Gaining visibility in a largely rural state can be rough on little-known independent films. While Wisconsin residents are able to visit the cineplex to see big-production blockbusters, independent pictures are generally reserved for the New York City or Los Angeles scenes, among other more popular locales.
Although it is possible to catch the occasional low-budget flick at smaller venues across the state, the independent film truly gets its heyday each spring with the much-celebrated Wisconsin Film Festival, this year playing from April 12-15 in no fewer than 10 downtown Madison theaters.
Currently celebrating its ninth year, the Wisconsin Film Festival will be presenting 183 films directed by students, national and foreign filmmakers.
"We try to show people films they may not get any other chance to see," Festival Director Meg Hamel said. "The Wisconsin Film Festival here in Madison is the oldest, I think, and may also be one of the largest."
Festival attendance for last year topped 26,000 people, and tickets for this year's shows are going fast. Hamel notes that tickets sales have not only been strong, but evenly spread out among films.
The most notable exception to this sales trend is "Chalk," a witty and comedic take on a group of rookie high school teachers, directed by Mike Akel and Chris Mass. The film will kick off the festival Thursday night in the Wisconsin Union Theater, and perhaps for that reason, tickets have sold out.
Hamel describes the process for selecting films as long and incredibly time consuming. "Sometimes I might be tracking a film from a production company to a sales agency, which is months later sold to another sales agency in the U.S.," Hamel said. Her investigation for the best films also included a trip to the Toronto Film Festival to scout possibilities. "I probably watched 600 to 700 movies or more for consideration in the festival. Some days I watched 8 to 10 movies back-to-back."
In order to bring director Rajnesh Domalpalli's "Vanaja" to Madison, Hamel was in contact with a production company in India. The film, which centers on a young fisherman's daughter and her quest to becoming a celebrated dancer, earned Best Debut Film honors at the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival, and Domalpalli will be in Madison as a special guest speaker for the event.
Student films were selected after an application process back in December. Only students who attend universities in the state or those who are Wisconsin residents but attend school elsewhere could submit material. A final count of 16 student films were chosen, including "Punk's Not Dead" by UW grad Susan Dynner. Most of the student films originate from UW-Milwaukee, but others from Madison and even the University of Minnesota will be represented.
In addition, a handful of returning filmmakers will bring their freshest work to the festival. Justin Lin returns this year with "Finishing the Game," a spoof on what was originally a 1970s Bruce Lee action flick (not to mention the advent of those bold yellow track suits that later inspired Uma Thurman's "Kill Bill" attire). Before the filming of that movie was complete, the kung fu hero passed on, so stand-ins were hired to finish his scenes. "Finishing the Game" is a hilarious take on what it could have been like to audition as an action-hero stand-in during the free love era of the '70s.
Since Lin's first appearance at the 2003 Wisconsin Film Festival with "Better Luck Tomorrow," he went on to direct two Hollywood blockbusters, "Annapolis" and "The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift." Lin will be in attendance for the midnight showing of "Finishing the Game" at the Orpheum Theater Thursday.
This year's festival will showcase a four-part series presented by UW campus programs; namely, the African Studies Program, the Asian American Studies Program, the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education, and the Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies.
The African Studies Program will also present a number of films, including "U-Carmen e-Khaylitsha," an operatic film that was shown at both the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival and Roger Ebert's own Illinois film festival. The program will also show "Son of Man," a New Testament story named one of the most powerful films at the Sundance Film Festival by Roger Ebert.
The Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education is presenting the anticipated "Heart of an Empire." The low-budget documentary features the Fighting 501st Legion, a group of people clad in Star Wars costumes spreading happiness by attending charity fundraisers and children's hospitals.
The Wisconsin Film Festival is presented by the UW Arts Institute, with collaboration from numerous campus and community organizations, the forerunners of the list citing the UW Department of Communication Arts, and Steep & Brew Coffee. Guest lectures from visiting filmmakers are part of the events surrounding the festival, in addition to a Cineplexity game event hosted at Steep & Brew and a Hollywood Badgers Panel for students considering moving to Los Angeles to work in the film industry.
The long weekend appears like it will turn out to be exactly as advertised, a great "film marathon," complete with a diverse picking of movies and events running all day. With all the work and energy gone into it, one could wish that will be the case.
"We have worked very hard to bring a broad, varied selection of films," Hamel said. From documentary to short animation to restoration pieces made by local and international directors, the festival is likely to have a little something for every taste.
Tickets are $4 for students, $7 for general admission.
