Film News: Midwest Independent Film Festival Announces 2017 Best of the Midwest Awards

Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 10, 2017 - 9:02am

CHICAGO – The votes were tallied – from internet surveys and the awards committee – and the Midwest Independent Film Festival “Best of the Midwest” (BMA) Awards were given out on Tuesday, December 5th, 2017. The Best Feature was “The View From Tall,” directed by Erica Weiss and Caitlin Parrish, the Best Actor was Michael Patrick Thornton (“The View From Tall”), and the Best Actress was Anne Sonneville (“Miriam is Going to Mars). The BMA Awards were hosted with a fine comic flair by LaRoyce Hawkins (“Chicago PD”) at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema.

LaRoyce Hawkins hosts the BMA Awards on December 5th, 2017
Photo credit: Gary Kuzminski

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is a year-round movie event in Chicago that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema. The festival has been recognized by Chicago Magazine in their “Best of Chicago” issue, and has become one of the top places for local filmmakers, producers and actors to network in the city. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com participates on the Awards Committee and presented the Award for Best Director

The honorees for the 2017 “Best of the Midwest” Awards are as follows….

Best Music Video
PULASKI AT NIGHT, directed by Natalie Morales for Andrew Bird

Best Short Film
TANYA, directed by Monica Raymund

For the HollywoodChicago.com interview of Monica Raymund, click here.

Best Editing
Savannah Cannistraro, THE GOOD WORK

Best Cinematography
Christopher Rejano, SIGNATURE MOVE

Best Animated Film
WHERE IT FLOODS, directed by Joel Benjamin

Best Screenplay
Caitlin Parrish, THE VIEW FROM TALL

Best Female Actor
Ann Sonneville, MIRIAM IS GOING TO MARS

For the HollywoodChicago.com interview of director Michael Lippert of “Miriam is Going to Mars,” click here.

Best Male Actor
Michael Patrick Thornton, THE VIEW FROM TALL

Best Director
Jennifer Reeder, SIGNATURE MOVE

For the HollywoodChicago.com interview of Jennifer Reeder from “Signature Move,” click here.

Best Feature
THE VIEW FROM TALL, directed by Erica Weiss and Caitlin Parrish

For the HollywoodChicago.com interview of Erica Weiss, Caitlin Parrish and Michael Patrick Thornton on the set of “The View From Tall,” click here.

The Midwest Independent Film Festival, which is presented every First Tuesday of the month, will begin its 2018 season on February 6th. For more information about the festival, click here.