We’ll see everyone at the 5th annual Wolf Tree Film Festival tonight, hosted at The Franke Center. Tickets are $16 in advance/$19 at the door, and the pre-party mixer starts at 7pm.
Blossom (Grand Rapids, MI) | Directed by Tanner Hamilton
Different (Detroit, MI) | Directed by Alexsys Giraud
JOY (Dearborn, MI) | Directed by Salim Laham
Pressed (PA) | Directed by Michelle Elise Harding & Scott “Silent K” Knowlton
Season’s Greetin’s (WI) | Directed by Owen Imgrund
The Funeral Photographer (Sawyer, MI) | Directed by Ashley Thompson
Thrashed (MI) | Directed by Joe Nicholas Post
CW: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.
Wolf Tree proudly presents our 2023 🏆Official Selections🏆 for short films!
Every Wolf Tree is curated carefully and thoughtfully, from the programming to the production behind it. Our committee of fellow film and theatre aficionados invite you to experience Marshall’s own homegrown film festival – January 21, 2023 at 7pm! Join us at The Franke Center for an exciting evening of screenings and a mixer with the filmmakers and the YPC.
CW: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.
🎥 50 mL (MN) | Directed by Vanessa Powers
A drama about a young man who struggles with his sobriety while he and his wife host a holiday dinner with her dysfunctional family.
🎥 All for Naught | Directed by TL Westgate
A comedy about a hitman who thinks he’s on a routine mission, but he’s got another think coming.
🎥 An Apocalypse (IL) | Directed by Matt O’Connell
A drama about a lonely, sensitive boy and his doomsday-prepping father.
🎥 Blossom (Grand Rapids, MI) | Directed by Tanner Hamilton
A live-action animated short about a young girl and her imaginary friend, a silent and friendly monster.
🎥 Different (Detroit, MI) | Directed by Alexsys Giraud
A 7th grade student shares their thoughts about being Different.
🎥 JOY (Dearborn, MI) | Directed by Salim Laham
A foreign language drama about a pianist who suffers from conversion disorder, and the universal language of music.
🎥 Pressed (PA) | Directed by Michelle Elise Harding and Scott “Silent K” Knowlton
A drama about a seasoned journalist who reevaluates the role she plays in other people’s stories.
🎥 Season’s Greetin’s (WI) | Directed by Owen Imgrund
A dark comedy about two friends who hope to buy a car but discover a corpse in its trunk.
🎥The Funeral Photographer (Sawyer, MI) | Directed by Ashley Thompson
A drama/mystery about a photographer tasked with taking photos of all in attendance at a funeral.
🎥Thrashed (MI) | Directed by Joe Nicholas Post
A thriller about two surfers who take matters into their own hands to catch a killer.
In its fifth year, Wolf Tree Film Festival showcases films set in the Great Lakes region or that include themes or topics related to the region, as well as the work of filmmakers who reside in or grew up in the Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes region is defined as any state or territory that touches one of the Great Lakes (including Ontario, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York).
Submitted films should be no longer than 30 minutes, and all genres will be considered.
The festival will take place at The Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall, MI* and will include screenings of each selected film, a Q&A with select filmmakers, an awards presentation, and a filmmaker roundtable with industry professionals.
The Wolf Tree Film Festival is housed in historic Marshall, Michigan, a gorgeous small town with a vibrant artistic community. Hosted by the Franke Center for the Arts and Marshall’s Youngish Professionals Committee, the festival is held at Franke Center, originally a church built in 1921, now an arts complex that is the proud home of world-class concerts, inspiring theater, and award-winning movies.
*The festival will adhere to all public health and safety recommendations at the time of the event
Key Dates:
October 1, 2022: FilmFreeway open for submissions Dec 1, 2022: FilmFreeway deadline for submissions January 4, 2022: Filmmaker Notification date January 21, 2023: Wolf Tree Film Festival at the Franke Center
For more information on submission rules and awards, please visit FilmFreeway.
In its fifth year, Wolf Tree Film Festival showcases films set in the Great Lakes region or that include themes or topics related to the region, as well as the work of filmmakers who reside in or grew up in the Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes region is defined as any state or territory that touches one of the Great Lakes (including Ontario, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York).
