's writer/director Ryan Ward also stars as a Tourette's burdened father, who harbors deep supernatural powers. Ryan won “Best Male Performance” for this bravura portrayal.

The riotous and pitch perfect superhero parody VILLAINS INC, from writer/director Jeremy Warner, captured “Best Comedy Film”. The film stars a cavalcade of superb comic actors, headlined by Mallory Everton (GO WEST), Colin Mochrie (WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?), and co-writer Jason Gray (STUDIO C). The film's scene-stealing GloZell Green won “Best Supporting Female Performance” for her hilarious portrayal of the no-nonsense “Booker”.

“Best Experimental Film” was awarded to THE POCKET FILM OF SUPERSTITIONS, an evocative and dream-like experience, from UK filmmaker Tom Lee Rutter.

And Justen Patrick Lander's feature debut, the mesmerizing and mystery ladened FLASHLIGHT, captured the “Independent Spirit Award”.

“Best Short Film” was awarded to the frenetic action comedy LEVERAGE from filmmaker Michael Charron.

YOU, FOREVER, the experimental and captivating documentary - about Robert Ettinger “the father of cryonics” - from director Brenda Kovrig, captured the fest's “Best Documentary Short” award.

Kathryn Van Buren was awarded “Best Director – Short Film” for her touching and potent THE THIRD BEDROOM. The film's lead child actress, Ava Torres, won “Best Female Performance – Short” for her moving portrayal of Isla, a young girl who discovers her family's dark and heart-breaking secret.

L. M. Oliver introducing T-MINUS at the 8th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

Director Jacob Weldon's SEED, a visceral, hilarious, and subversive horror film took “Best Horror Short”. While the award for “Best Sci-Fi Short” went to the breathtaking T-MINUS from L. M. Oliver.

Director Sam Chou's RED IRON ROAD: IN THE HEAT, the stunning Santa action-horror-comedy, won “Best Animated Short”.

“Best Comedy Short” was awarded to the disturbingly hilarious existential crisis come first-date disaster, WHY DOGS HOWL directed by Sandi Johnson and written and produced by Gary Teitelbaum. Teitelbaum also stars in the film, delivering a pitch perfect dead-pan performance, for which he won “Best Male Performance – Short”.

Center: Michael Basha director of DRUNK (Left: Steve Chappell, Right: Tim Schwagel) Photo by Luong Huynh.

Michael Basha's confronting yet dreamy DRUNK was awarded “Best Experimental Short”. The hilariously off-beat “WHEN YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE PIZZA!” from Tim Schwagel captured the fest's inaugural “Best of the MidWest Short” award.

Tim Schwagel,(“WHEN YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE PIZZA!”) at the sold-out BEST OF THE MIDWEST shorts program . Photo by Luong Huynh.

While “Best International Short” was captured by the action-packed cyberpunk thriller OVERCLOCKING from Russia's Alexander Vikulov.

Mark Polish at the 2023 festival. Photo by Luong Huynh.

“Best TV / New Media” was awarded to INSECTS IN THE CITY; the raunchy and hilarious pilot for the animated series from fest alum Mark Polish.

And “Best Music Video” was captured by the potent lyrics and stunning visuals of CORNERBOY from German filmmaker Kai Kurve.

MidWest WeirdFest also hosts both a feature and short screenplay competition.

“As a fellow writer, it is always a pleasure to gaze, however briefly, into the minds of aspiring screenwriters and sink into their creative energy as I witness each story unfold,” says returning competition head reader Lisa DeVita; known for her work as an armorer as well as writing the cult horror hit PEELERS. “I love how brazen and unapologetic the scripts have been this year... a refreshing reminder that we, both writers and audiences alike, will not be satisfied with the factory-churned dribble that keeps inhabiting our mainstream movie theaters... there is an unquenchable desire for the uncommon, unpopular tales to be told and heard. That's what keeps me coming back to judge MidWest WeirdFest every year.”

The winning feature screenplay THE AGE OF REVENGE was written by Jason H. White. Ryan Hughes' WiLL took the 1st Runner-up spot. And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was awarded to Samantha Lee Howell for her screenplay ZOMBIES AT TIFFANY'S.

The short screenplay competition was won by Joe Lueben for PANDORA, INC.. The 1st Runner-up was THE BONEYARD by M. r. Fitzgerald. And Stuart Creque's ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON was awarded 2nd Runner-up.

