2016 - Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Humbled and Honored

2016 - Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Best Actor Award

2016 - Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Best Actor Award 

The 2016 Milwaukee Short Film Festival was the venue for the debut of Closed Mondays, the Marquette University student film, written and directed by Henry Willette.  It was the first ever Marquette student film to be accepted into the Milwaukee Short Festival, a huge honor for any film student.  

The award ceremony that followed the juried films on Saturday brought a humbling and pleasant surprise, in a Best Actor and Best Actress award for Closed Mondays.  A special congratulations to my talented, young co-star Sydney Johnson who received the award for the festival's - Best Actress.  She is a promising young actress and I know she is going to have a bright and successful future ahead of her.

I was very humbled and appreciative to have received the award for best actor. There were so many, very talented actors and actresses who gave incredible performances and deserve praise and recognition as well. It is important to know, that these awards are never possible unless you have quality writing, and a great director, cast and crew behind you.

I am extremely grateful to Henry Willette for taking a chance on me and giving me a wonderful role to play. Henry did an amazing job directing the film and it was beautifully shot. As mentioned above, equal kudos for being the first Marquette University student film to ever make the Milwaukee Short Film Festival.

A special thanks also to my co-stars Sydney Johnson, Anieya Jasline Walkerand Louis Sather who did a great job and helped bring the story to life. Also special thanks to Ross Bigley who does an outstanding job every year behind the scenes, bringing so many people together to make the film festival possible, and enjoyable for countless others.

And most importantly, to the special people in my life - Elizabeth Andersen, Seth Nichols, Emma Andersen, Alex Andersen and my family (and friends) - who are so supportive and encouraging of the 'wild ride' of acting and writing that I love doing everyday.

'Closed Mondays': First Marquette Film to Play At Milwaukee Short Film Festival

(Rereleased with permission from Rebecca Carballo - Assistant News Editor - Marquettewire.org)

September 6, 2016

Rebecca Carballo - Assistant News Editor

“Closed Mondays” will be the first short film produced by Marquette students to play at the Milwaukee Short Film Festival Sept. 10.

The film was created by Marquette alumni Henry Willette, Peter Basch, Reese Heinzinger, Jack Glowinski and Mike Cianciolo for their senior capstone class last fall.

The festival receives about 500 submissions, including many international films. About 50 are selected, according to festival director Ross Bigley.

Leading actor Matt Nichols said it was a great accomplishment that the students made it into the festival.

“The fact (Willette) got in the Milwaukee Short Film Festival as a student speaks volumes,” Nichols said. “It’s very well-respected and well-known.”

Nichols said he is “grateful and humbled” to be part of the production. He added that he had not encountered a script like “Closed Mondays” before.

“When I first read that script I was really drawn to it,” Nichols said. “It’s a unique story.”

The film takes place in the Haggerty Museum of Art. A little girl befriends a lonely guard, played by Nichols, and they bond over their shared love of art. The two save the museum from its impending closing.

Willette wrote and directed the film. About twenty students pitched their script to the class and voted on which they liked the best. Willette’s script was one of five chosen.

According to Bigley, the strong female leading role was one of the reasons “Closed Mondays” was a contender for the film festival.

This year the Milwaukee Short Film Festival saw many submissions from young, female filmmakers. Bigley said many of the films were made by women or had a female protagonist.

Bigley said he was impressed with the submission from Willette and his crew.

“I think ‘Closed Mondays’ is one of our strongest films,” Bigley said. “It was solidly directed and beautifully shot.”

Willette said the team strove to make the film as professional as possible. To achieve this goal, the group had a casting call for professional actors and carefully chose their shooting location.

“We didn’t want it to look like a student film,” Willette said. “We shot in the Haggerty to give the film a high production value.”

Assistant professor Joe Brown, who taught the class, said he wanted the project to emulate an actual Hollywood movie, with each student in a specific role.

“At the student level you tend to want to do it all, it’s your baby, but in an actual Hollywood movie the roles are very defined,” Brown said.

Although Willette had plenty of camera experience, he had to step back from that work and take on the director’s position.

Willette “was one of the top creative people in digital media in the last few years,” Brown said.  “He was good with the camera, storytelling, editing and everything.”

Willette said it was initially difficult to step away from camera work, but he had confidence in his team.

“I just wanted to try new things,” Willette said.  “I always shot my own stuff, but as a director I trusted my crew.”

There will be a series of awards presented at the festival. The judges have already viewed and scored the films. Bigley said he could not disclose the results, but added that “Closed Mondays” did “fairly well.”

Milwaukee Short Film Festival - 2016 - Milwaukee, WI

Festival Trailer

https://vimeo.com/179344260 

Milwaukee - Short Film Festival - 'Closed Mondays'  

Showing: Saturday, September 10th, 8:30 pm through Completion of All Films/Awards, Part of the Juried Films (Judging) - Part 2 

Juried films screen Friday September 9th at 6:30pm and Saturday September 10th at 8:30pm, Comedy Sports - Milwaukee, WI

Written/Directed by -  Henry Willette

Starring - Matthew Nichols, Sydney Johnson 

'Closed Mondays'

When a reclusive, small town museum guard unwillingly befriends a young patron, their shared appreciation of the museum's modest contemporary art collection sparks an unlikely friendship that forever changes the gallery's low attendance.

Filmed on location at the Haggerty Museum of Art in Milwaukee, WI by Marquette University students.

http://www.milwaukeeindependentfilmsociety.org/