Film

Explore Madison’s art-house screenings and the adventurous corners of local cinema.

Still from the videopoem "Limerent Pittsburgh" shows a public transit view of a yellow arch of the Roberto Clemente Bridge with skyscrapers and signs of Pittsburgh in the distance, including the massive PPG building, which resembles a cathedral.

“Limerent Pittsburgh” intricately constructs a folkloric affection of place

Artist Anne Ciecko's 2025 videopoem is a highlight among the 30 selections of this year's Midwest Video Poetry Fest at ALL on April 4.

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Production photo from the Western "Stagecoach" shows three characters clutching each other's hands and arms. An older man with a moustache and dark cowboy hat stands at the left; a younger, clean-shaven man with a lighter cowboy hat stands taller in the center; and a shorter woman with curly hair stands to the right. They all look off into the distance to the left with neutral expressions.
Lea Jacobs sheds new light on an old master in “John Ford At Work”

The UW Professor Emeritus' new book on the storied American director coincides with a five-film UW Cinematheque series this spring.

Still frame taken from the experimental documentary "The Phalanx" shows a person looking out the window of a historical house in Ripon, Wisconsin. They wear a long-sleeve shirt, and their back is to the camera. The camera is positioned in the door frame of an adjacent room, as if peeking in on them.
Inspiriting radical communal aspirations: an interview with Ben Balcom on “The Phalanx”

The Milwaukee filmmaker's latest experimental short premieres locally at the Chazen Museum during the 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival on April 12.

Angled photo at a medium shot of five people seated at a table in a theater lobby. Four people sit on the far side, while one person sits closest to the camera on the other side. They are all absorbed in the news-printed 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival guides on the table. The table contains numerous beverage glasses, a couple plates of food, and a small table lamp towards the center.
Continuity and expressive experimentation in the 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival

Eight writers share their initial insights on the eight-day extravaganza, April 9 through 16, across UW campus and Madison.

A simple image includes two movie posters: one in the Spanish language on the left for "Hasta Cierto Punto," released in 1983, and one in English on the right for "Lucía," released in 1968. The left poster is rather minimalist in black and white with a bird flying in the center. The tagline above it reads "Si yo quisiera podria cortarle las alas pero no podria volar y lo que yo amo es el pajaro." The right poster renders the title LUCIA in a large font along with three women in pretty psychedelic-era colors like orange, green, maroon, blue, and blue on a bright yellow background. The tagline of "The Cuban epic of love & revolution" appears towards the bottom.
The Cardinal Bar’s Cuban film series invites local support for Madison sister city

Cine Cubano bridges interest in Cuban cinema with the cultural exchange and aid mission of the Madison-Camagüey Sister City Association.

An old black-and-white photograph from the mid-late 1960s of a young man sitting at a desk in a room. He turns his gaze towards the camera and stares with a neutral expression. The photo is altered with black digital debris that litters the image and emulates mental noise.
Three video artists tap into personal histories in the 150 Artists x 150 Years exhibition

Chele Isaac, Toby Kaufmann-Buhler, and Aaron Granat reveal the creative depths of their works, which are on display through February 28 at Central Library.

Medium close-up video still of two people sitting at a table in a conference room. They are turned towards one another and engaged in conversation. The person on the left wears a dark blue polo shirt and makes a gesture with his left hand while he speaks. The person on the right smiles slightly, wearing a black Lychgate band shirt and black Kangol cap. He listens with his eyes angled down.
Video: Sizing up local screening events and prominent performances of 2025

A chat with Josiah Wampfler at OCA Media about our favorite movie-going experiences and acting roles of last year.

A simple image collage that is split in a vertical orientation. The left image shows a poster light box for Luc Besson's "Dracula" that features the AMC logo in white text on a red-bar background at the top. The surrounding wall is painted a golden-brown color. The right image shows the poster for Brett Ratner's "Melania" in a similar light box. The wall surrounding the poster is painted black.
Stop spotlighting new films by known abusers

Madison boasts a dynamic movie culture, yet still needs programmers and community voices to facilitate change.

A still frame from the film "Resurrection" (2025) shows a corner stage area bathed in a French navy blue-grey light. The stage is littered with oversized props (some covered by white sheets) that recall the films of Georges Méliès from the late 19th and early 20th century—including a crescent moon with a face and a fireplace with a black curtain that is partly pulled back to reveal a starry and cloudy sky. A female actor wears a traditional Chinese dress and looks off to the left in the foreground.
“Resurrection” explores human perceptions through the historical labyrinth of cinema

Bi Gan's latest art-house epic premieres locally at UW Cinematheque on February 5.

Simple rectangular image collage of four film stills. At the top left, teenager Willa (Chase Infiniti) practices shooting an assault rifle in an open field in "One Battle After Another." At the top right, thirtysomething parent J.B. Mooney (Josh O'Connor) scopes out the Framingham Art Museum before he plans a robbery in "The Mastermind." At the bottom left, teenager Kyle (Jackson Sluiter) skates through the suburbs of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. At the bottom right, frazzled mother Linda (Rose Byrne) stops for a moment at her motel after visiting the convenience store in "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You."
One movie meditation after another: toiling through 2025

Nine writers processed these trying times through cinema, at the theaters and at home.