A full list of the semi-finalists, finalists, and winners of both the short and feature screenplay competitions is available at:

https://www.midwestweirdfest.com/2024-winning-screenplays

MidWest WeirdFest 2024 Visiting Filmmakers

MidWest WeirdFest, the cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, returns for its 8th annual edition to the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this weekend March 1-3, 2024.

Programming director Dean Bertram and the rest of the festival team are delighted to introduce the filmmakers who are presenting their films in person at the 2024 event.

Writer/director Jethro Waters filming a scene from GUNFIGHTER PARADISE

“There is nothing so important for the independent filmmaker as experienced, smart, and passionate curators.” says writer/director Jethro Waters, whose stunning dark dramedy/thriller GUNFIGHTER PARADISE world premieres at the fest. “And this is exactly why the film community is so fortunate that we have Dean Bertram and crew putting on festivals like this.  I'd been eyeing Midwest WeirdFest for a few years in the lead-up to completing GUNFIGHTER PARADISE, and I speak for my entire crew in relating how fortunate we feel to have our world premiere in a festival that champions the breed of cinema still stretching the edges of film.”

Waters will be introducing his beautiful yet disturbing film when it screens Saturday, March 2, at 8pm. Joined by some of his cast and crew, he will also partake in a Q&A following the film's screening.

Other feature films represented by filmmakers at the festival follow:

BLIND COP 2 writer/director Alec Bonk (backseat/center) directs lead George Fearing (right) & Isaac McKinnon (left)

BLIND COP 2 this riotous action comedy is a sequel to a film that doesn't exist. Writer/director Alec Bonk will intro its world theatrical premiere at MidWest WeirdFest. And, following the screening, partake in a Q&A along with cast and crew.

Writer/director Zeshaan Younus on set of THE BUILDOUT

THE BUILDOUT is the haunting feature debut from award winning filmmaker and MidWest WeirdFest alum Zeshaan Younus. The film examines the profound impact of the paranormal on the lives of two women. Younous will introduce and Q&A at the screening.

One of many harrowing moments from Craig Tuohy’s edge-of-your-seat thriller EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE

EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE, a terrifying and twisting home invasion film from the UK, is having its first ever sneak peek screening at the fest. Writer/director Craig Tuohy will be flying in to introduce and Q&A.

Co-writer and lead actress Virginia Rand in LAST WEEKEND

LAST WEEKEND is a stunning Neo-noir thriller, with an unforgettable and show-stopping performance from co-writer Virginia Rand. The film's director Curtis Anthony Williams will introduce his remarkable film, and be joined by other key creatives for the Q&A.

Short filmmakers, TV and web content creators, music video artists, and screenwriters presenting their work in person at the 2024 MidWest WeirdFest, include:

Michael Basha (DRUNK), Derek Bauer (I WANT YOU), Steve Chappell (ED GEIN'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS), William J. Kampf and Steve Dayton (LYLE AND THE DEVIL), Ben Manhanke (SMILEY) L. M. Oliver (T-MINUS), Walt Peterson and B. Harris (THE MEMO), Nick Rohr (STUXNET -OUR WORLD WAS ALWAYS FALLEN BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS LIGHT), Tim Schwagel (“WHEN YOU'RE HERE, YOU'RE PIZZA!”) (Jake Viaene (SENTINEL), Alexander Vikulov (OVERCLOCKING), Samuel T. Weston (Screenplay: THE BROKEN FELLOWSHIP).

Full list of attending filmmakers along with head-shots and biographies can be seen here

MidWest WeirdFest's full 2024 program and schedule can be viewed here

Tickets to all films, along with discounted festival passes, are available to purchase here

During the festival tickets will also available to purchase at the Micon Downtown Cinema box office

8th Annual MidWest WeirdFest Announces Full Program

MidWest WeirdFest announces its full program for 2024 today. The 8th annual film festival - a cinematic celebration of of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird - takes place March 1-3, 2024 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Full festival schedule can be seen here.

The fest's fantastic line-up of horror, sci-fi, underground, and documentary cinema, kicks off at 6pm, Friday March 1, with the theatrical world premiere of the brand new, and soon to be cult hit, BLIND COP 2.

