[jump down to on-the-scene coverage]

Labor’s Love Lost: Joe Glazer Dies

The Capital Times : Thurday 21 Sep 2006

Madison loomed large in the life of Joe Glazer, who in the minds of many wrote the soundtrack for the American labor movement and who died Tuesday in Chevy Chase, Md., at 88. Glazer was here just this past spring, in association with a Wisconsin Film Festival screening of “Labor’s Troubadour,” a documentary on his life that was directed by UW-Madison alumnus Hope Moskowitz.

A Makeover for the Ugly American in KABUL

Wisconsin State Journal : Thursday 22 June 2006

What does a country struggling to rebuild itself need? Financial aid, certainly. Dedicated volunteers, of course. And beauty tips, naturally. While that last one might not seem like a high priority, the documentary “The Beauty Academy of Kabul” rather eloquently makes the case that individuals who have confidence and self-worth can build a country with confidence and self-worth. The film by Liz Mermin, which got a good response at this year’s Wisconsin Film Festival, is back for a theatrical run this Friday at Hilldale.

Editor’s Choice Award: Festival Director Meg Hamel

Madison Magazine : July 2006

This past year we watched a similarly deft hand take the reins of the Wisconsin Film Festival from longtime director Mary Carbine and confidently produce another stellar four-day festival of films as well as bring out thousands of people. The increasingly popular, influential and renowned festival didn’t miss a beat. It’s not hard to see Lynne Eich’s influence in the work of her daughter, Meg Hamel, who has established a reputation of her own as interim director of the Wisconsin Film Festival. Longtime Wisconsin Public Television journalist Dave Iverson always gave Hamel a great deal of credit for the success of the national Best Practices project he directed for several years. But with the film festival it feels as if she came into her own with a major contribution to the city’s growing national cultural profile. Eich and Hamel are the first “power mother-daughter team” we can remember honoring. We can think of no better people to be first.

Prof Sees Old Hollywood in New Flicks

The Capital Times : Wednesday 10 May 2006

Here’s what retirement looks like for UW film Professor Emeritus David Bordwell: He had to miss the end of the Wisconsin Film Festival (for which he helped secure several films and the presence of Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert, a Bordwell fan) to fly halfway around the world to the Hong Kong Film Festival. He came back late last month, was home for a couple of days, and then went down to Champaign-Urbana for Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival, where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of John Malkovich and “Junebug” Oscar nominee Amy Adams. Then he finally returned home to Madison, where he and his wife, fellow film scholar Kristin Thompson, have to finish three books between them in the next month.

For Filmmaker, HAMILTON’s Rich with Inspiration

The Baltimore Sun : Sunday 7 May 2006

Hamilton focuses on two characters, Lena (Stephanie Vizzi), a 17- year-old single mother about to escape to the Eastern Shore for the summer, and Joe (Chris Myers), the 20-year-old reluctant father, whose life has devolved into a circle of despondency, if not outright despair, from which he sees no clear way out. The film, which steadfastly refuses to be judgmental, follows them over two days, as Lena prepares to leave, but yearns to meet with Joe first. [view PDF of article]

FARMER JOHN Reaps Redemption, Art

The Capital Times : Wednesday 26 April 2006

John Peterson likes to think of his rural Illinois farm as producing crops just like any other farm. The difference is that the produce from Peterson’s Angelic Organics includes not only vegetables, but film, videos, literature and art. “I love having a farm that has given rise to all this huge range of expression,” Peterson says. “From the hard core, like vegetables. It’s hard work, You’re in the dirt, and you have to be practical and efficient and no-nonsense if you’re going to get those vegetables out of the ground and to the customers on a regular basis. But then there are these other things that are also hard work, but they’re in a very different realm. I like that they’ve converged on my farm.”

Prom Pride Waltzes Into Film // Documentary Filmmakers Show Off Racine’s Night of Revelry with THE WORLD’S BEST PROM

Wisconsin State Journal : Sunday 23 April 2006

Six years ago, Ben Adrian agreed to let filmmakers follow him around as he got ready for his senior prom. He figured, why not? He’d been looking forward to the night since he was in first grade, when he first saw the graduating seniors pile out of crazy cars in formalwear, stroll down the red carpet like movie stars and celebrate with some 1,500 other high school students.

New Kind of Farming for FARMER JOHN?

