Whitley Strieber features in ALIEN ABDUCTION: ANSWERS - World Premiere at MidWest WeirdFest

A new documentary on the UFO subject will world premiere at the 6th annual MidWest WeirdFest. The film festival takes place at Micon Cinemas in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin from March 4-6, 2022. The documentary, ALIEN ABDUCTION: ANSWERS, is directed by John Yost. It features world famous writer and alien abductee Whitley Strieber, author of the best-selling “Communion” book series.

Left: Whitley Strieber. Right: Debz Shakti Buller.

"By articulating the ordeal of abduction in his uniquely brilliant and personal style in ALIEN ABDUCTION: ANSWERS, Whitley Strieber has allowed all of us to share in experiences that challenge ordinary reality and the meaning of life itself.” says luminary UFO researcher Doctor Jacques Vallee. “He has given a voice to thousands of witnesses in ways that other analysts have failed to convey."

Sharing the screen with Strieber, are a number of other alien abductees. Prominent among these is Eau Claire's Alanna Robelia, who relates the harrowing and enthralling details of her own otherworldly encounters. “I am grateful to director John Yost for creating a safe place for all of us to tell our stories and his willingness to be vulnerable by telling us about his own abduction experiences.” says Robelia. “I never would have imagined that what I thought was a memory of a childhood dream would lead me to the incredible experiences and relationships I have today.”

Left: Whitley Strieber. Right: John Yost.

John Yost and Alanna Robelia, along with other cast and crew members, will be in attendance for the world premiere of ALIEN ABDUCTION: ANSWERS, at the Micon Downtown Cinema on Saturday March 5, at 6:00pm. They will partake in a special Q&A session following the screening.

Tickets to the film, along with festival passes, are available to purchase here.

MidWest WeirdFest 2022: First Programming Wave

MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave for 2022 today! The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 6th year. The festival takes place March 4-6, 2022 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

“Get ready for the fest's weirdest and most wonderful season yet!” says MidWest WeirdFest founder and programming director Dean Bertram. “From a record number of films submitted to the festival this year, we've assembled an unmissable program of horror, science fiction, fantasy, documentary, and underground gems. The first wave announcement gives a glimpse at just some of this year's dark and fantastic offerings: From metaphysical mind-benders featuring UFO contactees and New Age cultists, through terrifying tales of supernatural forest dwellers, re-animated monsters, and black gloved serial killers, to genre-bending sci-fi noir and a documentary loaded with your favorite horror film creators and heavy metal musicians.”

Discounted festival passes are now on sale here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest/tickets

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:

THE GIRL IN THE STRAW HAT (dir: David James Schultz) A young couple in a deteriorating relationship find themselves led down a dangerous, obsessive path of self-discovery at the hands of a New Age doctor with mysterious intentions. Captivating performances from the film's three leads (Michael LoSchiavo, Kristen Tomanocy, and James Sharpe), pitch-perfect direction, gorgeous cinematography, and a twisting metaphysical screenplay, elevate this psychological thriller to a space all of its own.

THE HISTORY OF METAL AND HORROR (dir: Mike Schiff) A captivating documentary that explores the history of heavy metal and horror films, and how the two genres merged over time. Hosted by Michael Berryman, and featuring Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, Kirk Hammett, John Carpenter, Tom Savini, Dave Mustaine, Jonathan Davis, Corey Taylor, and many more. THE HISTORY OF METAL AND HORROR is a bloody and unmissable buffet for horror and heavy metal fans: loaded with clips from your favorite films and accompanied by a cornucopia of fascinating interviews with the genres' biggest names.

THE LAST FRANKENSTEIN (director: David Weaver) Dr. Jason Frankenstein, the last of his family, finds himself frustratingly approaching the middle of his life with little progress to show towards carrying forward his family's experiment. But after a creature from his past returns, he is catalyzed to finally complete his work. With the help of two drug dealing paramedics and a nurse with a shady past, he sets down the blood-soaked path to create a living being from the bodies of the dead. This gripping film is a brutal, relentless, and clever update to the classic monster tale.

LIGHTSHIPS (director: John Harrigan) Eve awakes in an unstaffed medical facility, awaiting diagnosis for a mystery illness. With no recollection of how, why or when she was admitted, she joins a group of outcast patients, who are attempting to recall what takes place during treatment inside a terrifying room known as the hole - a psychoactive space where testing takes place and encoded instructions are administered that each patient must follow if they wish to heal. But an alien world at the edge of Eve's dreams begins to bleed through, compelling her to write the transmissions down. Based on the book ‘Remembrance’ by celebrated UFO contactee Maryann Rada, LIGHTSHIPS weaves a potent spell that penetrates and resonates deep inside the viewer's subconscious.

LUNAMANCER (dir: Noah Mucci) Dr. Issac Blake returns to post-industrial upstate New York after sensing a psychic break with his estranged twin sister. He steals a car, acquires a crowbar and forces his way into her house - but she's not there. All that remains are strange echoes from the place where she's trapped. He traces these resonances to a Lunamancer able to draw power from the moon to shift reality around him. Issac must cross over the spectral realm to pry her soul free from the Lunamancer - no matter how many crowbars it takes. This engrossing low-fi sci-fi weaves a striking cinematic realm, that exists somewhere between THE MATRIX and TAXI DRIVER.