BLIND COP 2

“The story of getting BLIND COP 2 made is nearly as absurd and feverish as the film itself.” says the film's director and co-writer Alec Bonk.

“Our small group of highly impassioned and exceedingly motivated artists came together and forced this movie into being through 5 years of blood, sweat and tears. This movie is a sequel to a film that does not exist, with an ultra macho vengeance seeking action hero that could fit right into any number of films that defined 80s American cinema. We couldn't have been more excited when Dean asked us to open MidWest WeirdFest, one of the top tastemakers for independent genre filmmaking in the country. Team Blind Cop is looking forward to screening alongside another fantastic group of films!”

BLIND COP 2 is one of the amazing feature films to be showcased at the festival next month, along with over fifty short films.

This fest’s line-up of feature programming includes:

BLIND COP 2 (dir: Alec Bonk ) THEATRICAL WORLD PREMIERE

A sequel to a film that doesn't exist, this is a riotous homage and parody of 80s action cinema. Blind Cop, the former beacon of justice, is consumed by grief after the mysterious death of his partner in the first movie. (Again there is no first movie.) His once-illustrious career has been reduced to drunken disorderly conduct, putting him at odds with the police force. Fired for his reckless behavior, Blind Cop ventures into the dark underworld of the city to continue his investigation into his partner's death. The truth he seeks may not be what he expects, but he will stop at nothing to avenge his fallen partner and bring the criminals responsible to justice.

BLOODY BRIDGET (dir: Richard Elfman) MIDWEST PREMIERE

Voodoo deity Baron Samedi transforms a down on her luck burlesque dancer into a "Valentine Vampire." But blood only whets her appetite; to satiate her gory desires she must eat her victims' beating hearts! A bloody - and bloody fun - horror comedy from director Richard Elfman, music by Danny Elfman and Ego Plum. Fans of comedic horror and camp will delight!

THE BUILDOUT (dir: Zeshaan Younus ) MIDWEST PREMIERE

The mesmerizing feature debut from MidWest WeirdFest alum and award winning director Zeshaan Younos, and executive producer Greg Newkirk (HELLIER, THE UNBINDING). Shot in only 7 days, THE BUILDOUT seamlessly and intentionally unfolds through a multi-camera narrative approach. It is a profound and moving cinematic meditation on the impact of the paranormal and high strangeness on both human relationships and our very existence.

DAUGHTER OF THE SUN (dir. Ryan Ward) MIDWEST PREMIERE

A 12-year-old girl struggles with life on the run as she travels across the American mid-west with her father who has Tourette Syndrome (a bravura performance by the film's writer/director Ryan Ward). Wanting nothing more than a normal family life, she befriends a community of outcasts in the remote countryside who want to harness a volatile supernatural power her father is hiding. The film echoes the best of 70s cinema. Both its fierce immediacy and originality, as well as a heady mix of pending paranormal revelation from that decade's best genre offerings... Akin to what might have struck an audience when first watching CLOSE ENCOUNTERS on its opening weekend; right on the cusp of tent-pole cinema, and long before the MCU and similar offerings commercialized and juvenilized cinematic imaginings of the fantastic.

EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE (dir. Craig Tuohy ) SNEAK PEEK SCREENING

On his daughter's birthday, a wealthy father's reconciliation attempt is hijacked by two female burglars. A shakedown evolves into a lethal cat-and-mouse game as hidden motives emerge, culminating in a life-altering revelation. A brilliant, bloody, shocking, and twist-ladened addition to the home invasion genre.

FLASHLIGHT (dir. Justen Patrick Lander) WORLD PREMIERE

A young cleaning lady receives mysterious phone calls, pushing her to reluctantly investigate the disappearance of her father amid an oncoming solar storm. A gorgeous, evocative, and moody lo-fi, sci-fi thriller, FLASHLIGHT evokes a mood somewhere between THE X-FILES and a NANCY DREW mystery, played out in an insomniac landscape, haunted by the hum of late night Coast to Coast AM broadcasts. It is, in a word, mesmerizing.

GUNFIGHTER PARADISE (dir. Jethro Waters) WORLD PREMIERE

A hunter returns home to North Carolina with a mysterious green case. Following the death of his mother, he settles back into the family home where his mind begins to disintegrate. Stalked by divine voices and unholy visions, guided by disquiet, his mother’s hand written riddles and strange visitors further complicate an already splintering mind. A cable man, a mummified cat, zealous neighbors, and a killer swirl through this darkly comic southern gumbo. It’s a film that is as beautiful as it is disturbing. As horrific as it is comedic. It resonates with a genuine understanding of human nature, particularly our violent and religious drives and impulses.

