The Dells
Director: Nellie Kluz
Film Fest’s Take: The Dells observes the clash between fantasy and reality faced by international student workers newly arrived in Wisconsin Dells – the self-described “Waterpark Capital of the World.” Coming from globally disparate countries, these students and their temporary J-1 visas are the true labor force for an American summer, especially in the Dells. We see their hopes for a summer of American luck and prosperity rub up against their actual experiences, which are by turns disappointing, funny, and transcendent.
Our take: I’ve seen these young foreigners herding rafts and pouring sodas at Noah’s Ark and always wondered what their summer is like. I’m fascinated by the experience of not just coming to not just America but perhaps the most intense expressions of America – a touristy resort area like the Dells – as a young person with all those wild and fraught possibilities. – Chris Drosner, executive editor
TUESDAY, APR 29 | 6:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (LUBAR CINEMA)
TUESDAY, MAY 6 | 3:00 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (NORTH CINEMA)
FIND THE FULL LINEUP OF FILMS HERE
Marcella
Director: Peter Miller
Film Fest’s Take: Marcella Hazan changed how we cook Italian. Trained as a scientist, she never set foot in a kitchen until she married Victor Hazan, a Jewish Italian, and moved to America in the 1950s. Before long she was not only preparing the Italian dishes she remembered from home, but writing the definitive cookbooks that introduced millions of Americans to the glories of authentic Italian cuisine. Leave this one ready to make some pasta!
Our Take: Marcella is the doyenne of classic Italian cooking. This is a flick for foodies. – Ann Christenson, dining editor
SATURDAY, APR 26 | 4:00 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (NORTH CINEMA)
THURSDAY, MAY 1 | 4:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (LUBAR CINEMA)
Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Director: Laura Piana
Film Fest’s Take: Agathe is a hopelessly clumsy yet charming young woman who dreams of experiencing love akin to a Jane Austen novel and to be a successful writer. When Agathe’s best friend gets her invited to the Jane Austen Writers’ Residency in England, she finally has her Jane Austen moment… and is caught in a very unexpected romantic triangle. In her utterly charming debut, writer-director Laura Piani draws from Austen’s works while crafting a wholly contemporary romantic comedy that stands on its own merits.
Our Take: This is the closing night film for the festival, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my three year’s of covering the festival, it’s that they always save a banger of a film for the closing night. And reading the description, this does sound really good! – Brianna Schubert, digital editor
THURSDAY, MAY 8 | 7:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
Green Blah! The History of Green Bay Punk Rock
Directors: Christopher Pretti, James J. Baker
Film Fest’s Take: GREEN BLAH! THE HISTORY OF GREEN BAY PUNK ROCK dives into the surprising punk rock scene of Green Bay, WI, a town known for the Packers, paper mills, and cheese curds. Beyond the cheese, this documentary uncovers how the small town birthed a hardcore punk scene with fierce local bands and a loyal community of concertgoers. From humble beginnings to a lasting legacy, it’s a wild ride through Green Bay’s rebellious musical history.
Our take: As a Green Bay native who covered music there for a hot minute, any doc that has a chance of surfacing Boris the Sprinkler will have my rapt attention. – CD
FRIDAY, APR 25 | 8:15 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
WEDNESDAY, APR 30 | 8:45 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (LUBAR CINEMA)
Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
Director: Elegance Bratton
Film Fest’s Take: “MOVE YA BODY explores resistance through the life of the first person to record a House song, Vince Lawrence. Experience the story of house music and how queer black, brown, and femme dance culture survived the backlash of its existence and grew into something beloved by many. Through archival recreation and interviews with the founders of house music, the events of Vince’s creative life are set against the backdrop of Chicago’s volatile contemporary history of segregation.”
Our take: I love music and I love history, so that already checks two boxes for me. House music has such a rich legacy, so I’m interested in digging deeper into what seems like the personal perspective of one of its innovators. And hearing some good cuts, of course. – Evan Musil, arts and culture editor
SATURDAY, APR 26 | 6:15 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
SUNDAY, APR 27 | 1:00 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (NORTH CINEMA)
25 Cats From Qatar
Director: Mye Hoang
Film Fest’s Take: When Katy McHugh, owner of Milwaukee’s Sip and Purr Cat Café, learns of the feral cat crisis in Doha, Qatar, she creates a brave and unsanctioned plan to fly 25 cats from Doha back to Wisconsin for adoption. From MFF alum Mye Hoang (CAT DADDIES, MFF22), this film offers a heartwarming, urgent look at strangers overcoming barriers to save lives, highlighting the global struggle for animal welfare.
