Alex Gibney's "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God" earned the Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig Audience Award for Best Feature Film, and Martin Clapp's "Magic Piano" earned Best Short Film at the 2012 Milwaukee Film Festival, organizers announced today.

The two films were just two of the 225 films this year's festival presented over its 15-day run. The 2012 festival hosted 50,160 attendees and 77 sold-out screenings, which mark a 40 percent and 250 percent increase from last year's numbers, respectively.

Director Gibney was also among the 107 filmmakers and film industry guests in attendance during the festival. The popular Conversations series also expanded to include post-screening 72 talkbacks.

"To see continued success in nearly every facet of the festival is extremely humbling," says Artistic and Executive Director Jonathan Jackson. "It confirms our long-held belief that this festival works because it's about more than just the films. It's about the breadth of the experience, including the community that continues to embrace us as part of their culture."

Other notable numbers include a 145 percent attendance growth for the Milwaukee Children's Film Festival, a sold-out screening of The Milwaukee Show and over 1,300 attendees to the first-ever Live Music Series.