NIGHT CALLER (dir: Chad Ferrin) Fest alumnus Chad Ferrin (THE DEEP ONES, THE CHAIR) is back! This time with a brutal, giallo inspired, slasher flick: Wherein a telephone psychic is pulled into a complex web of mystery after receiving a call from a serial killer. True to form, Ferrin collaborates with an incredible ensemble cast to bring to screen the stuff of nightmares; all the while riffing on classic works from Hitchcock, through Argento and Ferrara, to the broader 70s crime genre. NIGHT CALLER cements Ferrin's position as a new master of the genre.

WOODLAND GREY (dir: Adam Reider) A man living alone in the deep woods finds Emily, a hiker, unconscious and laying on the forest floor. He brings her back to his home and helps her get back to health so she can leave the forest and get home. After a few tense days coexisting, Emily makes a discovery. She finds a crudely built shed behind the man's home. When she opens it, she unleashes something truly haunting. As Emily and the man come to terms with what has been released, they also attempt to find a way out of the forest, which isn't exactly what it seems. WOODLAND GREY resonates with the unease and mounting terror of an inescapable fever dream.

MidWest WeirdFest 2021 Wraps: Winners Announced!

The 5th annual MidWest WeirdFest wrapped this week at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was presented by CharlesFort.org, Planet Weird, Spooky Boo Cinema, Tsurumi Records, and Wrong Reel Podcast. The festival 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 2021 event.

“I had a badass time with all the ninja VIPs at Midwest Weirdfest!” says Ryan Harrison who won “Best Director” for his action comedy feature NINJA BADASS. “It was an honor to be in such great company; the fellow filmmakers and the enthusiastic audience were awesome! Everything about the festival was amazing!”

Ryan Harrison, director (left) and Tami Harrison, producer (right) during the NINJA BADASS Q&A at MidWest WeirdFest 2021. Photo courtesy of Luong Huynh

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

(Please note that neither THE REVENANT nor THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT from writer/director D. Kerry Prior screened in competition.)

The stunning socio-political allegory EXTERNO, from brothers Jonathon and Leandro Taub, captured the fest's “Best Film” award. While documentarian Alexandre Brecher's breathtaking THE EXPLORER - which hunts for Africa's legendary relict dinosaur, the Mokele-Mbembe - won “Best Documentary”.

The twisted and eros charged Edgar Allen Poe adaptation LADY USHER (directed by George Adams) won the festival's “Best Horror Film” award. “Best Sci-Fi Film” was awarded to the touching low-fi, sci-fi/drama gem I CAN'T SLEEP from writer/director Gina Rose. While “Best Foreign Language Film” was taken by the chilling MARLENE; the feature directorial debut from Germany's Andreas Resch.

Zach Lona, director (left) and Zack Lewand, composer (fight) of HE WHO LIVES IN HIDDEN LAKES.

HE WHO LIVES IN HIDDEN LAKES, a surrealist mockumentary, laden with humor and occult ideas - and the feature debut from fest alum Zach Lona – was awarded “Best Experimental Film”. And the trippy and often confrontational documentary ALIEN ABDUCTION from director Jared Sagal and producers AV Super Sunshine and Philomena Victor snagged the “Independent Spirit Award”.

Philomena Victor (left) AV Super Sunshine (right) subjects and producers of ALIEN ABDUCTION.

“Best Short Film” was awarded to the sci-fi/action/erotic eye feast SILLY SIMON (directed by Johnny Skinner ). The touching but humor-laced FUPA (from director Gustavo Martin) captured the fest's “Best Documentary Short” award.

Documentarian Gustavo Martin introduces FUPA at the 5th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

Jackson McKeehan was awarded the “Best Director – Short Film” for his potent and chilling film SHEILA.

Jackson McKeehan director of SHEILA at the 5th annual MidWest WeirdFest.

Director J. M. Logan's stunning and terrifying THE RELIC took “Best Horror Short”. While the award for “Best Sci-Fi Short” went to director Luke Guidici's SUNDOWN TRAIL, an all too poignant look at a masked and dangerous future.

Hilarious sci-fi animation MESSAGE FROM THE FUTURE from director Dano Johnson won “Best Animated Short”. “Best Foreign Language Short” was captured by the spectacular French sci-fi film ANOMALIE, from director Michael Jeanpert. While “Best Experimental Short” was awarded to Dan S's psychedelic and menacing THE TRUTH ABOUT HASTINGS.

Dan S (THE TRUTH ABOUT HASTINGS and SEED OF PERFECTION) at the 5th annual MidWest WeirdFest (sporting a novelty ring from sponsor Spooky Boo Cinema). Photo courtesy of Luong Huynh.

Both poignant and comedic, THE GRANDPA DIARIES, from director Michael Afendakis and writer/star Jonathan Leveck won “Best Web Series”.

“Best TV Series” was awarded to the chilling Australian paranormal-themed documentary show THE SPACE BETWEEN, co-directed and hosted by Bianca Biasi. And “Best Documentary Web Series” went to the always thought-provoking Canadian paranormal investigation show WE WANT TO BELIEVE; from director Jason Hewlett and featuring veteran paranormal investigator Peter Renn.

And “Best Music Video” was awarded to atmosphere ladened THE HAUNTED LAKE (directed by Australia's Peter Miller.)

