Driftless Film Festival

We’ll Want For Nothing

A hardened rancher struggles to conceal a devastating loss from her sister.

The Call

A solitary man is called out of retirement to help an old friend.

Collecting Killers

A collector by the name of John Stavola reveals that his collection is not ordinary. He collects murderabilia and goes into detail about what got him to collect and why he does it.

Cottage Grove

A young man struggles to communicate with his stroke-afflicted father, and at the same time, stay true to himself.

Iggy

Overwhelmed with the pressures of high school. Iggy Fransisco attempts to make friends and is rejected. A classmate Abigail notices this and offers her friendship to Iggy.

Cricket

When Finn and Sam meet to celebrate the life of Lily — Sam’s dead wife — a Freudian slip by Finn creates an awkward moment that Sam initially brushes off as a mistake that even Lily would appreciate. But the comment haunts Sam and he needles Finn for the truth over an evening of drinks . . . 

A Cloudy Moon

Nick is looking forward to reuniting with his best friend from High School, but regrets a slip of the tongue on a phone call he wants to take back. 🏅 Top Film — Yes We Cannes International Competition

The Gatekeeper

New owners of a small-town building discover an ancient secret in the walls of its basement.

Driftless Short Film Series

The Driftless Short Film Series continues DFF’s tradition of highlighting groundbreaking short films during the festival. This year’s series features selections from the Madison chapter of this year's 48 Hour Film Project. This event is part of a global event that takes place on different weekends in more than 100 cities throughout the year. In . . . 

Curse Breakers

Mary is a young, resilient, and loving Black woman. While grocery shopping with her two kids, she encounters her childhood sexual abuser. This story unveils three generations of women who deal with generational trauma. This short film echoes a common narrative of Black communities in real life.

My Hero, My Mother

A heartwarming documentary that pays tribute to the incredible strength and unwavering love of Angelica, a single Mexican mother. This intimate film delves into Angelica's extraordinary journey as she overcomes obstacles, and becomes a source of inspiration for her children. 🏅 Grand Prize winner, U.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Kaleidoscope Short Film Contest

Banana Triangle Six

A day in the life of an elderly gentleman, Hank Crute, as he deals with the trials and tribulations of a resident of Spring Valley retirement home, bad food, conniving females and an unexpected doctor's visit.

Patient

Fiction, reality, the private, and the performed overlap on a routine but emotional day at a medical center.

The Inhabitants

The film follows two fictional immigrant ancestors as they explore our subjective perceptions of a shared American past. Set in the late 19th Century, these inhabitants perform their required daily tasks while searching for each other and a greater meaning to their existence. The story is told through highly cinematic images with no dialogue and . . . 

Bug

A short embodied reflection of darkness, sound, and light.