Our takes:
As the festival coincides with the opening of Sip & Purr’s new location on Brady, it would be timely to cover this. Must love cats. – AC
There are so many great choices in the festival’s lineup, but this is the one that I absolutely cannot miss. I’m a big fan of Sip and Purr Café – and am rather impatient about them taking so long to open their new location on Brady Street. But when I went to the original café some time ago, I met the most extraordinary cat (yes, from Qatar). He was long and tall and elegant, and unlike any cat I’d met here in the States. Now I want the backstory! – Carole Nicksin, editor-in-chief and publisher
MAY 3 | 3:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 | 4:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (LUBAR CINEMA)
Two Women
Director: Chloé Robichaud
Film Fest’s Take: Violette is having a difficult maternity leave. Florence is dealing with depression. Despite their careers and families, they feel like failures. Florence’s first infidelity is a revelation. When having fun is far down the list of priorities, sleeping with a delivery guy could be revolutionary. “Director Chloé Robichaud’s fourth feature film is a fun and sexy romp that discusses infidelity, marriage, and being a mother in our modern age.” (Collider)
Our take: I love stories about women. I also love films directed by women. This is both. And then any time I hear the phrase “fun and sexy romp,” I’m completely sold. – BS
SATURDAY, APR 26 | 6:45 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
FRIDAY, MAY 2 | 3:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
THURSDAY, MAY 8 | 4:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
Boys Go To Jupiter
Director: Julian Glander
Film Fest’s Take: Set in the construction sites and abandoned pools of suburban Florida, Grubster delivery boy Billy 5000 and his ragtag friends hoverboard around town trying to save an alien named Donut from the evil schemes of the Dolphin Groves Juice Company. A surefire cult classic, BOYS GO TO JUPITER is a surreal coming-of-age story packed with 2000s gummy animation, deadpan jokes, musical numbers, the who’s-who of awkward comedy (Joe Pera, Julio Torres, Sarah Sherman), and lots of grub. AGES 13+
Our Take: Coming of age + Joe Pera = Yes. – CD
SATURDAY, APR 26 | 10:00 AM | DOWNER THEATRE (SOUTH CINEMA)
SUNDAY, APR 27 | 10:00 AM | DOWNER THEATRE (SOUTH CINEMA)
SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 7:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
The Librarians
Director: Kim A Snyder
Film Fest’s Take: As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom. MFF20 Audience Award winner Kim A Snyder (US KIDS) returns with an illuminating documentary that introduces viewers to the everyday and increasingly vital heroes on the front lines of democracy: the librarians who sound the alarm to both legislative and grassroots attempts to pull books from school and public libraries.
My Take: Support your local library, but also your local librarian! In these trying times, where we may feel out of control, I think we need to highlight our unsung heroes more than ever before. This documentary looks like a must watch for those of us who need that little beacon of hope! – Olivia Davis, editorial intern
FRIDAY, MAY 2 | 7:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 10:30 AM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (LUBAR CINEMA)
Peacock
Director: Bernhard Wenger
Film Fest’s Take: Matthias is a master of his profession. Do you need a “cultured boyfriend” to impress your friends? A “perfect son” to influence your business partners’ opinion of you? Or maybe just a sparring partner to rehearse an argument? Whatever it is, just rent Matthias! While he excels at pretending to be someone else every day, just being himself is the real challenge. A corrosive comedy, PEACOCK captures with biting humor the essence of human relationships.
Our Take: A silly premise – an odd-job actor for all situations – taken to its natural conclusion: existential crisis. Sign me up! – EM
MONDAY, APR 28 | 1:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
THURSDAY, MAY 1 | 12:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 1:45 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (LUBAR CINEMA)
Sally
Director: Cristina Costantini
Film Fest’s Take: OPENING NIGHT! Sally Ride became the first American woman to blast off into space, but beneath her unflappable composure were secrets. Sally’s life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, reveals their hidden romance, deepens our understanding of what motivated this heroine, and gives heft to the sacrifices that accompanied their 27 years together, in the latest from Milwaukee native Cristina Costantini (SCIENCE FAIR, MFF18).
