Milwaukee Film Festival 2011, A Recap

Milwaukee Film Festival 2011, A Recap

For me, I began the festival with one goal in mind. Make this MY Film Festival.

Based for me at the Ridge – it was different than if I spent the days at the Oriental (Film Festival Central). But this was what was convenient for me and allowed me to not only see movies, but also be the man my family deserved during the festival.

I came up short on what I had hoped to see, but still ended with 15 films/packages at the theater. (Got Milwaukee Brewers tickets on the last day of the fest – thanks Bob and we had a dance class and Creek Crawl to deal with during the fest.)

That said, what did I see?

Make Believe, The Human Resources Manager, Give Up Tomorrow, Shorts: World’s Best Commercials, When the Drum is Beating, The Interrupters, Somewhere Between, Wish Me Away, The Redemption of General Butt Naked, The Last Mountain, Bhopali, Page One: Inside the New York Times, The Flaw, Breaking and Entering, How Much Does Your Building Weigh Mr. Foster

So after spending nearly 30 hours of my last week or so at the theaters what did I learn.

Chicago has a great group of individuals trying to make a difference in the violence of our neighbor to the south. (The Interrupters)

Paco needs to be freed. (Give Up Tomorrow)

Chely Wright is extremely talented, no matter what her sexual orientation is! (Wish Me Away)

If there is a record to be broken, there will be someone to break it. (Breaking and Entering)

Haitians are an extremely resilient group of people even when you don’t count the Earthquake impact. (When the Drum is Beating)

Magic is alive and well with the youth of the world. (Make Believe)

Despite it’s title, The Redemption of General Butt Naked is not a comedy. (The Redemption of General Butt Naked)

Love him or hate him, David Carr is tenacious! (Page One: Inside the New York Times)

Films can be projected poorly at film festivals. (The Flawat Ridge)

People will complain about anything and everything. (Rumblings in the crowd about having to drive all the way to New Berlin for one of the films)

Directors and producers of even the smallest of films are passionate about filmmaking and are fascinating to listen to at film festivals (Directors/Producers from Make Believe, Give up Tomorrow, When the Drum is Beating, Wish Me Away, Breaking and Entering all did Q & A sessions after their films at the Ridge)

Sure there are things that could be done better – but I’m not here to focus on those right now…but if the Milwaukee Film Festival crew wants my ideas – I’m here! :-)

Overall, Milwaukee Film Festival was a real success. Attendance up 17%, 22 sell-outs and over 35,000 people took in a film. Plus members of Milwaukee Film more than doubled.

Actual festival winners were included in a previous post but here are my picks from what I saw.

Best Film: The Interrupters

I mean it when I say this is the bar for all other documentaries I’ll view before the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards gets my vote.

Most FUN film: Page One: Inside the New York Times, Make Believe (TIE)

Quite frankly, David Carr is the reason, but this film just had a smile on my face throughout. And I just had a smile on my face throughout the magic film Make Believe.

Cause I didn’t know about, but am appalled now that I do:Give Up Tomorrow

Sure with films it takes a side, but the blatant difference between the passion we fight Casey Anthony and others could be used to help Paco get freed with the ACTUAL evidence in his case.

Craziest Title: The Redemption of General Butt Naked

He really is naked at points in here…and he’s now a Christian…but he had impacts in 20,000 deaths (by his admission).

Surprising Moment: Wish Me Away (Chely’s prayers)

I know Christians that would condemn Chely for no other reason than her personal life that don’t pray as well as she admits to in this film. To ask the Lord for peace is so much more effective than wanting a new car, or a job to pay them more money.

Film I Missed that I Really Wanted to See: We Need To Talk About Kevin

Wanted to see this Tilda Swinton film but unfortunately, schedules wouldn’t allow it.

Milwaukee Film Festival Day 3 - Give Up Tomorrow, When the Drum is Beating

I had a full day at the Ridge Cinema on this dreary Saturday.

Lucky for me, a cold is setting which will make for a long day -- but I have 4 films targeted for the day. We'll see what I can get through.

The nice thing about the Milwaukee Film Festival is they have brought the festival to the suburbs and the wait is not outside in the rain, rather in a hallway inside.

That said let's get to what I did get a chance to see...

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First up was The Human Resources Manager.

This fascinating film comes to the festival with roots from Israel. It’s the story of a human resource manager who is tasked with finding some answers to an impending scandal. One of the bakery workers has been killed in a bombing and no one knows how she is involved. His task to take the body to her family gets harder by the minute. His journey is filled with a reporter who wants the story, a family of his own that he continues to let down, and a family of the girl who was killed that can’t decide where the body should be buried. Humorous moments are speckled within the serious journey to make for a solid ride.

