Film News: Midwest Independent Film Festival ‘Best of the Midwest’ on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016

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CHICAGO – On Tuesday, December 6th, the Midwest Independent Film Festival will award their 2016 “Best of the Midwest” honors with a ceremony at Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard, in Chicago. The evening will be hosted by Festival Director Mike McNamara, and nominees include the short film “Lady of the House” (directed by Brad Bischoff), plus feature films “Mad” (directed by Robert Putka), and “My Friend’s Rubber Ducky” (directed by Josh Hyde).

Presented by the Midwest Independent Film Festival
Photo credit: MidwestFilm.com

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is a year-round movie event in Chicago that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema. The festival has been recognized by Chicago Magazine in their “Best of Chicago” issue, and has become one of the top places for local filmmakers, producers and actors to network in the city. The “Best of the Midwest” Awards has a number of TV & FILM guests scheduled to attend.

The nominees for the 2016 “Best of the Midwest” Awards are as follows….

Best Music Video

MY DAY, directed by Eric McCoy for Devin Kirtz
NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, directed by Alan Del Rio Ortiz for Whitney
GIVING UP ON YOU, directed by Alan Del Rio Ortiz for Wild Belle
REMEMORATION, directed by Phillip Montgomery for Daylight Robbery
EGO WRECKING BALL, directed by Stephen Pell and Seth Johnson for The Bangups
HERMIT, directed by Jenna Caravello for Cloud Becomes Your Hand

Best Short Film

LADY OF THE HOUSE, directed by Brad Bischoff
CHEKHOV, directed by Jack Dunphy
SHIP DREAMS, directed by Corinne Anderson
NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT, directed by Tim Mason
EXONERATED, directed by Andy Goodwin
GAS, directed by Steve Delahoyde
CRYSTAL LAKE, directed by Jennifer Reeder
AN EVENING AT ANGELO’S, directed by Kara Mulrooney


Best Editing

Mike Berg, NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT

Mark Helenowski and Kevin Pang, FOR GRACE

Ben Measor, MAD

Josh Hyde and Evan Smith, MY FRIEND’S RUBBER DUCKY

Brad Besser, BEAVER TRILOGY PART IV

Best Cinematography

Christopher Rejano, CRYSTAL LAKE
John Anderson Beavers, VICTOR
Marcin Szalkowski, WRITTEN OFF
David Wagenaar, GUIDANCE
Dan Fischer, MY FRIEND’S RUBBER DUCKY

Best Artistic Specialization

Sandro Miller, Jonathan Caustrita and Ryan Gilbert, Animation/Compositing, HELL

Cristen Leifheit, Stop-Motion Animation, YELLOW GOLD

Leftchannel, CG Animation, FRED

Sarah Fornace, Drew Dir and Julia Miller, Shadow Puppetry, THE BLOW-UP BRA 

Merje Veski, Production Design, MY FRIEND’S RUBBER DUCKY

Brian Leitner and Sam Fishkin, Sound Design/Mixing, HELL

Best Screenplay

Mia McCullough, PARALLEL
Tim Mason, NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT
Robert Putka, MAD
Bex Marsh and Eddie Mujica, WATERBOY
Nnamdi Ngwe, JULIUS
Jo Scott and Jeff Murdoch, CURFEUD
Steve Delahoyde, GAS

Best Female Actor

Fawzia Mirza, SPUNKLE

Sue Salvi and Megan Kellie, NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT

Puja Mohindra, GEETA’S GUIDE TO MOVING ON

Amy Frazzini, GUIDANCE

Jo Scott, CURFEUD

Julie Greenberg, DEMOCRACY IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Best Male Actor

T.J. Jagodowski and David Pasquesi, TJ & DAVE

Alex Hardaway, MY FRIEND’S RUBBER DUCKY

Jose Antonio Garcia, WRITTEN OFF 

Ryan Kitley, GUIDANCE

Peter DeFaria, PARALLEL

Matty Ryan, WHO GETS THE DOG?

Antoine McKay, WRITTEN OFF

Best Director

Mark Helenowski and Kevin Pang, FOR GRACE
Robert Putka, MAD
Tim Mason, NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT
Jennifer Reeder, CRYSTAL LAKE
Brad Besser, BEAVER TRILOGY PART IV
Corinne Anderson, SHIP DREAMS
Brad Bischoff, LADY OF THE HOUSE

Best Feature

BEAVER TRILOGY PART IV, directed by Brad Besser
MAD, directed by Robert Putka
FOR GRACE, directed by Mark Helenowski and Kevin Pang
WHO GETS THE DOG?, directed by Huck Botko
KILLING THEM SAFELY, directed by Nick Berardini
MY FRIEND’S RUBBER DUCKY, directed by Josh Hyde

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com