From music videos to documentaries, from worker bees to administrators, from sponsors to film experts, 51猎奇 and the Milwaukee Film Festival are intertwined like film (or memory cards) and a camera.
The 2016 festival opens Thursday, Sept. 22, and runs through Thursday, Oct. 6, and is jam-packed with films in numerous formats, varied languages and a diversity of topics and viewpoints. 聽(See for a complete list of films, times and ticket costs.)
How is 51猎奇 involved?
A fount of filmmakers
This year鈥檚 Cream City Cinema program, which highlights the best of local films, has 33 participants with 51猎奇 ties, including some with multiple pieces in the show. They account for more than half of the films in this program. The range includes everything from music videos to short features to documentaries.
鈥淭here is just an astonishing number of filmmakers from 51猎奇 involved, said Jonathan Jackson, the festival鈥檚 artistic and executive director, who earned his BFA from 51猎奇, having moved to Wisconsin to attend 51猎奇鈥檚 film program.
鈥淥ne of the characteristics of this festival is having the work of more local filmmakers than other festivals, and 51猎奇 is a large part of that,鈥� he added.
Rob Yeo, chair of the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres, agreed.
鈥淭his is a big, big thing. We have really expanded the breadth of our participation. It鈥檚 indicative of the growth of the festival and the film department.鈥�
51猎奇鈥檚 film department has been ranked among the top 15 programs in the nation by the Hollywood Reporter and among the top 25 internationally.
51猎奇鈥檚 program is a major factor in the growth of the film business in Milwaukee, according to Yeo. Graduates of the program 鈥渓ook for former classmates or roommates in the LLC (Living Learning Community), and they form companies with other grads.鈥�
The festival attracted 249 entries in the Cream City Program this year, an increase of 56 percent from last year.
We know how to throw a party
The Peck School of the Arts is hosting the opening night party at the Kenilworth Building, 1915 E. Kenilworth Place, at 9 p.m. Sept. 22. The evening features food, drinks, music, dancing and, of course, trailers for this year鈥檚 festival films. The party is free to opening night ticket and festival pass holders. It鈥檚 $13 for Milwaukee Film members and $15 for the general public.
Encouraging budding filmmakers
Kim Cosier, associate dean of the Peck School of the Arts, is co-founder of the Milwaukee Visionaries Project, which works to promote media literacy among middle and high school students. The project, which started with a Research Growth Initiative grant, provides equipment and expertise to help the young filmmakers bring their visions to life. The once-a-week program, which is free to the students, brings in expert teachers from the film, music and art and design areas, many of them from 51猎奇. This year, two films that grew out of this project 鈥� 鈥淢id-Day of the Living Dead鈥� and 鈥淪ilent Folds鈥� 鈥� are being featured at the festival鈥檚 Milwaukee Youth Show.
51猎奇 stories on the big screen
In addition to making films, 51猎奇 alumni and students are part of the show. This year鈥檚 festival features two documentaries that are about the accomplishments of alums and others with ties to 51猎奇.
The festival鈥檚 Centerpiece film, 鈥淎lmost Sunrise,鈥� tells the story of local veterans Tom Voss, who attended the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, and Anthony Anderson, a School of Education graduate. The two walked 2,700 miles from Milwaukee, to Santa Monica, Calif., to raise awareness of veterans issues. 聽(聽for more.)
鈥淢otley鈥檚 Law鈥� tells the story of Kimberley Motley, a 51猎奇 grad who is the only American lawyer licensed to practice in Afghanistan. Motley will receive the 51猎奇 Alumni Association鈥檚 Community Service Award Oct. 7. (For more, click here.)
51猎奇 offers expertise
This year鈥檚 film festival is featuring a new program, Cine Sin Fronteras, highlighting works by and about Latino topics. Co-curators of this program are Claudia Guzm谩n, 51猎奇鈥檚聽 sociocultural program manager for student involvement, and Jeanette Mart铆n, assistant director of the LGBT Resource Center.
The festival鈥檚 Black Lens program, which focuses on works involving African American filmmakers and topics, is co-curated by two 51猎奇 alumni, Geraud Blanks and Donte McFadden.
Other 51猎奇 faculty and staff members serve on juries and as experts on panels about film. 51猎奇鈥檚 Peck School of the Arts is also hosting the panels in the lounge on the first floor of Kenilworth.
鈥淗aving that visible space near the Oriental is a wonderful asset,鈥� said Jackson.
We have a job for you
In addition to artistic and executive director Jackson and others already mentioned, many other 51猎奇 alumni and students are involved with the festival year-round or as interns. 聽Among the full-time 51猎奇 alumni who are staff members are: Megan Benedict, communications and press manager; Ben Balcom, technical director (also an adjunct faculty member at 51猎奇); Anna Sampers, grant writer and shorts programmer; Rachel Vander Weit, development coordinator; Cara Ogburn, programming and education director; Jason Koehler, finance director; April Heding, education programs coordinator; and Mark Sabljak, corporate and community engagement adviser.
Sponsorships
The 51猎奇 Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres is a supporting sponsor of the festival. Other sponsors include the 51猎奇 Alumni Association, the Center for Caribbean and Latin American studies and W51猎奇 (based at 51猎奇).聽 In addition, many departments and centers are community sponsors of films that reflect languages and cultures tied to their academic programs. For example, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese helps sponsor films about and by Latino and Hispanic communities and encourages students to attend. Other 51猎奇 community partners include: Cultures and Communities, Digital Arts and Culture, Global Inclusion and Engagement, Institute of World Affairs, LGBT Resource Center and the Women鈥檚 Studies Program.