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

“What can usually be seen as a daunting task was a thoroughly enjoyable one for this year's Midwest WeirdFest screenplay competition.” says Lisa DeVita; the competition's head reader, best known for her work as an armorer as well as writing the cult horror hit PEELERS. “The screenplays were immersive and pulled you in from page one. I honestly loved each script for its unique perspective on topics that ranged from the gleefully absurd to the mind-bendingly thought-provoking. It was tough this year, not because the scripts made your eyes bleed—but just the opposite—the pool of talent was plentiful and choosing the best of the best was hard.”

Head of the Screenplay Competition, screenwriter and armorer, Lisa DeVita on set.

The winning feature screenplay was THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER LAWN MAINTENANCE, written by Scott Huebscher. Stirling J. McLaughlin and Wilder Konschak's TOO MANY WADES took the 1st Runner-up spot. And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was PLEASANT GROVE by Zack R. Smith & Andrew Miller.

The short screenplay competition was won by writer Ashley Fell for DAPHNE AND THE FEVER. The 1st Runner-up was THE PLAGUE by Randy Zuniga. And Stuart Creque's SHE COMES IN COLOR was awarded 2nd Runner-up.

You can enter your film or screenplay to the 6th Annual MidWest WeirdFest - taking place at Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin from March 4-6 - via FilmFreeway, here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest

Chilling feature film added to MidWest WeirdFest 2021: MARLENE

MidWest WeirdFest is delighted to announce the addition of the chilling German horror tale MARLENE to the 2021 festival lineup. The film is the feature debut of talented German director Andreas Resch.

MARLENE was selected to screen at MidWest WeirdFest by well respected Australian film critic and horror buff Bryn Tilly. Bryn is also the programming director of Australia's oldest and premiere genre focused film festival: A Night of Horror International Film Festival; founded by MidWest WeirdFest's Dean Bertram.

MARLENE was one of Bryn's top 20 films of the year as posted on his Cult Projections website.

Bryn writes of the film: “The apartment building psycho neighbour. Yep, it’s a classic thriller scenario, but this one transforms existing tropes into a horrifying, all-too-real nightmare. Directed with gripping skill, and superbly acted, in particular Cordula Zielonka in the titular role, Andreas Resch’s debut feature is part of an emerging European slow-burn horror movement and presents the all-too-real horror with a surprising and most curious twist in the tail.”

MARLENE replaces the film MIRANDA VEIL at the 2021 festival. It screens Saturday March 6, 6pm at Micon Downtown Cinema.

Tickets are available for MARLENE as well as the rest of the festival’s films here via FilmFreeway.

Or directly from the Micon Cinema here.

NINJA BADASS director/star coming to MidWest WeirdFest!

This just in: Ryan Harrison, the star and director of MidWest WeirdFest 2021's gag and gore filled opening night film NINJA BADASS, is coming to the festival! Ryan will intro his film, which kicks of the 5th annual festival from 6pm, Friday March 5, at Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The film’s producer Tami Harrison will also be in attendance.

You can book your ticket now, here: either via FilmFreeway or directly from the Micon Cinema.

NINJA BADASS is sure to become a cult classic, and Ryan Harrison is dripping with so much naked and sweaty talent, that you might drown in it just by being in his presence.

Do not miss this opportunity to catch NINJA BADASS, and Ryan in person!

NINJA BADASS: The Ninja VIP Super Club is doing a slow drag across the American Midwest, culminating in female sacrifice.

When they kidnap a super hot babe that local scumbag Rex has his eyes on - it's up to him to become a ninja to steal her back from them. Then she can have his babies!

Join Rex, his armless sensei, a badass ball ripper, a dragon, a gang of puppies, some detached feet, and a mean ninja motherf**ker who trains by beating up cows for a messed up experience that'll make you wanna eat egg rolls until you poop your pants.

THE REVENANT SOUNDTRACK - BIG GIVEAWAY AT MIDWEST WEIRDFEST!

Thanks to Jeff Davis, the generous head of Tsurumi Records, we will be giving away copies of the uber-collectable THE REVENANT SOUNDTRACK at the festival! The first fifty (50) ticket holders - this includes those with a Saturday Pass or Full Festival Pass - for THE REVENANT screening will receive either a Vinyl of CD copy of the soundtrack. (If you’ve already bought your tickets or pass to the fest this includes you too!)

The film's visionary director, D. Kerry Prior, will be on hand to introduce and Q&A this special retrospective screening of THE REVENANT. It takes place Saturday March 6, 10pm at the Micon Downtown cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Kerry is also in attendance to intro and Q&A the world premiere of his long-lost found footage film (shot in 1999) THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT, which screens at the Micon Downtown immediately before THE REVENANT, at 8pm, Saturday March 6.

Tickets are available to each film individually, or at a discount if you buy tickets to both sessions.

And we bet if you ask Kerry nice he'll autograph the soundtrack for you too.

This might just be the greatest giveaway promotion in the history of film festivals, and it’s certainly the coolest that we have ever heard of!

So quit reading this and grab your ticket or pass now! Available through either of the links below!

Book tickets via FilmFreeway here

Or directly via the Micon Cinema here

5th Annual MidWest WeirdFest: World Premiere Films, Filmmaker Guests, and More!

MidWest WeirdFest - the cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird - returns to the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, March 5-7, 2021. Celebrating its fifth year, the festival is generously supported by CharlesFort.org, Spooky Boo Cinema, Wrong Reel podcast, and festival alumnus Greg Newkirk (HELLIER) of Planet Weird.

