A still from Green and Gold (2025), which was filmed entirely in Northern Wisconsin.
Fantastic Film
The current Biennial Budget (2025-2027) created a Film Office housed at the Department of Tourism, including one staff position and $5 million in film tax incentives at the Department of Revenue.
Veronica Pope, the Director of the Film Office writes,"Wisconsin has a long creative legacy and an incredible depth of talent, locations and production resources. Film Wisconsin was created to support that ecosystem and make it easier and more rewarding to bring projects of all sizes to Wisconsin. My goal is simple: to be collaborative, transparent and responsive as we build this next chapter together."
The Arts Board welcomes the re-instatement of Wisconsin film tax incentives. There is no question that Wisconsin is an attractive place to film because of its amazing people, as well as its beautiful natural and built environments. Wisconsin must have film incentives to encourage Wisconsin filmmakers to live and do their work here, and to compete in attracting film projects to the state. These incentives mean jobs and economic value for our state.
And did you know... Watching Art Films Can Make You a More Creative Thinker?
From incentives within the biennial budget, to award winning films (Green and Gold; Public Enemies; so many more), Wisconsin’s film scene is rolling! Here we share some additional resources for Wisconsin filmmakers and fans: a growing list of Wisconsin's film festivals; film incubators/places in Wisconsin to study film (and video and animation); film archives in Wisconsin, and more.
Experiencing the Richness of Wisconsin's Film Industry
The Wisconsin Film Festival is an annual film festival, founded in 1999. The festival is held every April in Madison, Wisconsin, and has recently been expanded from five days to eight days. The Festival presents a broad range of independent American and world cinema (narrative, documentary, experimental, shorts), restorations and revivals, and locally made pictures from Wisconsin filmmakers.
The 2026 festival includes two feature-length films and three short films. These contemporary, award-winning films were selected in cooperation with the Slovenian Film Centre in Ljubljana, Slovenia and are all presented with English subtitles.
Proud to be known for its world-class hospitality, the Milwaukee Film Festival spotlights bold new voices, acclaimed filmmakers, unique stories, and work made right here in Milwaukee that resonates far beyond the screen.
Milwaukee Underground Film Festival is a vibrant, student-run film festival focused on celebrating experimental and artist-made cinema.
A timed filmmaking competition challenging teams to create a short film in 48 hours.
Featuring short films created in just 48 hours by local filmmaking teams, the Festival aims to honor and celebrate local storytelling artists and build community among lovers of cinema.
The Unspooled Film & Animation Festival is a juried annual event in Menomonie, Wisconsin featuring work made by regional and international independent storytellers. Unique films and animations are screened at the historic Harvey Hall Theatre on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
An independent festival in Stoughton, highlighting local filmmakers and unique storytelling.
FFCFW is an annual summer meeting point for audiences and emerging filmmakers to celebrate the finest independent cinema and storytelling about farm and culture. The festival program includes six curated award-winning feature fiction and documentary films from around the world.
Created by local and independent filmmakers, the Milwaukee Short Film Festival is proud to provide local talent with a venue for their work to be seen.
The Red Cedar Film Festival (RCFF) is an annual celebration of independent cinema held in Menomonie, Wisconsin, showcasing films from local, regional, and international filmmakers. Rooted in the Wisconsin “Red Cedar” region, the festival aims to cultivate and share diverse storytelling across genres, styles, and cultures.
The Madison Film Festival is an annual movie event dedicated to independent filmmakers from all over the world.
The Rolling Hills Film Festival is founded on excellent storytelling that aims to showcase short films that tell redemptive stories rooted in hope that will build community and spark meaningful conversations.
A highlight of past years, the DKAF expertly curated shorts festival offers narratives, documentaries and animated films from filmmakers around the world. With a special deference to films that are about or center around dance, the DKAF festival is uniques among most in that it selects films that resonate with the other creations in other mediums going on around it.
The Sheboygan Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to sharing the joys of film and empowering creative communities in Sheboygan and the greater Midwest. Sheboygan Film Festival supports new and established filmmakers from around the world through curated public screenings of their films, networking opportunities, and community arts experiences.
