Welcome to the eighth day of this year’s festival! We officially have more festival in our rear view mirror than we do ahead of us, but if today’s pick is any indication, the best is yet to come this year. The Milwaukee Show is one of the crown jewels of each year’s MFF, a celebration of Milwaukee filmmaking packed in the middle of a celebration of Milwaukee filmgoing. You’re afforded the rare opportunity to see the work our most talented local filmmakers, veterans and newcomers alike, and you get a great sense of just how vibrant a film community Milwaukee fosters.

With settings spanning the globe and stories both epic and intimate in scope, you get the whole range of short filmic experiences all made by local talent! Shorts include the newest work from MFF 2010 Filmmaker-in-Residence Tate Bunker (Studies in Motion), Giorgi Mrevlishvili’s touching look into the power of cinema (Reflection/Anarekli), Brooke Duckart’s dazzling animated music video cat WACO and many more. Tonally you range from the supernatural to the hilarious to the contemplative, so like I said earlier, you’re getting a fully balanced short film diet by attending The Milwaukee Show (think of this program like a giant box of Corn Flakes with banana slices on top).

It’s invigorating to see such a variety of artists proving that Milwaukee is a place that can harbor and incubate talent, and I’ve never seen a disappointed face leaving The Milwaukee Show in all the years of the festival. That's why this is one of the easiest recommendations I can make. It’s a great chance to support the festival itself, and the talent that makes a film festival possible. And with such a wide variety of talent on display, I know you won’t be disappointed.

THE MILWAUKEE SHOW screens today (Thursday), 7 PM at the Oriental Theatre. Many of the filmmakers will be in attendance, and speak briefly before each film. Advanced tickets are no longer available, as THE MILWAUKEE SHOW has gone to Rush. If there are any unclaimed seats, Rush tickets will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis 15 minutes before the start of the screening. Rush tickets are $10 (cash only, no discounts).

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Tom Fuchs is returning for a third year as our featured festival blogger, telling you all about our daily festival picks. Tom has been on our shorts programming committee for all four years of the Milwaukee Film Festival.