The festival will take place at The Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall, MI* and will include screenings of each selected film, a Q&A with select filmmakers, an awards presentation, and a filmmaker roundtable with industry professionals.
The Wolf Tree Film Festival is housed in historic Marshall, Michigan, a gorgeous small town with a vibrant artistic community. Hosted by the Franke Center for the Arts and Marshall’s Youngish Professionals Committee, the festival is held at Franke Center, originally a church built in 1921, now an arts complex that is the proud home of world-class concerts, inspiring theater, and award-winning movies.
KEY DATES
🔑 OCTOBER 1, 2022: SUBMISSIONS OPEN 🔑 DEC 1, 2022: DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS 🔑 JANUARY 4, 2022: FILMMAKER NOTIFICATION DATE 🔑 JANUARY 21, 2023: WOLF TREE AT THE FRANKE CENTER
*The festival will adhere to all public health and safety recommendations at the time of the event
CONTENT WARNING: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.
YPC pals, it’s almost time for the Wolf Tree Film Festival! If you have any questions regarding our 2022 event, please check our FAQ’s below and we’ll see you soon.
CONTENT WARNING: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.
A IS FOR APPLE |
Dir. by Adam Mick Laughlin
DEVILS | Dir. by Bret Miller
From the Diary of a Space Villain |
Dir. by Kendall Royce Oswald, Spencer Nolan Oswald
HUDSON HOGSETT: KINDA INTO SOCCER | Dir. by Jordan Presley
License & Registration | Dir. by Jackson Ezinga
Perpetual Plastic |
Dir. by Eric Ebner
Static Space |
Dir. by John Klein, Kate Black-Spence
The I’s Have It | Dir. & Choreographed by Kayla Schiltgen
The Peace Pipeline | Dir. by Gitz Crazyboy, Tito Ybarra
WOLF TREE FILM FESTIVAL FAQ’S
Q: WHAT IS THE WOLF TREE FILM FESTIVAL?
A: In its fourth year, the Wolf Tree Film Festival showcases films set in the Great Lakes region or that include themes or topics related to the region, as well as the work of filmmakers who reside in or grew up in the region.
Q: WHERE IS THE FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE?
A: The festival will take place at the Franke Center for the Arts in Marshall, MI (214 E. Mansion St. Marshall, MI 49068)* and will include screenings of each selected film, a Q&A with select filmmakers, an awards presentation, and a filmmaker roundtable with industry professionals.
Q: WHAT TIME DOES THE FESTIVAL START?
A: Doors open at 6pm in the Downstage Club for a reception with the filmmakers and music with a DJ. Films roll at 7pm.
Q: WHAT FILMS ARE SHOWING AT THE FESTIVAL?
A: Screenings will feature nine Official Selections by The Wolf Tree Film Festival, listed above.
Q: CAN I WATCH THE FESTIVAL VIRTUALLY?
A: At this time, there are no options to watch virtually. If that changes, we will post information on how to do so.
Q: WHAT ARE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS AT THE FRANKE CENTER?
A: The Franke Center requires all attendees to wear a mask when not eating or drinking.
*The festival will adhere to all public health and safety recommendations at the time of the event
If you have any other questions, please email jdarling (at) frankecenterforthearts (dot) org.
Congrats to the incredible 2022 #WolfTreeFilmFestival Official Selections! Grab your tickets ASAP for the short film screenings at The Franke, Saturday, Jan 22, 2022. Doors open at 6pm and films roll at 7pm.
CONTENT WARNING: Some films included in this festival contain mature content that may be inappropriate for young viewers and may be triggering for others. Viewer discretion is advised.
A IS FOR APPLE Written & Directed by Adam Mick Laughlin · Produced by Killian Heilsberg A worm finds a city inside an apple, but must escape the fascist government drones inside.
DEVILS Written & Directed by Bret Miller · Produced by Ashley Carey While taking a final tour of an investment home, a distracted developer is horrified to discover that the deceased owner never left. And she never will.
FROM THE DIARY OF A SPACE VILLAN Directed by Kendall Royce Oswald, Spencer Nolan Oswald · Produced by Spencer Nolan Oswald There’s perhaps nothing more villainous, and of course nothing more space, than a space villain. In this film, a villainous space bounty hunter by the name of Keith, carries out a task in a very poetic-like manner.
