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Wolf Tree Film Festival 2024

Events

Independent filmmakers – submissions are now open for #WolfTreeFilmFestival2024!

Key Dates

  • Deadline for Submissions: NOVEMBER 12, 2023
  • Filmmaker Notification Date: DECEMBER 11, 2023
  • Wolf Tree Film Festival: JANUARY 20, 2024

The Franke Center for the Arts is gearing up again for the popular community event, The Wolf Tree Film Festival (The Youngish Professionals Committee). The submission site, FilmFreeway.com, is now open for entries.

Everyone is welcome to attend, including cinema fans as well as industry professionals. The Wolf Tree Film Festival is in its 6th year and is set for January 20, 2024 at 7:00pm ET. The festival will once again showcase short films (under 30 minutes) 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.

This year’s event will again include screenings of each selected film, a meet and greet with the filmmakers and an awards presentation. Selected films will include a variety of genres, including comedy, drama, documentary and others.

The mixer begins in the Downstage Club at The Franke Center at 6:00pm ET. The screening will begin on the Mainstage at 7:00pm ET.

Submissions can be submitted at the button below. Deadline for the submissions is November 12th.

SUBMIT HERE

FATF 2023: Zion Lion

Events, Spotlights

Zion Lion is the “baddest band to hit the Kalamazoo music scene”. FATF fans may remember them from last year’s series. Our crowd was up dancing and having a great time! The members are a combination of several bands from the Kalamazoo area that crossed each other’s path along the way and decided to form what we believe to be the right mix of reggae, African zouk, mucosa, zoukous, and some Afro-Latin influences. Mark your calendars for July 7th at 7pm EST as Zion Lion returns to FATF with good vibes and good times!

JULY 7 – ZION LION

Who are the members of the “baddest band to hit the Kalamazoo music scene”? Find out in our interview with Myra Atkinson (lead vocalist & steel pan for Zion Lion), and catch their exciting performance at FATF July 7th!

THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
ZL: We love playing reggae and socca. For me it’s the steel pan.

THE YPC: What is your funniest memory about playing a show or being on tour?
ZL: We were headed to a festival in Kentucky and one of our former members from Africa asked if we could stop and get Kentucky Fried Chicken.

THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
ZL: Love the ambience of the fountain in the background while performing!

THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
ZL: Opening up for international reggae acts that we only dreamt of.

THE YPC: If you could make an instrument out of a piece of food, what would it be?
ZL: A carrot into a flute.

MORE INFO

FATF 2023: Brothers Proper

Events

The Brothers Proper power trio hails from the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area and bring an eclectic set of original takes on classic blues, jazz, soulful Motown funk, as well as some heartfelt originals. Known and loved for their low volume, easy listening groove, Brothers Proper will bring a musical energy that will transport you to “The Center of the Universe”. Though not proper brothers, the energy and musical connection of these 3 musicians become one united sound and groove, leaving you knowing why they are called the “Brothers Proper”. Get groovy with the Brothers Proper – properly – June 23rd at 7pm EST at The Youngish Professionals Committee’s first #FridaysAtTheFountain show of 2023!

JUNE 23 – Brothers Proper

Get to know the Brothers Proper in this fun interview with lead guitar & vocalist, Tom Hutchinson!

THE YPC: What kind of music/instruments do you enjoy playing the most?
BP: Funk, Blues and jazz are my favorite genres and I only play Fender Telecasters.

THE YPC: What is your funniest memory about playing a show or being on tour?
BP: As most Brothers Proper fans know, always play barefoot. I was once playing a backyard party & I stepped off the stage onto the wet grass (with my electric guitar). I got shocked so bad, it threw me into the drum-set. However, the band never stopped playing and I eventually got up and finished the song.

THE YPC: What are you most excited about for FATF?
BP: This will be our first time playing at FATF and we are excited to play such a beautiful location.

THE YPC: What is your biggest achievement thus far?
BP: Opening for Backyard, Burgers and Brews festival in BC and playing to 5k people, what a rush!

THE YPC: If you could make an instrument out of a piece of food, what would it be?
BP: A guitar every day, and I made a Telecaster-Style guitar once out of a solid chunk of African Mahogany.

MORE INFO

Thank You for Wolf Tree 2023!

Events

We’d like to give a Marshall-sized THANK YOU to our sponsors, The Franke Center for the Arts, the talented filmmakers & our YPC family, who joined us for the #2023WolfTreeFilmFestival. Congrats to the festival winners and we hope to see you at next year’s event!

🏆2023 WINNERS🏆

Best Actor……….Tara Hazel Walsh (The Funeral Photographer)
Best Student Film……….An Apocalypse
Best Comedy……….Season’s Greetin’s
Best Drama……….The Funeral Photographer
Best Thriller……….Thrashed
Best in Festival……….The Funeral Photographer
Audience Choice.………Joy

Wolf Tree Film Festival: TONIGHT!

Events

It’s finally here!

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.

GET LAST MINUTE TICKETS NOW!

2023 WOLF TREE OFFICIAL SELECTIONS

50 mL (MN) | Directed by Vanessa Powers

All for Naught | Directed by TL Westgate

An Apocalypse (IL) | Directed by Matt O’Connell

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.

2023 Wolf Tree Film Festival Official Selections

Events

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.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Wolf Tree Film Festival 2023

Events

SHORT FILM SCREENING
JANUARY 21, 2023
FRANKE CENTER AUDITORIUM
214 E. MANSION ST. MARSHALL, MI 49068

BUY TICKETS NOW!

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.

THANK YOU for a Fun FATF2022!

Events, Updates

The YPC would like to give a warm round of applause 👏 to our #FridaysAtTheFountain2022 artists, partners, crew, & community. ❤️⛲️

FATF wouldn’t be possible without the support of partners like:

⭐️ Choose Marshall & Oaklawn Hospital ⭐️

Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, Marshall Community Foundation, Marshall Rotary Club, Woods Insurance and Financial Services, Austin Rinard Miller Financial Services, Copper Athletic Club, The Cronin Foundation, Dark Horse Brewing Co., Black Lab Five, & Graphics 3.

And shout out to our performers this year: Bernadette Kathryn Music and the Lonely Days Band, Norman Light & Friends, The Sam Luna Band, & Zion Lion!

#BeYoungish, #ChooseMarshall, and we will see you at the next one.

Coming Up: The Sam Luna Band!

Events

Kicking off our third Fridays at the Fountain performance is: The Sam Luna Band! Join us for family fun at the fountain – July 29 at 7pm EST! Please bring your own chair or blanket.

Sam Luna is a multi-instrumentalist from Battle Creek, MI. Frontman Sam Luna and guitar player Sage Castleberry have been best friends since middle school, and got their musical start in high school performing on a downtown Battle Creek sidewalk in 2015. They can be seen at shows across southwest Michigan playing Sam’s released music, and covers anyone would enjoy. Sam is best known for his ever-growing set of originals, along with radio hits from decades all the way back to the 60’s. Crowd pleasers are enjoyed by all ages, as Sam and his band have an enjoyable, classic, modern sound.

JOIN US FOR FATF: JULY 29, 7PM EST!

THANK YOU #FridaysAtTheFountain2022 partners! 
Oaklawn Hospital & Choose Marshall 

Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, Marshall Community Foundation, Marshall Rotary Club, Woods Insurance and Financial Services, Austin Rinard Miller Financial Services, Copper Athletic Club, The Cronin Foundation, Dark Horse Brewing Co., Black Lab Five, & Graphics 3.