MidWest WeirdFest will operate in accordance with Micon Cinemas' Covid policies: Only selling tickets to 50% seating capacity, an increase in cleaning protocol, and requiring face masks in the cinema's foyer and auditorium, unless guests are eating or drinking.

“MidWest WeirdFest’s dedication to programming thrilling and cutting-edge films makes me ecstatic to world premiere my feature directorial debut HE WHO LIVES IN HIDDEN LAKES at the festival this year,” says writer/director Zach Lona. “The festival has screened my short films in previous editions, and I’m delighted to return to this fantastic event, no less than in-person and at the cinema.”

Zach's brother, Lucas Lona, who stars in the film, will also be in attendance for the film's Q&A.

Other feature filmmakers presenting their work at the 2021 MidWest WeirdFest, include:

Kerry Prior, special effects artist and visionary director of the cult horror comedy hit THE REVENANT. Kerry is world premiering his long lost, found-footage film THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT at the festival this year, along with presenting a special retrospective screening of THE REVENANT.

Levin Garbisch, writer/director of the stunning and surprise-filled horror film MIRANDA VEIL.

AV Super Sunshine and Philomena Victor, husband and wife filmmaking team, musicians, and subjects of the compelling feature documentary ALIEN ABDUCTION.

Filmmakers representing their short films at the festival include: Dan S (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT HASTINGS and SEED OF PERFECTION), whose previous appearance at MidWest WeirdFest coincided with his feature VORE KING winning “Best Documentary” at the festival in 2017. Two other festival alumni, Steve Chappell (ED GEIN INTERVIEW), and Jackson McKeehan (SHEILA), will also be in attendance to present their latest work. Visiting short filmmakers making their MidWest WeirdFest debut this year, include Gustavo Martin (FUPA), Amber Rose McNeill (NORMAL PORN FOR NORMAL PEOPLE), and Grant Osum (NEIGHBORS OF THE APOCALYPSE).

THE GRANDPA DIARIES

A special treat for festival season pass holders, and regular attendees, will be the web series THE GRANDPA DIARIES, from director Michael Afendakis, and writer/star Jonathan Leveck. The hilarious and poignant series will be playing in its entirety at the festival, with one approximately 2 to 3 minute episode screening before each feature film.

Full guest list here

Individual tickets to each session as well as discounted festival passes can be booked here (and during the festival will also available to purchase at the Micon Cinema box office):

MidWest WeirdFest's full 2021 feature line-up follows:

ALIEN ABDUCTION (dir: Jared Sagal) A rock and roll band couple approach a young filmmaker and ask for his help in finishing a film about their true story: being abducted, experimented on, and taken off planet aboard a flying saucer. The documentarian sets out on a mission to either verify or discredit their experience.

THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT (dir: Kerry Prior) World Premiere! A found-footage feature film, thought lost for over 20 years, is finally seeing the light of the projector booth at its world premiere at the 5th annual MidWest WeirdFest! Join the hilarious trip that follows 2 idiots and an actress on a hunt for a legendary rabbit.

THE DEEP ONES (dir: Chad Ferrin) Adapted from the works of H. P. Lovecraft. A married couple rents a beach side Airbnb only to be surrounded by peculiar neighbors and occurrences. They soon discover they are in the grips of a mysterious cult and their ancient sea god.

THE EXPLORER (dir: Alexandre Brecher) In the heart of the largely unexplored Congo Basin forest hides the Mokele-mbembe, a semi-aquatic animal whose shape and dimensions resemble those of a sauropod dinosaur. Travel with cryptozoologist Michel Ballot on his search for the creature!

EXTERNO (dir: Jonathon Taub, Leandro Taub) North American Theatrical Festival Premiere! A revolutionary businessman tries to conquer the world with $2,000. This lyrical and potent film, while fictional, presents a convincing, if allegorical, expose of the inner workings of a hidden power structure that shapes the world.

HE WHO LIVES IN HIDDEN LAKES (dir: Zach Lona) World Premiere! The fanatic beliefs of an internet mystic, a cult leader, and a rookie cop gone rogue are tested on the hunt for the "Hidden Man", an elusive forest-dwelling cryptid that terrorizes their idyllic suburb.

I CAN'T SLEEP (dir: Gina Rose) A young writer struggles to complete her science-fiction story while battling supernatural forces in real life. A pitch-perfect and perfectly original low-fi, sci-fi drama, with a fantastic and diverse cast, I CAN’T SLEEP resonates at a profoundly human level.

LADY USHER (dir: George Adams) Based on Poe's classic tale, this updated re-telling possesses the quintessential features of the Gothic: a large dreary house, macabre characters, and a mysterious sickness. But the fantastic film spins with modern sensibilities, tongue-in-cheek moments, bizarre twists, and dark eroticism.

MIRANDA VEIL (dir: Levin Garbisch) When aspiring serial killer Soren, abducts his first victim Miranda, both of them are shocked to discover that she is unable to die. Faced with the unknown, the two of them struggle to come to terms with this revelation as they embark on an increasingly surreal road trip home.

NINJA BADASS (dir: Ryan Harrison) Local scum-bag Rex must undergo a crash course in Ninjitsu, to develop the skills needed to rescue the gal he is obsessed with, from a rampaging Ninja gang. Hilarious and over the top violence and gags flow in this new cult hit.