HUDSON HOGSETT: KINDA INTO SOCCER Directed by Jordan Presley · Produced by Andrew Stewart While Hudson and his immediate circle of family, friends, and coaches won’t say this (they’re too humble) we believe that Hudson is one of the most special soccer talents in North America in his age group. Our brief for telling his story was to walk the fine line between showcasing the incredible talent that is Hudson Hogsett, while also showing the grounded nature of him being a kid.
LICENSE & REGISTRATION Written & Directed by Jackson Ezinga · Produced by Jackson Ezinga, Chris Randall Elliott Nelson, a cop impersonator with good intentions, makes his first traffic stop.
PERPETUAL PLASTIC Directed by Eric Ebner · Produced by Guillem Rius · Edited by Scott Elliott Millions of single use plastics are discarded every day across the globe. What happens then? Artist liina klauss attempts to visualize the journey of all disgraced plastics through her installation on a beach in Bali, Indonesia. First Prize at the National Geographic Society Ocean Plastic Innovation Challenge.
STATIC SPACE Directed by John Klein, Kate Black-Spence Jamie is a young woman living in rural Indiana struggling to figure out her place and identity. When she inadvertently stumbles across a frequency on her ham radio and makes contact with astronaut Noa currently orbiting Earth, the two women are presented with the opportunity to find meaningful connection, even while worlds apart.
THE I’S HAVE IT Directed & Choreographed by Kayla Schiltgen · Camerawork by Jasper Meddock “the I’s have it” explores responding to the innermost voice. Filmed in the dense forest of Northern Minnesota, the setting creates a space equal to the depths of one’s mind, challenging the dancer, cinematographer and viewer to allow themselves to get lost, listen deeply, and perhaps find something new.
THE PEACE PIPELINE Directed by Gitz Crazyboy, Tito Ybarra Comedians and activists Gitz Crazyboy and Tito Ybarra pose as a indigenous energy company sharing plans to reroute Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline through the wealthy white suburbs of Duluth, MN, to more fairly share the risks oil pipelines bring to indigenous lands—with shocking and hilarious results.
Starting today, Sunday, January 24 through Sunday, January 31 at 11pm, The Wolf Tree Film Festival will be available to Watch On Demand. This allows you, the viewer, to watch the festival at your leisure over the course of the next week.
To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.bingewave.com/f/wolf-tree-film-festival. Be sure to create a password at the end of your purchase which will allow you to access your tickets anytime through the Account tab once you are logged in.
If you have any questions, please email jdarling(at)frankecenterforthearts(dot)org.
The Franke Center for the Arts and Marshall’s Youngish Professionals invite you to the 3rd Annual Wolf Tree Film Festival on Saturday, January 23, 2021 in a virtual setting.* This year will feature one of the stars of CBS’ Young Sheldon, Battle Creek’s own, Lance Barber. Lance will emcee the event and do a private filmmaker’s roundtable with the selected filmmakers.
Special Guest: Lance Barber
Lance Barber has the skills to play a wide range of television characters having appeared in numerous shows on the small screen since 2001. An alumnus of Chicago’s Second City, Lance played the role of Paulie G on HBO’s critically acclaimed, The Comeback, which The New York Times described as “among the great villains of television comedy.”
Lance has also had recurring roles on Black-ish, Faking It, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Californication, United States of Tara, and many more. Recently, Lance appeared as Irwin in the feature film, Buster’s Mal Heart opposite Rami Malek. Barber, who was born and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan, began acting with his Pennfield High School Drama Club.
Why “Wolf Tree?” According to legend, the Wolf Tree was a lone, prominent tree that once stood in the middle of Marshall. The first settler in the area sought refuge in the heights of the tree as wolves and bears roamed the dirt lane and forest that would one day become the city’s downtown. Later, a platform was built in the large oak’s branches where it is said a sentry, seeking the faint glow of wolves’ eyes, would hunt, eager to protect the village from threats hidden in the darkness below. It is a wild history, a bold story, and a great homage to the films that will be featured at this exciting annual event.
* Wolf Tree Film Festival will be fully virtual in 2021. The festival will include screenings of each selected film and an awards presentation.
