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.