THE REVENANT (dir: Kerry Prior) Rootin'-tootin', shootin' and lootin'... Undead the way you like it! Come watch the greatest undead buddy horror/comedy film ever made, in this special retrospective screening at the Micon Downtown. Director Kerry Prior in attendance to Q&A!.

THE STAIRS (dir: Peter "Drago" Tiemann) In 1997, 11 year old Jesse finds a mysterious staircase in the woods and disappears. Twenty years later, a group of hikers, set off into the very same woods. Unfortunately for them, they come face to face with the very same set of stairs Jesse discovered all those years ago.

TRANS (director: Naeri Do) After facing a serious assault from Taeyong Ma's posse, Minyoung Go plans revenge on the bullies. So, she conducts an electrical baptism and becomes a super-powered “transhuman” after undergoing a series of high voltage shocks.

Long-lost film from THE REVENANT director world premieres at MidWest WeirdFest

A found-footage feature film, thought lost for over 20 years, is finally seeing the light of the projector booth at its world premiere this March.

Kerry Prior, acclaimed Hollywood special effects artist and the visionary director of the cult horror hit THE REVENANT, lensed the found footage film THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT in 1999.

There is still some mystery as to why that film – once set for commercial release - was suddenly pulled and apparently lost for over two decades. But now, the re-found, found footage film is having its very first public screening at the 5th annual MidWest WeirdFest. The festival runs March 5-7, at the Micon Cinema in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

“THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT has been a ghost that’s haunted me for years” says writer/director Kerry Prior. “Due to either the tragicomic debacle that stymied the release of the film, or the rumor of bootleg copies floating around, people seemed to be aware of it. So when MidWest WeirdFest's programming director Dean Bertram asked about it, I thought maybe it was time to finally get it in front of a proper audience, and his festival seemed like the perfect venue.”

Behind the scenes of THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT with Kerry Prior (right)

Kerry will be presenting both the world premiere of THE BLARE RABBIT PROJECT, as well as a special retrospective screening of THE REVENANT, at MidWest WeirdFest this year. A Q&A session will follow each screening.

Support the festival on Indiegogo, and get t-shirts, face masks, collectable dog tag festival passes and more: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/midwest-weirdfest-2021#/

The festival's first programming wave has already been announced, and can be seen here.

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

MidWest WeirdFest passes are now on sale here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest/tickets

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.

MidWest WeirdFest 2021: First Programming Wave Announced!

MidWest WeirdFest announces its first programming wave for 2021 today. The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 5th year. The festival will take place March 5-7, 2021 at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

“The world has never seemed so weird. Neither has MidWest WeirdFest's program of cutting-edge cinema,” says festival founder and director Dean Bertram. “It’s filled with alien abductees, serial killer victims who can't die, real-life dinosaurs that still live in the Congo, Lovecraftian fish people, mystically empowered but inept ninjas, an erotically twisted re-imagining of Edgar Allen Poe, and a dystopian fungal pandemic that makes Covid-19 look like a cake-walk... and that's just from our first wave of feature film programming.”

Discounted festival passes are now on sale here: https://filmfreeway.com/MidWestWeirdFest/tickets

Festival passes, t-shirts, face masks, collectable dog tags, and more fest merchandise is available only via the festival's Indiegogo page here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/midwest-weirdfest-2021

Half of the proceeds from this crowdfunding campaign go directly to the Micon Downtown Cinema. Help MidWest WeirdFest, help the Micon, and get cool perks in the process!

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:

ALIEN ABDUCTION (director: Jared Sagal) AV Super Sunshine (a rock and roll band couple) approach a young filmmaker and ask for his help in finishing a film about their true story: being abducted, experimented on, and taken off planet aboard a flying saucer. The couple send the filmmaker their home-made alien abduction film, and he sets out on a mission to either verify or discredit their experience. Unable to debunk the authenticity of the couple's story, the documentarian resorts to the use of psychological tactics in an attempt to make the couple turn their narratives against one another.

THE EXPLORER (director: Alexandre Brecher) Fresh from it's “Best Documentary” win at Another Hole in the Head Film Festival, this stunning documentary takes us to the darkest heart of the Congo Basin. There, accompanying cryptozoologist Michel Ballot, we search for Africa's most famous cryptid: The Mokele-mbembe, an alleged giant reptile or dinosaur (think brontosaurus), that has been reported to stalk the region's rivers, swamps, and jungles for hundreds of years.

H. P. LOVECRAFT'S THE DEEP ONES (dir: Chad Ferrin) Fest alumni Chad Ferrin (THE CHAIR) returns; this time, riffing on the works of cosmic horror maestro H. P Lovecraft. Ferrin delivers a disturbing, comedic, and sexy adaptation, which brings to mind the work of genre giants from Roman Polanski (ROSEMARY'S BABY) to Stuart Gordon (RE-ANIMATOR).

LADY USHER (dir: George Adams) Based on Edgar Allen Poe's classic tale (The Fall of the House of Usher), this updated re-telling possesses the quintessential features of the Gothic: a large dreary house, strange macabre characters with doubled personalities, and a mysterious sickness. But the fantastic film spins with modern sensibilities, tongue-in-cheek moments, bizarre twists, and dark eroticism.

