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‘Brothers’ (Wisconsin Film Festival)

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Also by Cailley Hammel:

'Waiter' (Wisconsin Film Festival) (April 3, 2008)
'Superbad' book super-amusing (March 28, 2008)
'Things learned' from UW alumni (March 10, 2008)
'Warpaint' more like finger paint (March 6, 2008)
'Detours' proves emotional, cheerful route worth taking (February 12, 2008)

by Cailley Hammel

Thursday, April 3, 2008

If the trailer for “Brothers” looks familiar, it might be because the entire film was shot in various Wisconsin locales (Neenah, Hortonville, New London and Oshkosh) and almost every person involved with the film is from Wisconsin. From director and screenwriter Troy Perkins, a UW-Oshkosh alumnus, to the music contributors (including Madison-area folk artist Blake Thomas), “Brothers” could best be described as a 22-minute love letter to Wisconsin.

Almost. The plot highlights one of Wisconsin’s growing problems — the changing landscape of agriculture — and analyzes its effects within complex family relationships.

In the film, three brothers face the difficult decision of whether or not to sell their farm — and thereby sacrifice generations of family history — for a considerable payout or to continue struggling for survival in the face of modern-day development. To make matters more complicated, each brother has his own set of problems to overcome. Ultimately, the brothers must come together to decide if they want to preserve the past or look to the future.

While the film festival has a lot to offer, “Brothers,” with its homegrown feel, might be a good place to dive in.

“Brothers” will be screened as part of Short Films: The Saturday Morning Program at the Chazen Museum of Art this Saturday at 11 a.m.

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