Midwest Best Awards and party Dec. 7

Michael Matzdorff’s Door County comedy “Feed the Fish” leads the 47 contenders for the Midwest Independent Film Festival’s annual Best of the Midwest Awards, running for its third year on Dec. 7 at Rockit Bar & Grill.

“Feed the Fish” is nominated in six categories: for best feature, director, screenplay, cinematography, editing, and Green Bay native Tony Shalhoub for best actor.

The BMAs honor the films that screened at MIFF’s monthly first Tuesday events throughout the year.

“So many of this year’s top films, including several that just missed out on nominations, were grounded with beautifully crafted, original screenplays with layered, complex characters,” says festival director Mike McNamara, who hosts the BMAs as well as the monthly screenings.

“Big budget, small budget, name actors, unknown actors?none of that matters without a solid screenplay as the foundation, in my opinion, and I feel like this year’s films reinforced that point,” McNamara says.