MIRANDA VEIL (dir: Levin Garbisch) When aspiring serial killer Soren, abducts his first victim Miranda, both of them are shocked to discover that she is unable to die. Faced with the unknown, the two of them struggle to come to terms with this revelation as they embark on an increasingly surreal road trip home. A disturbing yet touching film, that resonates with a richness of character and an all round originality not often captured in the horror/thriller genres.

NINJA BADASS (dir: Ryan Harrison) The Ninja VIP Super Club is doing a slow drag across the American Midwest, culminating in female sacrifice. When they kidnap a “super hot babe” that local scumbag Rex has his eyes on - it's up to him to become a ninja to steal her back. Then, he hopes, she will have his babies! This hilarious indie hit of the festival season is set to make the director/lead actor a cult genre star.

TIN CAN (dir: Seth A. Smith) An unrelenting fever dream that feels like a nightmarish allegory of the Covid-19 pandemic (even though the film was shot prior to the outbreak). As the world enters quarantine, a front-lines parasitologist is imprisoned in a life-suspension chamber. And to escape, she must destroy the last of her kind. Filled with potent imagery and disturbing themes, this is the brand new sci-fi/horror film from the director of 2018's critically acclaimed THE CRESCENT.

Help MidWest WeirdFest and the Micon Downtown Cinema! Get Cool Stuff!

MidWest WeirdFest, the cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird, is now in its 5th year. And today, it is asking for your help to make this year's event another success, by checking out the festival’s Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.

The 2021 festival takes place March 5-7, at the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It is consistently reviewed by filmmakers as being in the world's top 100 film festivals (out of over nine thousand festivals) on the industry's leading festival submission website, FilmFreeway.

“I'm asking for your help to deliver the plethora of cinematic weirdness that MidWest WeirdFest's audience and visiting filmmakers have come to expect,” says festival founder and director Dean Bertram. “Because, like many small businesses and arts organizations, MidWest WeirdFest and our fantastic venue the Micon Downtown Cinema have both been impacted by Covid-19. So, if you can afford to help, even a little, please check out our Indiegogo campaign. We would really appreciate it.”

In return for their support, people who back the festival can select from a wide range of super cool perks. The exclusive merchandise ranges from stickers and magnets, through T-shirts, tote bags, and face masks, to a collectable dog tag that also works as a season pass to the 2021 fest. The festival's Indiegogo campaign also offers discounted bundles of tickets combined with other perks, as well as sponsorship packages for businesses.

Half of the proceeds raised go directly to the Micon Downtown Cinema, the other half will assist in the 2021 festival's operating costs.

More details can be found at MidWest WeirdFest’s Indiegogo campaign here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/midwest-weirdfest-2021

Thank you for your help and keep it weird!

Photo by Luong Huynh

MidWest WeirdFest 2020 Winners Announced

The 4th annual MidWest WeirdFest wrapped this week at the Micon Downtown Cinema, Volume One Gallery, and Ivy in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The festival 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 2020 event.

Greg Newkirk (left) and Karl Pfeiffer (right) of HELLIER (photo by Luong Huynh)

“Its truly an honor to win 'Best Director' and 'Best TV/Web Content' here at MidWest WeirdFest for HELLIER.” says Karl Pfeiffer, director of the ground breaking paranormal series, which is now in its second season. “After seeing so many great films all weekend and meeting so many talented creators, it’s a humbling experience to be recognized amidst it all. Biggest thanks to festival director Dean Bertram for putting on such a great festival, and thanks to everyone for coming out to see the films, and of course to my small team of fantastic humans (and perhaps non-humans!) who helped to get this very special project made.”

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

(Left to right) Eric Silvera, Sean Kenealy, and Alex Nordenson in the audience during MidWest WeirdFest 2020 (photo by Luong Huynh)

The frenetic and hilarious two-man action extravaganza IN ACTION - from directors/writers/stars Sean Kenealy and Eric Silvera, and producer Alex Nordenson - captured the fest's “Best Film” award.
While the fascinating RETURN TO WILDCAT MOUNTAIN: WISCONSIN'S BLACK PANTHER NEXUS - from world renowned cryptid and paranormal writer Linda S. Godfrey, her husband Steven Godfrey, and son Nate Godfrey - won “Best Documentary”.

Linda S. Godfrey and her son Nate Godfrey, directors of RETURN TO WILDCAT MOUNTAIN (photo by Luong Huynh)

The hilarious, yet blood soaked, BAD WITCH (directed by Joshua Land and Victor Fink) won the festival's “Best Horror Film” award.

Joshua Land (left) and Victor Fink (center) during their Q&A for BAD WITCH at MidWest WeirdFest 2020 (photo by Luong Huynh)

While “Best Foreign Language Film” was taken by the haunting and beautiful THE SOUL CONDUCTOR directed by Russia's Ilya Maksimov. SQUATCHMORE, a wonderfully weird trip down the rabbit hole of Bigfoot belief (from Dane Mainella, Jay Jadick, and Benjamin R. Davis), captured the festival's “Independent Spirit Award”.

SQUATCHMORE’S Dane Mainella (left) and Jay Jadick (right) at MidWest WeirdFest’s Weird Filmmaking Forum (photo by Luong Huynh)

“Best Short Film” was won by the chilling drama THE GREEN SEA (directed by Steven Alexander Robbins ).

