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Welcome to the Muscatine Independent Film Festival

MIFF is a showcase of Short Films and is designed to encourage and acknowledge the creative efforts involved with respect to this genre. Participants will enjoy a diverse array of film genres to choose from throughout the weekend, as well as “red carpet” receptions, Q&A sessions, and networking after parties.

MIFF is very supportive of local/regional artists, as evidenced by the “Best Iowa Made Film Category”. It is hoped that providing an awards venue will inspire their creativity and innovative artistic media. This event is also an effort to provide Midwest residents and visiting artists with an engaging weekend of entertainment.

A unique feature of our festival is the infamous “M&M AWARD” (Murder, Mayhem, and More). We are also debuting the “Micro-Short” Category. Telling a story in under 4 minutes is no easy task, but sometimes more is indeed less.

At MIFF we have a LIVE panel of judges who will screen the films selected as a ‘Grand Jury’ finalist. This is a very unique feature of MIFF. All films are still eligible for other categories, including the coveted “Best of Show”, so be sure to check out other film blocks as well.

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Muscatine Independent Film Festival 2019 Nominations

Best Student Film

Films produced by current students and/or those under 23 years of age.

Cordelia Moves In
Evil Acts, Freak Storms
Infidelity & Murder A Love Affair (in Brief)
The Red Neck Diaries

Winner – “Cordelia Moves In” – Written & Directed by Shannon Mulligan

Murder, Mayhem & More
(The Infamous Triple “M” Award)

Mature, Graphic, Horror, Suspense, etc.

Nocturnal
Tea Party
Five Course Meal
A Talk With The Devil

Winner – “Five Course Meal” – Written & Directed by James Cadden

Best Comedy

Humorous films intended to elicit laughter from the audience.

Virginity
Special Delivery
Murphy’s Law
The Romance Language
The Red Neck Diaries

Winner – “Virginity” – Written & Directed by Raza Rizvi

Best Local Film

Films produced by a current resident of Muscatine Area (within 35-mile radius).

False Nugatory
A Christmas Surprise
Take Me to Church
Red Neck Diaries

Winner – “A Christmas Surprise” – Written & Directed by Mike Ray

Best Sci-Fi/Experimental

Science Fiction films that experiment with the ‘rules’ of filmmaking.

Mother of All Time
The Book of Faces
Flava
Bella

Winner – “Flava” – Written & Directed by Tarrell Christie

Best Micro-Short Film

Films under 4 minutes’ long.

At the Violet Hour
A Christmas Surprise
Neptune
Postfactum

Winner – “Neptune” – Directed by Paul Robinson

Best Short Film—Best of Show

The MIFF screening panel’s best short film based on cinematic criteria.

The Burial
Special Delivery
Dream Date
Haunting the Haunted
Virginity

Winner – “Haunting the Haunted” by John Gigrich

Distinctive Achievement Certificates

– Categories may include Cinematography, Music/Sound Design, Screenplay, Iowa Filmmaking/Acting,1st Time Filmmaker, & Student Filmmaking

Comedic Video Production: Brycen Hatfield’s “Bad Noodle Club” web series including MIFF entry “Red Neck Diaries”
1st Time Filmmaking: Amber Krieg for “A Love Affair (In Brief)
1st Time Filmmaking: Drew Lawton for “Evil Acts, Freak Storms, Infidelity & Murder”
Murder & Mayhem: Benjamin Schmidt for “Nocturnal”
Experimental Horror: Rus Blemker for “Book of Faces”
Cinematography: Seth Meyers and Sarah Stolar for “Bella”
Animated Storytelling: Anita George and her Animation Team for “In the House of Paper Flowers”
Original Song/Lyrics: Rob Cunliffe for “Leslie’s Gift”
Comedic Writing: Wes Todby and Eric Lang for “Special Delivery”
Miff Loyalty Award: John Gigrich for entering many films over the years
Comedic Writing: Les Nelson & Jim Brockhohn for “Murphy’s Law”
Screenplay/Writing: Jack Meggers for “The Burial”
Screenplay/Writing: Elise Free and Bob Klein for “The Interrogation”
Screenplay/Writing: Ralph Klisiewicz for “In The Driver’s Seat”

Daily passes to the festival are available at the screening theater for $10

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2019 MIFF Director Presentations

(Not Award Eligible)

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The Merrill

The Merrill Hotel (119 West Mississippi Drive, Muscatine, 52761) is our host hotel for overnight accommodatinos and Friday’s afterparty. Call (888) 874-2883 or (563) 263-2600, and mention you are attending MIFF, and you will receive a special room rate of $109 for a standard King room.

This year’s awards are in Downtown Muscatine, right across from the hotel.

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