A 2-day horror film festival at the TIME Community in Oshkosh showcasing indie horror from around the world with an emphasis on emphasis on Wisconsin horror filmmakers.
Celebrates independent filmmaking with a focus on emerging talent and diverse genres.
The Weyauwega International Film Festival (WIFF) is an annual celebration of independent filmmaking held in Weyauwega, Wisconsin, presented by Wega Arts. It showcases new work from American and international independent filmmakers across multiple genres, including dramatic and documentary features and shorts, animation, and experimental films.
The Freeland Film Festival is a global storytelling platform featuring films about people, wild animals and ecosystems that are facing daunting challenges.
The Basin Short Film Festival is an annual event presented by CREATE Portage County that celebrates and promotes Wisconsin-based short filmmaking. It is exclusively focused on work created in Wisconsin — films shot primarily or significantly on location in the state, or projects with at least one principal creative team member who is a Wisconsin resident, alumnus, or current student.
Founded in 2009, the Driftless Film Festival has been the center of independent film in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin. From hard-hitting documentaries to thought provoking features to timely short films, the DFF strives to highlight local, regional, and world cinema alike.
Milwaukee Illuminate Film Festival (miff.) is an independent film festival that specifically looks for works that challenge normative ideals, provoke thought & emotion, connect & explore communities & subcultures, & is artist-made.
The American Horrors Film Festival is an annual international film festival event featuring exclusive horror films selected by Festival Director Hart D. Fisher, taking place October 4th through Sunday, Oct. 6th at The Grapevine Theatre in Lake Geneva, WI.
The Big Water Film Festival takes place on the shores of Lake Superior, in Ashland, Wisconsin and surrounding communities.
The Door County Film Festival™ is a grass roots, community driven event with goals of: encouraging the creation of moviemaking; establishing and hosting a winter event in beautiful Door County Wisconsin; entertaining and benefiting residents, visitors and businesses.
A Night of Horror International Film Festival (ANOH) is a genre film festival that was based in Sydney, Australia from 2006 to 2023, and from 2024 onwards takes place annually in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States, premiering feature and short films in the horror and horror-related genres.
MidWest WeirdFest is a film festival in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that celebrates horror, sci-fi, underground, avant garde, experimental, and documentary films.
This extraordinary event, born from the passion of dedicated horror creators and enthusiasts, promises two days of captivating programming featuring a curated selection of both local and touring short films.
Salty Earth Film Festival is an annual celebration of creative visual media that celebrates the hope, love, and faith found in Jesus Christ.
Roots & Reels is an independent film festival in Hayward, Wisconsin, welcoming filmmakers from near and far to submit films and share their stories.
The Beloit International Film Festival brings together independent filmmakers and audiences for five days of thoughtful storytelling, conversation, and community to the Wisconsin/Illinois stateline region.
The WPL Film Festival is a collaboration between the Watertown Public Library and local theater, The Towne Cinema, to celebrate Wisconsin filmmaking. It's a free event with awards and filmmaker Q&As.
Midwest Video Poetry Fest inspires experimentation and collaborations and deepens the understanding of poetry and visual culture. It includes narrative, animation, experimental, spoken word performances, and more.
On June 7th, 2011, the first biennial Chocolate City Short Film Festival debuted in Burlington, WI. Burlington is known as "Chocolate City USA" and has strong connections to the Nestle company (Hosting the huge "ChocolateFest" three day festival over labor day weekend). This short film festival is dedicated to showing short films from amateurs (students elementary through high school) as well as adult professionals.
The Port of Fear Film Festival is Kenosha, Wisconsin’s premier horror and genre film event, celebrating horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and thriller films from local and international filmmakers.
A statewide coalition aiming to boost local economies and promote tourism through film and television production.
A program by Arts + Literature Laboratory in Madison, presenting experimental and independent films.
Offers free screenings of classic, foreign, and independent films at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
In The Pines is a Midwest film production studio and creative gathering space located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, dedicated to crafting cinematic stories and fostering a vibrant community of artists.
Film Thrives in Wisconsin