Sally Robbins producer of THE GREEN SEA (photo by Luong Huynh)

Steve Chappel's experimental head trip TRILOGY OF TEAR was awarded “Best Animated Short”. And spooky supernatural doco THE UNDEPARTED (from director Chris McGuinness) captured the fest's “Best Short Documentary” award.

One of the animated “stars” of Steve Chappell’s TRILOGY OF TEAR (photo by Luong Huynh)

The award for “Best Sci-Fi Short” went to ORBIT (directed by Nicholas Camp and Don Thiel), a futuristic reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart". “Best Horror Short” was won by the masterful and high-strangeness ladened PREFIGURED (from festival alumni and second time award winner at MidWest WeirdFest Zeshaan Younus). And “Best Music Video” was awarded to the spacey love song and clip LUCY DAYDREAM - RED (directed by Alexander Stephens.)

Zeshaan Younus (PREFIGURED) (photo by Luong Huynh)

MidWest WeirdFest also hosts both a feature and short screenplay competition. The competition's head reader, Sevé Schelenz (best known as the writer/director of feature horror films SKEW, and PEELERS), says, “What an amazing turnout! With so many amazing screenplays submitted, it was a difficult task to decide the winners for the 2020 competition. It's too bad we couldn't give them all the awards they are so due. Thank you to all the screenwriters for their amazing submissions. And remember, keep writing!”

(Left) Feature screenplay competition finalist Dillon Fuhrman & (right) Competiton head reader Sevé Schelenz (photo by Luong Huynh)

The winning feature screenplay was KATIE KILLED BRIAN, written by Andrew Miller and Zack R. Smith . John F. Saunder's JATUM took the 1st Runner-up spot. And the competition's 2nd Runner-up was ADONIX by Daniel Boddicker.

The short screenplay competition was won by writer Stuart Creque's WET ROT. The 1st Runner-up was THE WOODS ARE LOVELY, DARk AND DEEP by Lindsay Jaeger. And Valerie Schwartfigure's SUPER NANCY was awarded 2nd Runner-up.

You can enter your film or screenplay to the 5th Annual MidWest WeirdFest - taking place at Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire, Wisconsin from March 5-7 - via FilmFreeway, here:.

4th Annual MidWest WeirdFest: Amazing Guests, World Premiere Films, Special Side Events and More!

MidWest WeirdFest - the cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird - returns to the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire from March 6-8, 2020. Now in its fourth year, the festival includes special side events, more guests, more films (including three world premieres), and two additional venue partners: Ivy Creatives and The Volume One Gallery.

One of the fest's headlining guests, Greg Newkirk - renowned paranormal investigator and co-creator/star of the hit paranormal series HELLIER – states: “When we started to plan on screening HELLIER, we knew that Midwest WeirdFest had to be the first festival we submitted to. The festival's commitment to celebrating the underground, the independent, and the just plain weird is a mission that's very near and dear to our hearts, so we're beyond thrilled to be attending this year. We can't wait to see what Midwest WeirdFest has in store for 2020.”

Along with introducing the world premiere screening of her highly anticipated documentary at the Micon Downtown Cinema - RETURN TO WILDCAT MOUNTAIN: WISCONSIN'S BLACK PANTHER NEXUS - Linda Godfrey, the world famous paranormal researcher and writer, will also be discussing the background to her film and her broader cryptid research at a special event and book signing at the Volume One Gallery.

“RETURN TO WILDCAT MOUNTAIN is a true mom and pop - and son - creation,” Linda says. We made it to tell the story of the many mountain lions returning eastward to old habitats, along with a slew of the mysterious 'black panthers' that scientists say do not exist. I am especially thrilled to be part of Midwest WeirdFest as co-author and author of Barnes and Noble's 'Weird Wisconsin' and 'Weird Michigan' volumes of their 'Weird US' series. It's a grand, weird world out there.”

Feature filmmakers and TV series guests presenting their work at the 2020 MidWest WeirdFest - some of whom will also part of the Weird Filmmaking Forum at Ivy Creatives - include:

Greg Newkirk, Dana Newkirk, and Karl Pfeiffer, the creators and stars of the ground-breaking paranormal series HELLIER.

Linda Godfrey, Stephen Godfrey, and Nathan Godfrey the creators of the fascinating and chilling documentary RETURN TO WILDCAT MOUNTAIN: WISCONSIN'S BLACK PANTHER NEXUS.

Eric Silvera and Sean Kenealy directors and stars of the festival's closing night film: the hilarious and frenetic action/buddy comedy IN ACTION. Which is world premiering in the fest's closing night slot!

Dane Mainella (director) and Jay Jadick (director/star) of the genre bending drama and bigfoot focussed head trip SQUATCHMORE. Also world premiering at MidWest WeirdFest 2020!

Joshua Land and Victor Fink, the directing duo behind the bloody-hilarious horror comedy BAD WITCH.

Filmmakers in attendance to present their short films at the festival include: Mac Cushing (THE VISIT and THE BASEMENT), Steve Chappel (TRILOGY OF TEAR), Maxwell Frey and Dominic Reno (WELCOME TO HELLTOWN), Paul von Stoetzel (CARNAGE THE EXECUTIONER - EAT TO LIVE), and Zeshaan Younus (PREFIGURED).