LAST WEEKEND (dir:Curtis Anthony Williams) MIDWEST PREMIERE

LAST WEEKEND is a slow burn drama that subverts into a twisted neo-noir. When Sylvia (Virginia Rand - Candy Land) and Ethan (Charlie Barnett - The Acolyte, Russian Doll) meet for an electric one night stand, they find themselves bound together in a drug fueled mania. After Harrison (Hunter Morton) a disturbed ex-lover resurfaces, Sylvia is forced to confront her dark past. As the weekend spirals, they are unable to reconcile with the consequences of human nature. Rand's portrayal, of a woman whose life spirals out of control, is a show-stopper; perhaps the most powerful female performance of the year.

THE POCKET FILM OF SUPERSTITIONS (dir. Tom Lee Rutter) US PREMIERE

A spell-binding cinematic experience which evokes both the wonder and terror a child might experience flipping through the pages of an illustrated “pocket book” on the paranormal. It delivers a mesmerizing and creepy merging of folkloric horror, the supernatural, and dadaist humor as it looks at various superstitions through the ages. The film features a wonderful roster of performers, including a stunning array of first ladies of the silver-scream: Caroline Munro (Maniac, Slaughter High, Dracula AD 1972), Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies, Cat People), Dani Thompson (Serial Kaller, My Bloody Banjo) and Annabella Rich (Eating Miss Campbell), as well as a who's who of the current British indie horror boom. And get ready for pitch-perfect, almost hypnotizing, narration from living cult legend The Shend; of Dadaist punk/post-punk bands The Cravats and The Very Things.

THE UFO'S OF SOESTERBERG (dir. Bram Roza ) US PREMIERE

In the early morning of February 3, 1979, a mysterious object flew over Soesterberg Air Base. At least twelve soldiers witnessed this. Despite being in the middle of the cold war this event has still remained unexplained. And that is not the only anomalous sighting in that specific part of the Netherlands. A fascinating examination of a stunning series of UFO encounters, this film travels down an ever spiraling mystery of high strangeness and US Military secrets.

VILLAINS INC. (dir. Jeremy Warner) MIDWEST PREMIERE

After the death of their villainous boss, low-level henchpeople Beatrix, Cain, and Harold are left destitute living in an abandoned grocery store. Not content with this situation, Beatrix is determined for them to strike out on their own and take over the world by any means necessary. A refreshing and hilarious take on the superhero genre, told from the perspective of aspirational villainous underlings. With bravura comedic direction and loaded with a stellar cast, including: Mallory Everton (GO WEST, LOVING LYFE), Colin Mochrie (WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?) JASON GRAY (STUDIO C, GO WEST), this film is not to be missed.

The full line-up of visiting filmmakers will be announced soon.

MidWest WeirdFest's full 2024 program and schedule can be viewed here

Tickets to all films, along with discounted festival passes, are available to purchase here

MIDWEST WEIRDFEST 2024: FIRST PROGRAMMING WAVE

MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave for 2024 today. The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 8th year. The festival takes place March 1-3, 2024 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

“Prepare for your first glimpse into the inner sanctum of 2024's cinematic chapel of the weird”, says festival founder and programming director Dean Bertram. “Today, MidWest WeirdFest is delighted to announce this year's first wave of feature programming. And it's loaded with weirdness: from aspirational super villains and blind (and blind drunk) avengers, through UFOs and paranormal experiences, to brutal female home invaders and a modern day gunfighter haunted by bizarre religious visions. The festival's 2024 program is overflowing with weirdness: some of it real, some of it imagined, and much of it from that mysterious twilight territory that lays in between.”

Discounted festival passes are now on sale here.

