MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) — Milwaukee Film will hold two 15-day virtual film festivals this fall, the nonprofit announced Wednesday.
Though it will be held entirely virtually, the 12th annual Milwaukee Film Festival (MFF2020) will take place during its previously announced dates of October 15-29.
Presented by the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin regional health network, the second Minority Health Film Festival (MHFF) will expand to 15 days, running from Sept. 10-24.
“This is a way for us to give our community some much-needed opportunities to connect and celebrate,” CEO of Milwaukee Film Jonathan Jackson said. “Usually our fall events wrap up an incredibly packed season of festivals in our city – but this year, most of Milwaukee’s beloved fests have been canceled. We know our film festivals are better when we’re together, but we’re confident that we can deliver amazing experiences in a virtual space – full of discovery, wonder, tears, laughter and community.”
Milwaukee Film will present both festivals through CineSend, a platform that has powered a number of other film festivals that switched their events from in-person to virtual. CineSend provides viewers the opportunity to consume content on their televisions through integrations with platforms like Amazon Fire, Android TV, Apple TV and ROKU.
Minority Health Film Festival
September 10-24
More than 25 feature films and three shorts programs will pair with about a dozen events, all structured around themes of family, community and institutional health. The festival will also highlight health resources and ways for festival attendees to take action toward improving health outcomes.
The move reflects reality, which has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and protesting for racial equality.
“We started this festival last year thinking that we knew exactly how important it was to have conversations around minority health, and then 2020 happened,” director of Milwaukee Film’s Cultures and Communities program Geraud Blanks said. “It turns out these topics are even more vital to explore after everything that’s taken place in the last few months."
Festival attendees will be able to purchase either passes to access all virtual content or tickets to view individual films.
MHFF passes are available August 24-through September 7. Passes will be $19.99 for Milwaukee Film Members and $24.99 for the general public. For every pass purchased, Milwaukee Film will donate a pass to a community partner organization.
Individual tickets will go on sale starting Thursday, September 10, the first day of the festival. Tickets will be $.99 for Milwaukee Film Members and $2.99 for the general public.
All tickets and passes will be sold online only and may be shared among members of the same household. The full lineup of films and events will be announced in late August.
Milwaukee Film Festival
October 15-29
The campaign theme for MFF2020 will be “Adapted for Your Screen,” a to the change to a virtual platform and to the rich artwork created by local artist Jade Watring, which features technicolor butterflies emerging from a fantastical chrysalis.
“This spring, we struggled with trying to make the best decisions for our staff, our industry and our community,” Jackson said. “It came down to this: The Milwaukee Film Festival is the core of everything we do, and if we can safely have a festival, then we’re having a festival.
Though MFF2020 will offer a slimmer set of film selections than in 2019, organizers said they are confident there will still be something for everyone, and attendees will also have many opportunities to interact with filmmakers. With films being offered on demand, at a lower price point and without location restrictions, film fans will have more choices than ever before to view all the titles that spark their interest.
MFF2020 attendees will also be able to purchase either passes to access all virtual content or tickets to view individual films.
Milwaukee Film Members can purchase MFF2020 passes starting August 26, for $75. For non-members, passes will be available starting August 31, for $140. Passes will be available for purchase through October 12.
Individual tickets will go on sale starting October 15, the first day of the festival. Tickets will be $5 for Milwaukee Film Members and $8 for the general public.
All tickets and passes will be sold online only and may be shared among members of the same household. The full lineup of films and events will be announced in early October.