My Take: Sally Ride’s courageous work of traveling to space to deploy satellites using a robotic arm fostered the progression of NASA research in the ’80s. The physicist, author and advocate broke barriers for women in STEM all while concealing her true self to the world. This makes it a must watch event for me this festival season. – Stephanie Serrano, editorial intern
THURSDAY, APR 24 | 6:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
FRIDAY, APR 25 | 4:15 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
THURSDAY, MAY 1 | 12:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
40 Acres
Director: R.T. Thorne
Film Fest’s Take: In a post-apocalyptic future where food is scarce, the last descendants of a Black family of farmers who settled in Canada after the American Civil War must protect their homestead from an organized militia hell-bent on taking their land. Structured like a typical apocalypse film, 40 ACRES subverts expectations in ways that will leave you breathless. With a terrific ensemble cast led by Danielle Deadwyler (STATION ELEVEN, TILL) , this action/thriller captivates and surprises.
Our Take: You had me at “post-apocalyptic.” Even before this world began collapsing, I’ve been fascinated by the creative visions for how it might all end and how the humans left ride it out or try to start over. Closing the sale here is Deadwyler, who was magnetic as the mysterious auteur Miranda Carroll in another great end-of-the-world tale, “Station Eleven.” – CD
FRIDAY, MAY 2 | 9:30 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (SOUTH CINEMA)
SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 8:30 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (SOUTH CINEMA)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 | 8:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts.
Director: Matthew Salleh
Film Fest’s Take: “A contemporary portrait of America, SLICE OF LIFE tells the origin story of Pizza Hut and its iconic architecture interwoven with a collection of stories from new businesses thriving inside the walls of former Pizza Huts. From an LGBTQ+ church, to a karaoke bar, to a cannabis dispensary, these spaces hold memories of a bygone era, while also offering something new to the communities that continue to flow through them.”
Our Take: This movie dares to ask the question: Can One Out Hut the Pizza? For a film with such nerve, I must watch. Also, I love quirky and sincere stories about everyday people, and this movie seems filled with them. – EM
SATURDAY, APR 26 | 10:30 AM | DOWNER THEATRE (NORTH CINEMA)
SUNDAY, APR 27 | 2:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
Gallagher
Director: Josh Forbes
Film Fest’s Take: With his witty wordplay and wacky props, Leo Gallagher became one of the biggest comedy acts of the 1980s. The comedian’s most famous bit: smashing a watermelon with a giant mallet to the messy delight of audiences. But as tastes change, the aging Gallagher seeks the respect he deserves as an innovator in this documentary from our friends at September Club.
Our Take: I was just a kid when Gallagher was at the peak of his cultural influence in the ’80s, and even that little boy could recognize a lame schtick when he saw one. I’m curious to see how a guy who made a fortune smashing watermelons reckons with that lameness. – CD
SUNDAY, APR 27 | 8:00 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
TUESDAY, APR 29 | 9:30 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (SOUTH CINEMA)
WEDNESDAY, APR 30 | 9:00 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (NORTH CINEMA)
Front Row
Director: Miriam Guttmann
Film Fest Take: In the throes of war, the United Ukrainian Ballet Company defiantly insists on dancing through the dark times. Though flung far from the land they call home, these young dancers take quiet comfort from art. For a while, their work feels like the old days, until they are joined by an unexpected new member of the corps – a soldier learning to dance with new prosthetic legs.
My Take: I’ve always been in awe of ballet dancers. The strength, grace and power they have is inspiring. These dancers are certainly even stronger, too. I expect this will be a beautiful (and emotional?) story, and I am really looking forward to seeing it. – BS
SATURDAY, MAY 3 | 11:00 AM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (HERZFELD CINEMA)
MONDAY, MAY 5 | 1:45 PM | DOWNER THEATRE (NORTH CINEMA)
THURSDAY, MAY 8 | 1:30 PM | ORIENTAL THEATRE (ABELE CINEMA)