Individual tickets to each film will go on sale closer to the festival; both on the fest's website, and directly from the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Full program details and filmmaker guests will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The first seven feature films announced follow:

BLIND COP 2 (dir: Alec Bonk ) A sequel to a film the doesn't exist, this is a riotous homage and parody of 80s action cinema. Blind Cop, the former beacon of justice, is consumed by grief after the mysterious death of his partner in the first movie. (Again there is no first movie.) His once-illustrious career has been reduced to drunken disorderly conduct, putting him at odds with the police force. Fired for his reckless behavior, Blind Cop ventures into the dark underworld of the city to continue his investigation into his partner's death. The truth he seeks may not be what he expects, but he will stop at nothing to avenge his fallen partner and bring the criminals responsible to justice.

THE BUILDOUT (dir: Zeshaan Younus ) The mesmerizing feature debut from MidWest WeirdFest alum and award winning director Zeshaan Younos, and executive producer Greg Newkirk (HELLIER, THE UNBINDING). A friendship is tested as two women experience something strange in the desert. This film is a profound and moving examination of the impact of the paranormal on both human relationships and our very existence.

EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE (dir. Craig Tuohy ) On his daughter's birthday, a wealthy father's reconciliation attempt is hijacked by two female burglars. A shakedown evolves into a lethal cat-and-mouse game as hidden motives emerge, culminating in a life-altering revelation. A brilliant, bloody, shocking, and twist-ladened addition to the home invasion genre.

GUNFIGHTER PARADISE (dir. Jethro Waters) A hunter returns home to North Carolina with a mysterious green case. Following the death of his mother, he settles back into the family home where his mind begins to disintegrate. Stalked by divine voices and unholy visions, guided by disquiet, his mother’s hand written riddles and strange visitors further complicate an already splintering mind. A cable man, a mummified cat, zealous neighbors, and a killer swirl through this darkly comic southern gumbo.

THE POCKET FILM OF SUPERSTITIONS (dir. Tom Lee Rutter) A spell-binding cinematic experience which evokes both the wonder and terror a child might experience flipping through the pages of an illustrated “pocket book” on the paranormal. It delivers a mesmerizing and creepy merging of folkloric horror, the supernatural, and dadaist humor as it looks at various superstitions through the ages. The film features a wonderful roster of performers, including a stunning array of first ladies of the silver-scream: Caroline Munro (Maniac, Slaughter High, Dracula AD 1972), Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies, Cat People), Dani Thompson (Serial Kaller, My Bloody Banjo) and Annabella Rich (Eating Miss Campbell), as well as a who's who of the current British indie horror boom. And get ready for pitch-perfect, almost hypnotizing, narration from living cult legend The Shend; of Dadaist punk/post-punk bands The Cravats and The Very Things.

THE UFO'S OF SOESTERBERG (dir. Bram Roza ) In the early morning of February 3, 1979, a mysterious object flew over Soesterberg Air Base. At least twelve soldiers witnessed this. Despite being in the middle of the cold war this event has still remained unexplained. And that is not the only anomalous sighting in that specific part of the Netherlands. A fascinating examination of a stunning series of UFO encounters, this film travels down an ever spiraling mystery of high strangeness and US Military secrets.

VILLAINS INC. (dir. Jeremy Warner) After the death of their villainous boss, low-level henchpeople Beatrix, Cain, and Harold are left destitute living in an abandoned grocery store. Not content with this situation, Beatrix is determined for them to strike out on their own and take over the world by any means necessary. A refreshing and hilarious take on the superhero genre, told from the perspective of aspirational villainous underlings. With bravura comedic direction and loaded with a stellar cast, including: Mallory Everton (GO WEST, LOVING LYFE), Colin Mochrie (WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?) Jason Gray (STUDIO C, GO WEST), this film is not to be missed.

2023 Winners announced! Including inaugural award memorializing Wisconsin's Ray Palmer

The 7th annual MidWest WeirdFest wrapped last week at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The festival once again delivered a cinematic smorgasbord of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, to enthusiastic audiences. Today, MidWest WeirdFest announces the winning films of the 2023 event.

This year the fest introduced a brand new major award - the “Palmer d'Or” - instituted to recognize excellence in the sci-fi and paranormal fields today, while honoring the legacy of Wisconsin's own late Raymond A. Palmer. Once influential editor of America's leading science fiction pulp magazine AMAZING STORIES, Palmer also founded FATE magazine among many other publications. He was an instrumental writer and thinker in the early days of flying saucer research.

Melissa Tittl being awarded the inaugural Palmer d’Or following the world premiere of CODE 12 at MidWest WeirdFest 2023. (This and all photos in article by Luong Huynh).

