Still missing the days of the Milwaukee Film Festival? Good news: You won't have to wait long for the sequel, as Milwaukee Film announced today that the 2021 edition will move up from late October to May 6-20 – just half a year away. 

“As the Milwaukee Film Festival has evolved into the community-centric event that Milwaukee knows and loves, we’ve discussed extensively the benefits of moving to the spring,” said Jonathan Jackson, CEO of Milwaukee Film, in a press release. “From both a community and an industry perspective, a spring festival would better suit our needs and serve our audience. It’s odd, but the disruption created by the pandemic has actually played a significant role in opening up this opportunity."

The release hints at the move to May extending beyond simply the 2021 Milwaukee Film Festival, noting that "for the long term, the organization sees the shift to spring as a plus for attendees once the festival can safely cater to large in-person crowds, as May weather is more conducive to outdoor queues, traveling between theaters, and exploring the neighborhoods around venues." The organization does not confirm any future dates or plans, however, beyond next year's edition. 

Much like the 2020 film festival, next year's spring edition is expected to be all or at least mostly virtual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Milwaukee Film Festival will once again utilize the CineSend virtual platform that successfully hosted this year's almost-200 movie selections. 

“We’ve seen some positive long-term developments for fighting COVID-19 in the news recently, but realistically we are planning for a 202 festival that’s primarily, or possibly exclusively, virtual,” Jackson noted in the release. 

Passes for the 2021 Milwaukee Film Festival – offering access exclusively for any virtual content; details on hosting or audiences attending any in-person events are to be decided – will go on sale on Tuesday, Dec. 1, with special early bird pricing at Milwaukee Film's website. A pass will cost $75 for Milwaukee Film members and $140 for general audiences, through the end of the year. The price will increase on Jan. 1, so purchase your pass sooner than later. 

As for the movies themselves, Milwaukee Film will announce the full 2021 lineup in April, with individual movie tickets going on sale at the start of the festival on May 6. In the meantime, stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for any updates, head over to Sofa Cinema to watch some other excellent Milwaukee Film-curated movie choices and give the gift of a Milwaukee FIlm membership this holiday season while you're at it.