Wisconsin State Journal : Friday 21 April 2006

It’s the eve of the year’s first Dane County Farmers’ Market — our annual rite of spring. And what better way to get in the mood for fresh, local vegetables than going to see the movie, “The Real Dirt on Farmer John,” which documents life, survival and feather boas on an unusual farm. A run at Westgate Art Cinema starts tonight with an intro at 6:45 by L’Etoile chef Tory Miller and Bob Bower from Angelic Organics, Farmer John’s farm. A Q&A session follows the 7 p.m. showing.

FARMER JOHN Grows His Own Kind of Success

Wisconsin State Journal : Thursday 20 April 2006

So what tips you off that John Peterson isn’t your average farmer? I suppose the feather boa is a pretty good clue. As is the Dr. Seuss hat. Or his statement, “I like glitz. I like glamour.” And yet, cut through the Bohemian rhapsody that is Peterson’s out-there lifestyle, and what you find underneath is the strong, beating heart of a farmer, someone who loves the Earth and what it can provide. The genius of Taggart Siegel’s entertaining and touching documentary on Peterson, “The Real Dirt on Farmer John,” is the way it leaves us convinced that it’s not strange at all for an ex-hippie to be a farmer. It makes perfect sense.

Film Festival Names Winners

The Capital Times : Friday 7 April 2006

Wisconsin Film Festival audiences apparently are huge fans of Ulrich Thomsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas. The two are Danish actors who has appeared in films that have won the festival’s Audience Award for dramatic films both this year and last year. Last year both starred in the Danish drama “Brothers,” and this year Thomsen appeared in the Danish black comedy “Adam’s Apples.”

Film Fest Scores a Knockout

The Capital Times : Monday 3 April 2006

To acknowledge applause while introducing a movie, Wisconsin Film Festival interim director Meg Hamel would often raise both fists over her head, like Rocky Balboa reaching the top of the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It’s a gesture of triumph that many patrons at this year’s festival would say was well earned. Having started from behind in terms of both resources and time — she was only hired to replace former director Mary Carbine just over four months ago — Hamel and a large cast of sponsors and volunteers put together a film festival this past weekend that equaled past festivals, and even exceeded it in spots.

From DORKS to CINERAMA, Something for All

The Capital Times : Monday 3 April 2006

Given the many films to see (and the many ways of seeing each film), it’s unlikely that any two of the thousands of audience members who attended the eighth annual Wisconsin Film Festival had the same experience. Here are a few snapshots in time from one weekend at the movies: 11:38 p.m. Friday, University Square — As the stream of fire from the flamethrower causes the rampaging zombie to erupt in flames, it becomes clear to me that “Night of the Living Dorks” is not your typical film festival fare. But it is typical of the festival’s immensely popular late-night screenings, which draw younger crowds and feature louder, funnier, often bloodier movies than are screened earlier in the day.

Beastie Boys Film is Like Being There

Wisconsin State Journal : Monday 3 April 2006

The Orpheum Theatre is known as both a movie palace and a concert venue. So what better place to see “Awesome; I —— Shot That!” the adrenaline-pumped Beastie Boys concert film that was made by cutting together shots from 50 cameras handed out to fans in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Infused with energy, rhythm and that goofy Beastie Boys humor, “Awesome” seemed an ideal pick for the first night of the 2006 Wisconsin Film Festival. It’s one of those “next-best-thing-to-being-there” experiences, and the Orpheum audience was happy to bounce right to the edge, applauding, cheering, and hip-hopping along with the Boys on screen.

Kids’ Films Connect with Crowd // Audience Enthusiastic about Short Films Made by Madison Area Students

Wisconsin State Journal : Monday 3 April 2006

As the audience filed out of “Young Visions and Voices” — a collection of short films made by Madison area kids and shown Sunday as part of the 2006 Wisconsin Film Festival — young filmmaker Tykem Balentine, 9, still felt a little bit thrilled and awed. “Everybody was laughing,” said Tykem, part of the crew for “Teaching Trevor,” the story of how children in his Packer Town Homes neighborhood taught a neighbor how to ride a bike for the first time at age 22.

A Hot Ticket with Roger Ebert // Filmgoers Get Up Close with Critic

The Capital Times : Saturday 1 April 2006

If you wanted to see the world’s most famous movie critic present one of the most famous (and strangest) film noirs in history at the Wisconsin Film Festival this year, you had to be quick. And if you were one of the many thousands of film festival-goers who couldn’t get in to see Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert on Friday night, don’t blame the critic.