Director/writer/producer Melissa Tittl (UFO WITNESS, ANCIENT ALENS) was awarded the inaugural Palmer d'Or for her reality-questioning documentary CODE 12, which world premiered at the festival.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as an original sci-fi creator in a space where only certain themes are popular,” says Tittl. “Ray Palmer, whom the Palmer d'Or award is named for, was a pioneer in the sci-fi space. I feel humbled to be recognized in that area and truly blessed to have people watch my thoughts unfold onto the screen. May humanity prevail through the discovery of the unknown.”

Mark Polish during the Q&A for MURMUR. Opening night at the 7th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

While the chilling techno-thriller MURMUR from director Mark Polish (TWIN FALLS IDAHO, THE ASTRONAUT FARMER) was awarded the festival’s prestigious “Best Film” award.

An overview of the festival's other award-winning films follows:

KICK ME team at the 2023 MWWF. (L to R) Pat Drummond, Jeff Freling, director Gary Huggins, Adam Jeffers.

“Best Director” was taken by Gary Huggins for his frenetic, disturbing, and hilarious indie action opus KICK ME.

“Best Documentary” was awarded to ACCIDENTAL TRUTH from director Ron James. Set to be the most important UFO documentary of the year, the revelation packed exposé world premiered at MidWest WeirdFest 2023.

Sylvia Caminer during the Q&A for FOLLOW HER. Closing night film MidWest WeirdFest 2023.

“Best Horror Film” was awarded to the twisting masterpiece FOLLOW HER from Emmy Award winning director Sylvia Caminer and writer/star Dani Barker.

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS Q&A (L to R): Jon Truei, Jay Brown, Louis R Schulz, and director Mike Cheslick,

The riotous slapstick fantasy HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS from fest alum Mike Cheslick and Ryland Brickson Cole Tews (LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER) captured “Best Comedy Film”.

While “Best International Film” was taken by Belgium director Steffen Geypens' LOGGER, a nightmarish adaptation and modernization of the fable 'Death and the Logger' by Jean de la Fontaine.

Ronnie Ferguson (l) and Martin Achatz (r) just before the World Premiere of BIGFOOT AND MARTY at MWWF 2023.

BIGFOOT AND MARTY the unique and heart-felt documentary from director Ronnie Ferguson, featuring Michigan's Upper Peninsula poet laureate Marty Achatz, and his fascination with Bigfoot, captured the fest's “Independent Spirit Award”.

“Best Experimental Film” was awarded to THE DIABETIC, the mesmerizing and hard-hitting lo-fi drama from Canadian auteur Mitchell Stafiej.

Kevin Interdonato before the US Premiere of BRAEK at the 7th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

“Best Male Performance” was awarded to Kevin Interdonato (CITY ON A HILL, BAD FRANK) for his masterful and confronting portrayal of home invader Jesse, in director John Fallon's BRAEK. Interdonato also co-wrote the screenplay with Fallon. Interdonato's co-star, the captivating Alix Lane (BIG SKY, PLAY THE FLUTE) took “Best Supporting Female Performance” for her role as damaged step-daughter Erin.

Senie Priti (LOVE AND MONSTERS, HUNGRY GHOSTS) took the “Best Female Performance” award for her captivating portrayal of doomed lover Violet in the dark romance/horror YOUR LOVE IS MINE; the unforgettable feature debut from Australian directors Luke Wijayasinha-Gray and Luke J. S.

“Best Supporting Male Performance” went to the scene-stealing and comic genius Robert Bryn Mann (HELL IN A HANDBASKET) for his role in Douglas James Luciuk's post-apocalyptic dark buddy comedy WELCOME TO KITTYTOWN. Mann also co-wrote the Canadian film's screenplay with his co-star, the talented Darren Zimmer.

Elias Gallegos producer/star of NIGHT OF THE COOTERS presenting the film at the 7th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

“Best Short Film” was awarded to the spectacular Western / War of the Worlds mashup NIGHT OF THE COOTERS, from the story by Howard Waldrop, director/star Vincent D'Onofrio, producer/star Elias Gallegos and executive producer George R. R. Martin.

THE CONSPIRATOLOGIST, a fascinating look at the life of UFO and conspiracy researcher Norio Hayakawa (from directors Stephen Bradford and Justin Jay Jones) captured the fest's “Best Short Documentary” award. 

