Oh, it’s on for the second annual Minneapolis Underground Film Festival, which runs on Dec. 4-6. This is three days and nights of quirky and unique feature films, documentaries and short films, with several by native Minnesotans and some made by international directors. There are dramas, thrillers, a night of risque films and more. It’s quite a mix.

As far as personal shout-outs, while many of the feature films sounds extremely interesting that I’d love to see sometime, I haven’t seen any of them yet. The only film I have seen in the entire fest is Julia Ostertag‘s intriguing Sexjunkie that’s screening during the risque film program on the 5th.

Other filmmakers whom I greatly admire and have selections this year are: Anthony Rivero Stabley who returns to MUFF with the second installment of his sexy Electronica series. That’s also screening with the risque program with Sexjunkie. Another MUFF alumni is Paul von Stoetzel who is screening his new short film My Friend Root Rot. Finally, another Underground Film Journal favorite is Carey Burtt, who has two short films screening on the last night of the fest: Through a Gash Darkly and Dream of a Ridiculous.

And here’s the full lineup for the fest:

Dec. 4

7:00 p.m.: The Seducer, dir. John Koch. In this adaptation of Dostoevsky’s short story “White Nights,” a lonely guy befriends a woman waiting for her missing lover and decides to wait alongside her to see what makes this mystery man so special.

9:30 p.m.: T.M.A., dir. Juraj Herz. A troubled man, hoping to have his restless soul rejuvenated by a visit to the home of his childhood, instead encounters disturbing events that rattle him to his core.

Dec. 5

10:00 a.m.: Living on Your Feet: The Struggles of Cipriano Mera, dir. Valenti Figueres. This documentary profiles the extraordinary life of the bricklayer who commanded the troops that won several major victories during the Spanish Civil War, but refused to support Franco and was eventually condemned to death, although he managed to escape that fate.

12:30 p.m.: Case File 126, dir. Adam Mientkiewicz. A pair of private investigators become lost while searching for a missing person and eventually become the hunted rather than the hunters.

2:30 p.m.: Disconnected, dir. unknown. Students at Minnesota’s Carleton College agree to give up computers for an experiment in this documentary.

2:30 p.m.: doG/gone Aaron skulls Joe, dir. Arne Mostad-Jensen. This home video records the last days of an old dog with his owners.

4:30 p.m.: “Short Film Showcase I”
Grin and Bear It, dir. Gwen Breismeister
Happy Birthday, dir. Ryan Thompson (Watch online)
Under the N, dir. Johnny Salvatore
How to Live Better, dir. Mark Ehling
Last Exit, dir. Raysh Weiss
The Labyrinth, dir. Jeff Bowers
Love Sick Love, dir. PJ Gaynard
Beelin’, dir. Dan WiersGalla
My Laughing Matter, dir. John Akre
Tape Eleven, dir. JoEllen Martinson and William Scott Rees

7:00 p.m.: The City, dir. James Vogel. A naive young screenwriting student decides he needs more “life experience” before becoming a great writer, so he hooks up with a street hustler that leads him down a dark and twisted path.

8:30 p.m.: Living Arrangements, dir. Sam Thompson. A happy couple move into the perfect apartment. Well, it would be perfect if not for the werewolf living above them.

10:30 p.m.: PornDogs: The Adventures of Sadie, dir. Greg Blatman. What would a porno movie for and starring dogs look like? This movie will show you!
Screening with:
Electronica 2, dir. Anthony Rivero Stabley
Sexjunkie, dir. Julia Ostertag (Read the review)

Dec. 6

10:00 a.m.: Lenders Morgan, dir. Jon Russell Cring. A small town in Ohio is rocked by the disappearance of a little girl.

10:00 a.m.: Four on the Floor, dir. Jon Russell Cring. Four high school graduates open a car repair business to earn money while they pursue their dream of becoming famous rock stars. Only problem? They know nothing about fixing cars.

12:00 p.m.: “Short Film Showcase II”
Rooftop, dir. PJ Gaynard
Psychopharm, dir. Mark Payne
Liminal, dir. Stephen Keep Mills
My Friend Root Rot, dir. Paul Von Stoetzel
I Was a Vagina Before I Was a Black Man, dir. Bruce and John Ervin

12:00 p.m.: “Short Film Showcase II”
Steppin’ Out, dir. Sara Gregerman
Jimmy Wilson’s Nature Trail, dir. Jimmy Wilson
The Proper Motivation, dir. John Calliari

2:00 p.m.: Paddle to Seattle: Journey Through the Inside Passage, dir. J.J. Kelley and Josh Thomas. The directors build a wooden boat and paddle the entire 1,300-mile Inside Passage themselves.

4:00 p.m.: Moments and Truths, dir. Joshua Priestley. This documentary shows the making of the record “Traveling Show” by the band Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank.

5:30 p.m.: “Short Film Showcase III”
Black, dir. Seth & Nathan Anderson
More From Life, dir. Steven Vander Meer
America’s Next Felon, dir. Ron Johnson

7:30 p.m.: “Short Film Showcase IV
Las Vegas, dir. Stefany Anne Golberg
The Horses, dir. Nicole Brending
Through a Gash Darkly, dir. Carey Burtt
Dream of a Ridiculous, dir. Carey Burtt
Eye of the Holy See, dir. David C. Schmidt
Coffee and Bagels, dir. Owen Wade

For more info, please visit the official Minneapolis Underground Film Festival website.