Film Fans Off to Festive Start // ‘It’s Like a Party’ for Movie Lovers All Weekend Long

The Capital Times : Friday 31 March 2006

Manny Kirchheimer has a crucial piece of advice for any aspiring filmmakers out there: Don’t throw anything good away. Case in point: Kirchheimer’s lovely and impressionistic documentary “Tall: The American Skyscraper and Louis Sullivan,” which had its Madison premiere Thursday at the opening night of the eighth annual Wisconsin Film Festival. Cinephiles turned out in droves to see this year’s slate of films, everything from horror movies to indie comedies to socially relevant documentaries.

Reel Fun Ahead // Ways to Enjoy Film Fest, With or Without Tickets

The Capital Times : Friday 31 March 2006

If you didn’t get advance tickets to this year’s Wisconsin Film Festival or haven’t even looked at the schedule yet, don’t worry. There’s plenty of fest left. Today’s the second day of the eighth annual festival — typically the day when the festival really gets going, with screenings beginning at 5 p.m. at numerous screens around town, including the Orpheum, Hilldale, University Square and the UW-Cinematheque.

Curtain Rises on 2006 Film Festival // There’s a Lot to See

Wisconsin State Journal : Friday 31 March 2006

Sifting through the Wisconsin Film Festival offerings — from “Beauty Academy of Kabul” to “Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey” — isn’t as easy as deciding whether you’d like butter with that popcorn. The festival, which opened Thursday night, is in its eighth year. As usual, it has patrons who scramble from film to film.

Film Documents Killing of Black Panther

The Capital Times : Wednesday 29 March 2006

Writer and film producer Mike Gray admits, at the start of an interview about his film “The Murder of Fred Hampton,” that a picture of the film’s subject sits on a shelf at his home. “He watches everything I do,” Gray says. “I feel a certain obligation because I happened to be there. In my odd career, because of what I do, I’ve had the privilege of meeting a lot of powerful people. I have yet to meet Fred Hampton’s equal.”

On Film Festival with Ebert

The Capital Times : Wednesday 29 March 2006

If you want to know your way around a film festival, ask the guy who’s been to a few. Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert — whose reviews are carried each week in The Capital Times — is a regular attendee at the Cannes, Toronto and Sundance film festivals every year, as well as many others, including his own Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign-Urbana.

Revolutionary Films at Festival

The Capital Times : Wednesday 29 March 2006

Two films by Mike Gray will be shown at the Wisconsin Film Festival this weekend. “American Revolution 2,” a short film about the rise of youth power groups in Chicago, will be shown at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at UW Cinematheque. The theater is in Room 4070 of Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave.

Take a Chance // Let the Wisconsin Film Festival Surprise You

The Capital Times : Wednesday 29 March 2006

I’ll always remember a rainy Saturday afternoon years ago at the Wisconsin Film Festival. It was pouring out, and rather than slosh up State Street to the Orpheum movie that I had tickets for, I opted to stay dry and duck into a half-full Cinematheque screening of a South Korean film I had never heard of. It was a truly marvelous and moving film that has stuck with me ever since. And I would have missed it if the weather had been nice.

Lights, Cameras, Action .... Wisconsin Film Festival

Wisconsin State Journal : Sunday 26 March 2006

The Wisconsin Film Festival will present 177 films, including dozens of short ones, beginning Thursday. It’s the eighth-annual long weekend of Madison movie madness. Fest officials seek the best independent films. There is nothing about, say, a lawyer who’s not a good father until he turns into a shaggy dog and realizes his errant ways. You may see that Tim Allen flick elsewhere, thank you.

Hometown Humor // Comic Hopes Green Bay Film Will Pack State Theaters

Wisconsin State Journal : Friday 24 March 2006

Stand-up comics get used to having to take their show on the road. So as Pete Schwaba pounded the pavement around Wisconsin recently to publicize the theatrical release of his feature film, “The Godfather of Green Bay,” he wasn’t exactly in foreign territory. “Godfather,” which opens tonight at Eastgate and Point cinemas and 12 other Wisconsin theaters, was filmed in Schwaba’s hometown of Marinette, and many of the script’s wacky characters bear a striking resemblance to the rural eccentrics he’s come to know and love. Schwaba wrote, directed, produced and starred in “Godfather” — but yes, his roots are in stand-up comedy. And yes, in the movie he plays ... a comic.

Side Roads // Film Festival Brings World to Wisconsin

Minneapolis Star Tribune : Sunday 19 March 2006

You can travel the world in four days during the Wisconsin Film Festival> March 30 through April 2 at various theatres in Madison. Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin’s Art Institute, more than 150 films representing 27 countries will be screened. Highlights include “Almost Brothers,” a Brazilian film that chronicles the rocky friendship between a senator and a criminal from the Rio de Janeiro slums. And “Bluebird,” a film about a Dutch girl’s heart-wrenching experience with childhood bullying and the emotional turmoil she feels about her disabled younger brother’s impending institutionalization.