Jon Truei introduces THE 44TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN at MidWest WeirdFest 2023.

Jon Truei was awarded “Best Director – Short Film” for his hilarious kung-fu flick come JACKASS styled mash-up THE 44TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, starring real-life MMA trainer Santino “Mario” Marin.

Director Will Lee's RINGWORMS, a visceral horror short that gets under your skin, took “Best Horror Short”.

Writer/director Francesco Paola Cordaro introduces AWAKE at MidWest WeirdFest 2023.

While the award for “Best Sci-Fi Short” went to AWAKE, the harrowing alien abduction chiller, from brother/sister filmmaking team Francesco Paolo Cordaro and Andrea Cordaro. 

Director Bryan Charles Shickley's FRED CRISMAN: CAVE OF THE SPACE NAZIS, the stunning and laugh out loud re-telling of one of the stranger, and allegedly true, tales from the heyday of the sci-fi pulps, won “Best Animated Short”. (The film also features an animated depiction or Ray Palmer, inspiration for the fest's new Palmer d'Or award.)

Writer/director/actor Thomas Slipsager at the 7th annual MidWest WeirdFest to present VOYEURISM.

“Best Comedy Short” was awarded to writer/director/actor Thomas Slipsager's offbeat and hilarious VOYEURISM.

While “Best International Short” was captured by the devilishly good LA NUEVA (THE NEWCOMER) from Spain's Ivan Villamel.

Joshua Land (L) and Victor Fink (R) at MidWest WeirdFest 2023 to present THE FARMHOUSE.

THE FARMHOUSE an edge-of-your-seat horror short from festival alumni Joshua Land and Victor Fink (BAD WITCH) won “Best Proof of Concept”. The award-winning filmmaking duo are currently shopping the short to generate buzz and attract potential collaborators and investors for their next feature project, which is based on the same material.

“Best New Media” was awarded to HUBBARDS; the bizarre comedic gem and fest circuit hit from Kevin Ralston.

Andrew Paul Davis (center) at the 7th annual MidWest WeirdFest to present his music video EATEN.

And “Best Music Video” was awarded to the potent vocals and stunning visuals of EATEN from singer/songwriter/filmmaker Andrew Paul Davis.

Adam Elliott was awarded “Best Male Performance – Short” for his bravura portrayal of a Machiavelian “best friend” in A BEST MAN directed by Dylan Tuccillo. Elliot also wrote the twisting screenplay.

Allison Torem (L) introducing ROAD HEAD at MWWF 2023. Steven Chappell (R) former award winner presenting GABRIELLA.

While creative powerhouse Allison Torem won “Best Female Performance - Short” for her hilarious portrayal of a frustrated road tripper and lover in ROAD HEAD, a short film which she also wrote, directed, and produced.

MidWest WeirdFest also hosts both a feature and short screenplay competition.

“It is always an honor and a pleasure to read the weird and wonderful scripts at Midwest Weirdfest.” says returning competition head reader Lisa DeVita; known for her work as an armorer as well as writing the cult horror hit PEELERS. “I find the most entertaining stories are the ones that postulate the "What If?" scenario and luckily there were many such premises to be found in this year's selection of scripts. So fun to see writers take on our darkest fears and spin them into stories that make you question your own morals, thoughts and reality.

Top 10 Feature Screenplay Competition Finalist Samuel T. Weston representing his spectacular fantasy script WIZARDS OF THE UNDERWORLD at MidWest WeirdFest 2023.

The winning feature screenplay APACHE was written by Adam Seidel. John Munn's BITTER HARVEST took the 1st Runner-up spot. And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was also taken by John Munn for his screenplay A NICE PLACE TO VISIT.

The short screenplay competition was won by writers Joe Bookman & Judson Merrill for THE HARROWING VOID. The 1st Runner-up was FLATMAN ASCENDED by Callie J. Waligora. And Rebecca Moret's INSIDE THESE WALLS was awarded 2nd Runner-up.

A full list of the semi-finalists, finalists, and winners of both the short and feature screenplay competitions is available here

The 8th annual MidWest WeirdFest will take place at Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, March 1-3, 2024.

Filmmakers and screenwriters can now enter their work to the 8th Annual MidWest WeirdFest via FilmFreeway, here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest