For film lovers who have watched Venice Film Festival and Cannes from their Wisconsin homes, Cactus Club’s second annual Independent Film Festival will commence in Milwaukee from Aug. 10-13. The event organizers aim to highlight a range of diverse filmmakers and genre-bending productions that can foster new communities and connections in Wisconsin and across the world.
Carolann Grzybowski, co-coordinator of the Cactus Club Independent Film Fest, says that this event is an opportunity for filmmakers to feel appreciated and seen for their work. “As an emerging filmmaker, I’ve experienced firsthand how difficult it is to have work recognized at film festivals when you have little-to-no budget, limited experience and feel disconnected from the broader film network. I knew I wanted to foster more opportunities for first-timers, genre-bending experimental filmmakers, and queer and BIPOC creatives,” said Grzybowski.
This year, the festival – which was organized by Kelsey Kaufmann, owner-operator of Cactus Club, Paula Lovo, moving image co-coordinator, and Nati Rodriguez, moving image intern – received double the submissions from last year, with films hailing from over 28 countries. The fest selected 51 films to show.
Submissions are separated into six different categories: experimental, diaristic, documentary, narrative, feature film and installation pieces. This range of films is intended for audiences to engage with different genres than they may be used to and have a platform to begin new conversations. The audience is fully included in the festival and their votes determine the films that win awards.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Grzybowski highlighted two films that will be shown at the festival. Infernal Flesh, one of the fest’s two feature films, is an “intelligently gory home-movie style fever dream.” Directed by Milwaukeean Vincent Maslowksi, the thriller-comedy film was made over 12 years. It will screen on Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
From United Kingdom director Hanna Norberg-Williams, Eating Soup with a Fork is an experimental animation short film. The film “portray[s] neurodivergence through a character’s subconscious experience with the outside world” and will screen on Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m.
According to Grzybowski, each film is unique and brings its own fresh perspective to the festival and to Milwaukee.
“I would love for our fest to aid in a dramatic positive evolution for our city, but what really brings me fulfillment is seeing the work of growing artists provoke connection to the creatives around them. For young folks to be in charge of their own belonging – that’s where it starts.”
Tickets for the festival start at $10. The full schedule of showings is available at cactusclubmilwaukee.com.