This film was a nice kick off to the day as the comedy that was interspersed found a way to lighten up the mood. The Human Resource Manager brings together a solid, though unspectacular look into the life of this one man.

If you are a fan of the intricate foreign film that is a journey, this is for you.

Check it out at the festival on Tuesday, 9/27 at 4:45 PM at the Oriental and Sunday, October 2 at 4:30 PM at the North Shore Cinema

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Preceding my next film, Give Up Tomorrow, was short film Library of Dust. A story of individuals left behind when no one claimed their remains after passing away. They were in copper canisters that took on their own personalities. The footage is just amazing. There is more of a story to be told as so many didn’t even know these relatives existed. Their canisters live on and in away so do the souls that were lost.

Give Up Tomorrow is the story of Paco Larranga and 6 other boys that were charged with the murder of 2 young girls in the Philippines. The story that’s told is one of an unusual miscarriage of justice. Paco was just a boy as he was framed for the murder of 2 girls whose bodies truly have never been found. And despite 42 students and teachers that could testify that he was on an island hundreds of miles away, photographs of him on the day with his friends and more evidence than you’ve seen in an episode of Columbo…he’s found guilty with the other boys of these heinous crimes.

A woman that lost her two daughters will stop at nothing to find “justice” for their deaths, even a justice that leaves so many things to question. While not painted as an angel, Paco’s crimes have been minor at best. But even individuals with a background more checkered than his get a fair shake when it comes to the evidence. Will Paco ever find his justice?

An amazing film that plays as part crime drama, part mystery and ALL reality; Give Up Tomorrow will make you want justice for Paco. The filmmakers long, intense efforts to follow this case makes for an ride that leaves you shaking your head at every turn. Even with the still image they show you that he was not an innocent youth, but he WAS innocent of this crime…and that is all that matters.

I really loved this film and took the time to sign a postcard on leaving the theater. As a critic we can remain neutral, but there is a point where we must act. Is Paco innocent of the crime he has been accused of? If the evidence in this film doesn’t give you reasonable doubt, I don’t know how reasonable you are.

Give Up Tomorrow is also playing Sunday 9/25 at 7 PM at the Oriental and Friday, 9/30 at 4:45PM.

http://pacodocu.com

After the film – I got to speak with Producer Marty Syjuco briefly about the project. It’s amazing the dedication that he and Director Michael Collins have had to the project. They make no bones about the fact that there is a family relation angle in the movie for them, but the story they present is nonetheless amazing. As they move to show the film at future festivals the story is still constantly developing. Will Paco gain his freedom? If Marty and Michael and the folks they are sharing the film with have anything to say about it, I can imagine nothing less than success.

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So after two heavier films…I may a 180 and decided to catch the Shorts program, World’s Best Commercials. I admit, it was an attempt to lighten my day – plus I had an ulterior motive…it would let me run home and say goodnight to my daughter before the final film of the evening.

The Shorts program had some humor, some seriousness but left a bit to be desired. It just wasn’t the same watching 90 minutes worth of commercials, some of which seemed amazingly out of place.  It was a fun diversion for the period, but it wasn’t my best choice to this point.

Shorts: World’s Best Commercials is also playing Sunday 9/25 at 2:45PM at the North Shore, Monday 9/26 5PM at the Downer and Friday 9/30 at 7:15PM at the Oriental.
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After a quick run home to tuck my little girl into bed and say goodnight to my wife I was able to catch another film that I had circled early on in my festival program, When the Drum is Beating.

And I was not to be disappointed.

With Director Whitney Dow in attendance, the film on Haiti and the Septentrional band gives us a different look at Haiti and the Haitian people. From archival footage of Haiti at the height of prosperity to the depths of a variety of regime changes both in the government and the band, the Haitian people are survivors. Most of the footage is in a pre-Earthquake timeframe and it just reinforces the strength of the Haitians. If they could survive all of the challenges put in front of them throughout the 65 years the band has existed, there is not one of us that should be betting against them after this crisis.

The island is full of poverty and a plethora of issues. However they are still strong at their core. When the Drum is Beating all of their problems melt away and the drum will continue to beat, and the people will continue to endure.

http://whenthedrumisbeating.com

Also playing Tuesday 9/27 at 9:45PM at the North Shore and Saturday 10/1 at 5:30PM at the Oriental.

Mad props go to Director Whitney Dow. First, he stuck around despite a small crowd to have some one on one time discussing his labor. He told us how he took the film from strictly about the band to going deeper and telling a deeper story. I respect him for his efforts to make a film that not only told a compelling story, but also entertained the audience. He believes in the film and that belief is reflected in his passion for all things surrounding it.

And so the Saturday schedule ended – whew…I’ve got Sunday films and then Monday off for personal reasons. Save Me A Seat.