Wisconsin Film Festival

Coverage archive related to the annual UW–Madison campus-based film festival that spans eight days in April.

After introducing herself to the casting director, actor Yuying Tang, dressed in a white button-down shirt, "screams" the part of a humanoid robotic servant.

The dead ends of language in the open-ended short film, “Noise”

Julian Castronovo shares the particulars behind his latest microbudget project, which sees its world premiere at the Wisconsin Film Festival on April 14.

Latest in Wisconsin Film Festival
A cropped image from the "I Like Movies" poster shows actor Isaiah Lehtinen sitting on the floor in the Sequels Video rental store. He wears a red shirt with a blue collar and stares into the distance.
We like movie posters: A 2023 Wisconsin Film Festival gallery

Creatures and characters adorn our favorite promotional art from this year's documentary and narrative features.

An image collage features the Wisconsin Film Festival logo and 2023 dates at top right. Underneath, a shot of Isaiah Lehtinen from Chandler Levack's "I Like Movies." Below that, Nyeisha Prince in Alison O'Daniel's "The Tuba Thieves." To her left, a shot of Jesse Wang in Andy Yi Li's short film, "After Sunset, Dawn Arrives." The top left features a shot of Nacho Sánchez in Carlos Vermut's "Manticore."
Treat yourself to the 2023 Wisconsin Film Festival

Our film team takes a first look at the gifts of this year's festival guide.

Hilldale General Manager Nanci Horn (left), Wisconsin Film Festival Director Of Operations Ben Reiser (center), and District 11 Alder Bill Tishler (right) speak at a Tuesday morning press conference in the lobby of the former AMC Madison 6. A "Wisconsin Film Festival 25 years" banner adorns the table with red balloons and "WFF Hilldale" logo backdrop.
Wisconsin Film Festival’s last picture show at Hilldale

The WFF teams up with the Hilldale Mall to host one final fest at the former AMC Madison 6 space from April 14-20.

The 2022 Wisconsin Film Festival diaries

Five writers detail their experiences of returning to the first in-person festival in Madison since April 2019.

“Shared Resources” sensitively frames family bonds and collective creativity

Emerging documentarian Jordan Lord shares insight into their multifaceted film, which is screening at the Chazen Museum Of Art on April 9 as part of the Wisconsin Film Festival.

Making a last-minute 2022 Wisconsin Film Festival itinerary

A Courtney Barnett documentary, "107 Mothers," "Ȋntregalde," "Claydream," and other recommendations, in brief, from our film writers.

The sensual catalyst of literature in “A Tale Of Love And Desire”

The Wisconsin Film Festival hosts the Wisconsin premiere of Leyla Bouzid's literally (and literarily) poetic coming-of-age film on April 9 at Wisconsin Union Theater.

Nic Cage’s laboratory bubbles over in the caustic and bizarre “Vampire’s Kiss”

Author Keith Phipps joins the Wisconsin Film Festival presentation of Robert Bierman's 1988 horror-tinged black comedy on April 10 at the Chazen Museum of Art.

Stop-motion opus “Mad God” probes the darkest recesses of the subconscious mind

Phil Tippett's painstakingly crafted apocalyptic vision screens as part of the Wisconsin Film Festival on April 10 at the Wisconsin Union Theater.