Film Fest No Trivial Pursuit

The Capital Times : Friday 3 March 2006

Madison film fans have quite a busy weekend ahead of them. On Sunday, of course, they get to pop some popcorn, make their predictions and watch Jon Stewart host the Oscars, honoring some of the most-talked-about films of 2005. But beginning at noon Saturday, they can start buying tickets for the eighth annual Wisconsin Film Festival and start mapping out which films they’ll see, films that could end up being some of the most-talked-about of 2006.

Film Festival Releases Line-up // Tickets For the Four-Day Event’s Offerings Go On Sale Saturday

Wisconsin State Journal : Thursdau 2 March 2006

Movies starring Luke Wilson and Cate Blanchett and another made by the producer of “Chronicles of Narnia” rank among the most noteworthy screenings at the eighth annual Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison March 30 to April 2. But, judging from past fests, the event’s treats also will be found among the other 160-plus films, ranging from a blink-and-you-miss one-minute short to a weighty Romanian epic.

QTONES: Meg Hamel, Interim Director, Wisconsin Film Festival

Madison Magazine : March 2006

With a grandfather who helped found the Museum Formerly Known as Elvehjem and a mom who heads the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, Meg Hamel, 40, certainly has the artistic cred to pick up where Mary Carbine left off, guiding the Film Fest into its eighth year. She also has the trench cred, having scurried around as the event’s venue and logistics manager. We caught up with Hamel just days before this year’s schedule finalized.

Arts Institute gears up for Wisconsin Film Festival

The eighth annual Wisconsin Film Festival will again feature a diverse program of independent features, international cinema, experimental films, documentaries and short films that audiences have come to enjoy. Photo of bikes and shadows "The Swenkas" by Jeppe Ronde is among the films slated for this year's Wisconsin Film Festival, to be held Thursday-Sunday, March 30-April 2. The complete program will be available online on Wednesday, March 1, with a printed program available in the Isthmus on Thursday, March 2. Courtesy: Wisconsin Film Festival Presented by the UW-Madison Arts Institute, the Wisconsin Film Festival will take place in Madison from Thursday, March 30, through Sunday, April 2.

Film Festival Branching Out

The Capital Times : Wednesday 15 Feb 2006

Metalheads. Muskrat-skinning beauty queens. Cannibalistic calf fetuses.
Yep, it’s pretty much going to be your average, normal Wisconsin Film Festival this year. Most of those who will attend the eighth annual festival, running March 30 to April 2 on a dozen screens in Madison, probably won’t notice anything different.

Here’s a Peek at Offbeat Wisconsin Film Fest Fare

The Capital Times : Wednesday 15 February 2006

Here’s a sneak peek at a few titles coming to the Wisconsin Film Festival this year. The full schedule will be released on Wednesday, March 1, and tickets will go on sale Saturday, March 4. Visit www.wifilmfest.org for more details. “The Wendell Baker Story” — Luke Wilson (“Old School”) stars, wrote and co-directed (with his brother Andrew) this comedy about an ex-con who befriends the elderly residents in a retirement hotel. His other brother, Owen Wilson (“Wedding Crashers”) plays the head nurse at the hotel.

A Top 10 List The Arts Can Be Proud Of

Wisconsin State Journal : Sunday 25 Dec 2005

Given the space, I probably could’ve listed 2,005 — not just 10 — reasons to be impressed by the local arts scene this year. Madison, as I’ve learned since moving here earlier this year, is brimming with more uninhibited creativity and artistic verve than the malls are teeming with shoppers during the after-Christmas sales. (And which is more spiritually uplifting, I ask you: shopping — or the arts?)
Wisconsin Film Festival: Thanks again to the organizers, volunteers and sponsors who make this late-winter film binge possible. Some of the offbeat offerings from the 2005 fest went on to run in mainstream movie theaters and won national praise. Please, bring back “The Real Dirt on Farmer John”!

Hamel Steps Into Spotlight as Film Festival Director

Wisconsin State Journal : Friday 16 December 2005

For five years, Meg Hamel has been running hard as a volunteer for the Wisconsin Film Festival. This year, she’ll run the event. Hamel, 40, has been hired to replace longtime festival director Mary Carbine, who resigned in September and has since taken a position with a marketing communications firm. Previously, Hamel worked in communications for UW-Madison’s University Health Services. She has been selected by the university’s Arts Institute as interim director for the 2006 festival, which runs March 30 to April 2, and hopes to continue as a permanent director.