Full guest list here: http://www.midwestweirdfest.com/guests-2020

Individual tickets to each session as well as discounted festival passes can be booked here:

http://www.midwestweirdfest.com/tickets/

MidWest WeirdFest's full 2020 feature line-up follows: (you can also browse the full program here)

BAD WITCH (directors: Joshua Land and Victor Fink) Xander is a witch whose abuse of black magic has led him to disaster after disaster. After trying to go clean of witchcraft, Xander befriends a young loner, helping Roland with bullies, girlfriends, and other teenage atrocities. A bloody fun horror flick that's sure to bewitch genre cinephiles.

THE FEAR OF LOOKING UP (director: Konstantinos Koutsoliotas) While chasing a serial killer inspired by the god of sleep, a cop’s life is overturned by the death of her lover. Looming monsters and the need for revenge cloud the border between her nightmares and reality, in this atmospheric and hypnotising descent into Lovecraftian madness and terror.

THE HAT MAN: DOCUMENTED CASES OF PURE EVIL (director: Kyle J. Macias) Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, to find a tall man wearing an old fashioned hat, his face shadowed, looming over you in bed. He’s intently examining you with pure evil radiating from his cold death-like stare. He lingers in your bedroom. You grip your bedsheets, you’re terrified to the core and shaking profusely. Just when you think he’s going to attack, he disappears. He’s gone, without a trace. In this documentary eyewitnesses share their true stories of how they encountered this ‘Hat Man’. A being who torments their dreams, seemingly in conjunction with sleep paralysis and night terrors... Terrors that in some cases, also affect daily life. Will you see him...?

HELLIER (director: Karl Pfeiffer) A small crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences leads them to a decades-old mystery with far-reaching implications. HELLIER is the most original and paradigm shaking paranormal documentary series ever produced. Come and watch the haunting finale to Season 2 - “NIGHT OF PAN” - on the big screen, with the shows creators and stars!

IN ACTION (directors: Sean Kenealy and Eric Silvera) WORLD PREMIERE! Sean and Eric are just two bumbling screenwriters working on the “next big action flick”, utterly oblivious to the shit storm that awaits when the government intercepts their script, believing it to be a veritable terrorist plot.

MAKING MONSTERS (directors: Justin Harding and Rob Brunner) When a celebrity couple famed for their YouTube scare-prank channel are invited to a friend’s converted church in the countryside for a weekend getaway, a series of startling events unfold that spiral them into an inexplicable nightmare.

ON THE TRAIL OF UFOS (director: Seth Breedlove) SNEAK PEAK! From MidWest WeirdFest alumni filmmaker Seth Breedlove (MOMO: THE MISSOURI MONSTER, ON THE TRAIL OF BIGFOOT) comes the latest Small Town Monsters documentary. With host Shannon LeGro, ON THE TRAIL OF UFOS takes viewers from the gates of Area 51 itself, to the snow-capped White Mountains of New Hampshire. Filmed in several states across the country, no stone was left unturned in putting together the most comprehensive look at the subject ever produced. The first public screening of episodes from this highly anticipated miniseries!

PUPPET KILLER (director: Lisa Ovies) While celebrating Christmas at a cabin in the woods, a group of high school students are stalked by a psychotic killer obsessed with horror movie icons. This laugh out loud horror comedy is overflowing with clever homages to the genre, and serves up a perfect mix of gore and gags.

RETURN TO WILDCAT MOUNTAIN: WISCONSIN'S BLACK PANTHER NEXUS (directors: Linda Godfrey and Nathan Godfrey) WORLD PREMIERE! Strangely, in some parts of North America, black-furred big cats make up over half the eyewitness reports of mountain lions; but zoologists say black pumas don’t exist. If that’s true, then exactly what are these ebony felines? Might one small central Wisconsin town hold a clue to this growing mystery? The directorial debut of one of the world's leading writers and investigators of the weird: Linda Godfrey (WEIRD WISCONSIN, MONSTERS AMONG US, I KNOW WHAT I SAW).

THE SOUL CONDUCTOR (Director: Ilya Maksimov) Katya is a disaffected and gloomy young woman. But she is endowed with a mystical gift: she is a conduit between the world of the dead and the world of the quick, and helps earthbound souls to regain peace. But her already weird world spirals even further out of control when a demonic serial killer targets both her and her twin sister. A beautiful and creepy supernatural thriller, loaded with twists and frights that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end credits roll.

SQUATCHMORE (Directors: Dane Mainella, Jay Jadick, and Benjamin R Davis) WORLD PREMIERE! Two men from rural Western Pennsylvania embark on a quest to track down the legendary monster, Bigfoot. They will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of the great American myth, even as their journey leads them ever deeper into the mind of the beast itself. Part mumble-core, part early Wes Anderson, part psychedelic trip down the rabbit-hole of Sasquatch belief, SQUATCHMORE delivers the weird like few others.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS GHOSTS? (dir: Aaron Daniel Annas) Psychics, scientists, skeptics, and a film professor delve into the paranormal - attempting to answer, "Do ghosts exist?” Director Aaron Annas states: “As a child, I remember my dad reassuring me, ‘There's no such thing as ghosts.’ However, when I would ask my mom about the supernatural, she would never give a definitive answer. I grew up fascinated by the concept of the supernatural and why people believe the way they do. It is amazing to me how even one's religious belief system can allow for some elements of the supernatural while negating others. This film, THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS GHOSTS?, is my journey to understanding why people believe what they believe when it comes to the supernatural.”

Full 2020 program details here: http://www.midwestweirdfest.com/program