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