Over the course of January and early February, two sets of three-person juries reviewed 196 films submitted for inclusion in the Wisconsin's Own and Wisconsin Student Shorts showcases at this year's film festival. In addition to selecting 48 of these entries for screening, the juries also singled out 11 of the films for special awards at the festival.
The process was not quick. The Wisconsin Student Shorts jury spent an entire weekend at the festival offices in Vilas Hall on the UW campus viewing the films before making selections and deciding upon awards. The three jury members for the Wisconsin's Own showcase, meanwhile, spent weeks viewing DVDs of the submissions before making their decisions.
Festival director Meg Hamel, who does not participate in the jury process says, as a general rule, "our approach to movies is to downplay any notion of filmmaking as a competitive sport." This is the reason for the small number of awards at the festival, with the Steep & Brew Audience Awards for best dramatic and documentary features the only major recognitions for the general programming. "Going to the movies is not about the horserace," Hamel says, "but rather seeing a really fantastic story being told on screen."
The festival does present juried awards for state-based filmmakers, though. Where it is worth giving awards is for these films, notes Hamel, particularly given the fact that these are made on an extremely low or no budget basis, oftentimes with the help of family and friends, even when compared to the indie selections in the broader festival. "Let's acknowledge and recognize some of these folks," she says.
Recognitions for the Wisconsin's Own and Wisconsin Student Shorts films follow:
- Best Wisconsin Student Experimental Short Film
The Bird of Night by Alan Schoenburg - Kodak Opportunity Film Stock Grant
Black Box by Joe Sacco - Best Wisconsin Student Animated Short Film
The Long Shadow by Chele Isaac - Special Jury Prize
Me and Jean Pierre by Anna Krutzik - Best Wisconsin Student Narrative Short Film
Pinmonkey by Tim Ziegler - Best Wisconsin Documentary Short Film
Bone Mixers by Doug Gritzmacher and Mike Dechant - Special Jury Prize
Little Spirits by Cecilia Condit - Best Wisconsin Narrative Short Film
The Professor's Daughter by Luke R. Pebler - Best Wisconsin Documentary Feature Film
The Untyings by Romi Chiorean and Katherine Leggett - Best Wisconsin Experimental Short Film
Walk Into Hell/Purgatorio by Dal Lazlo and Charles Johannsen - Kodak Opportunity Film Stock Grant
Tops by Brian D. Nelson
"The marvelous part of an event like the Wisconsin Film Festival is the ability to connect Wisconsin filmmakers with an audience," concludes Hamel. "It's fun to be that last, little connecting piece."
