Weyauwega International Film Festival

THE WEYAUWEGA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
November 8-11, 2023

2023 will mark the thirteenth annual Weyauwega International Film Festival in Weyauwega, Wisconsin.

We are here to celebrate film and filmmaking and to bring filmmakers together from around the world to share their work with our film going public as well as with each other.

WIFF encourages filmmakers to attend the festival and will provide local housing for visiting filmmakers as well as local transportation if needed. We have had filmmakers from around the world attending WIFF.

Films are screened at the historic Gerold Opera House in the charming small town of Weyauwega, Wisconsin.

The Gerolds - We award cash prizes to the best jury selected films in seven categories: The Gerolds go to best Narrative Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Feature, Documentary Short. There is a Bloch Award for the Best of Psychofest and new for 2023 are awards for Best Animated Film and Best Student Film.

Whatever reflects your own sense of the world, of people, of the ties between people and conveys this personal sensibility to us will be valuable. At WIFF we show the work of filmmakers who are finding or at least listening for their own voice. There is no one way. We are looking for all genres of film: narratives, documentaries, features, shorts, comedies, experimental, animation, etc. Half of the films screened at WIFF are foreign language films. WIFF also hosts filmmaker forums, events and parties.

PSYCHOFEST!
Horror, Sci-fi and Thrillers
Friday nights feature horror, sci-fi and thrillers. The best Psychofest selection receives the Bloch Award. Sixty years ago in 1959, the novel Psycho was written by Robert Bloch while living with his wife and daughter here in Weyauwega. He was inspired by the nearby Ed Gein murders in Plainfield, Wisconsin. Hitchcock purchased the rights to the novel and sent his art designer to the area for inspiration. You can spot the places on which many of the main locations were based including the Lake Shore Motel and the Bates Mansion.

For 2023 we will presenting a retrospective of Jon Jost films. Jon popularized super low budget film making in the 1970's, 80's & 90's. Jon will be here to present and discuss several of his films. Jon has made over 40 feature films and in 1991, The Museum of Modern Art, NYC, screened a complete retrospective of his work.

Some of our past Midwest Premieres and Features include PARASITE, THE GRIM GAME, THE LOVE WITCH, HOLY MOTORS, ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW. Our 2013 pick for best documentary short, THE LADY IN NUMBER SIX won the Academy Award and our 2012 best narrative feature, WEST OF THUNDER has gone on to be awarded both the Best Film (Peace) and Best Film (Human Rights) 2012 by the Political Film Society of Hollywood, CA.

The festival is held in the historic 1915 Gerold Opera House. The opera house features a bar as well as an international menu from the Wega Bistro offering table service while screening films. A true destination festival! Set in the scenic farm country of Central Wisconsin, Weyauwega is located about 25 miles from Appleton, Wisconsin, and about 45 miles from Green Bay. The area is noted for its many lakes, cheeses and world class local beer!

WIFF is presented by Wega Arts, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to creating original works in film and theater.

WIFF is also made possible by assistance from the Wisconsin Arts Board.