Attendance for this year’s Milwaukee Film Festival jumped 15.4% over 2025, with 36,922 people taking part in screenings and events over the course of the 15-day festival, compared with 32,004 in 2025. The festival opened on April 16 with the world premiere screening of “Ueck” and concluded April 30.
The festival’s record-high attendance was in 2019, the year prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it drew 87,618 people at screenings at multiple theaters across the city. Last year, Film Fest organizers deemed the centralized East Side footprint – with screenings limited to the Oriental Theatre and Downer Theatre – as an easier way for attendees to access movies.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
In all, 243 movies were screened at the Oriental Theatre and Downer Theatre during this year’s festival, including 105 feature films, 54 documentaries, 51 fiction features and 138 short films.
“Steven Spielberg once said, ‘Every time I go to a movie, it’s magic.’ Milwaukee Film is so lucky we have audiences who want to experience that magic with us day in, day out for two weeks every spring,” Milwaukee Film’s Executive Director Susan Kerns said in a statement. “This year was especially meaningful since we just purchased the Downer Theatre, and were able to hold the world premieres of four feature films.”
“The Blue Trail,” a dystopian drama from director Gabriel Mascaro, won the festival’s Luminaries Award.
The Emerging Documentary Jury Award went to “All of the Above” and director Allison Walsh, while the Emerging Fiction Jury Award was given to “Blue Heron” and director Sophy Romvari. In the emerging categories, special mentions went to “TheyDream” and director William David Caballero, and “If I Go Will They Miss Me?” from director Walter Thompson-Hernández.
The Cream City Cinema Jury Awards, presented to local filmmakers, went to “Beyond,” by directors Michael Kleiman and Asia Johnson; “Placeholder,” from director Jesse McLean; and “Thick & Sweet,” directed by Yinan Wang. Each winner received a $5,000 cash award as well as $23,600 in in-kind production services. Special mentions went to “Fred’s Basement Bijou,” directed by Michael T. Vollmann and “Now! More! Yes!,” from director Max Hey.
The Shorts Jury Award went to “We Were Here,” directed by Pranav Bhasin, with special mentions to “Talk Me,” from director Joecar Hanna-Zhang; and “Callback,” directed by Matthew Puccini.
The Kids’ Choice Jury Award was presented to “The Legend of the Hummingbird” and director Morgan Devos.
Audience Award Winners, voted on by attendees, were “Bright Beautiful World: The Infectious Joy of Pat McCurdy,” directed by Peter Matsoukas and Benny Kaplan in the Best Feature category, and “Oh Whale” from director Winslow Crane- Murdoch in the Best Short category.
The Abele Catalyst Award, presented annually by Milwaukee Film to a person or entity who has been crucial to Milwaukee Film, was presented to Matthew G. Helmerich.
Milwaukee Film announced that the 2027 Film Festival will take place April 29 through May 13. The festival will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Oriental Theatre.
