>> Today we have a treat for
you, an hour-long special
edition of Director's Cut.
Featuring the Wisconsin Film
Festival.
And for many of you film buffs
out there, this is like
Christmas, your birthday, and
your first kiss all rolled into
one.
We've got the director right
here, Meg Hamel.
Meg, are you pumped or what?
Getting ready for the festival.
>> First kiss, this is our 12th
year as a festival, how many
first kisses can you have?
>> Just one, but just the
general idea, the emotions.
You remember your first kiss?
>> I like to think of it as
welcoming back old friends.
Year after year, kind of
bringing people back and sort of
seeing our old friends again at
the festival.
>> There you go.
That does sound very exciting.
Now give us an overview of the
festival.
It's the 12th year, give me an
overview of what the Wisconsin
Film Festival is.
>> This is one of the festivals
that takes place in the state,
because there are a lot of film
festivals now growing around
Wisconsin.
But this one is in Madison and
it's presented by the University
of Wisconsin-Madison, so that's
one of the things that makes it
different.
We'll talk a lot over the course
of the next hour about other
ways in which this festival is a
little bit different from other
ones.
>> Like its awesomeness.
>> Well, lots of festivals have
their own kind of awesomeness.
But this one is presented by the
university and so it has a very
different kind of objective,
because a lot of it's
educational, as well as the fun
parts that come with seeing
movies.
And it's been growing for 12
years, and one of the fun parts
that we're looking forward to
this year is that it's actually
expanding from the tiny little
four-day festival that it's been
for a very long time to a fifth
day, so we're actually showing
films on Wednesday for the very
first time.
>> Wow, Wednesday films.
Everybody's like, "Ooh!"
So how do you choose, in
general, what's the process?
I mean, there are a lot of
movies out there.
First, how many movies are there
that you have at your festival?
>> Well, at this particular
festival this year, we'll have
192.
>> 192?
>> And that's a tiny, tiny
sliver of all the movies that
have been made in the course of
the last couple of years.
>> How do you get it down to
192?
>> Yeah, it's a long search.
So I spend all year looking for
films.
I have a year-round job putting
the festival together and a big
chunk of that is spending the
year watching movies.
So I scout films from all over
the world, I pay attention to
directors that I like, or
cinematographers, or actors, or
other people whose films I
admire and see what their latest
film is and try to bring back
that work to Madison.
Also just pay attention to what
other festivals are showing.
Things that have made news at
other events around the world.
And then pull together a very
deliberate, hand-picked group of
films just for this festival,
just for this audience, that are
only going to play together in
this combination here in Madison
during this one weekend.
>> It's also about the
combinations.
I like that.
You have the coolest job ever.
>> Yeah, I do.
It's great.
>> Well, we not only are going
to show a lot of clips in this
hour, we're also going to, our
very own Bob Trondson went out
and made some documentaries
about the Wisconsin Film
Festival, we're going to check
one out now that I really like
because it shows the community,
and kind of the getting together
like you mentioned of the
Wisconsin Film Festival.
We around here have been calling
this the "Atlanta-Madison
Connection Clip."
So let's roll that clip.
>> After the films,
the most important aspect
of the Wisconsin Film
Festival are the fans
themselves.
And they come from all over.
They come from Milwaukee,
Chicago, Atlanta.
Yes, even Atlanta.
? ?
So this is Alex Aulisi and,
Alex, can you tell us about the
Atlanta/Madison Cultural
Exchange.
>> Absolutely, I'm happy to.
A number of years ago, a friend
of mine decided she wanted to
come to Madison for the
Wisconsin Film Festival.
Jessica.
>> Tell me about how you guys
pick the movies
inter-continentally.
>> Inter-continentally.
I think that's intra-continental
because we're on the same
continent.
>> Okay.
( both laugh )
>> I pick up my guide
with the Isthmus on
Thursday.
And so she's looking at it
online, I'm looking at it on
paper, 'cause I need a pen, you
know?
But I read the descriptions of
all the films and I star the
ones I like.
Then it's the game of, what am I
willing to give up, because this
conflicts with this.
Now once I've got my schedule
done, and Jess has her schedule
done, we convene via phone.
>> Kind of like they're boxers,
that's what I'm imagining,
boxers in a ring, they come out
fighting, come in the middle.
>> I think this year we might
try Skype because then we have
video, which is even better.
>> So when you yell at each
other, you can yell at each
other a lot easier.
( laughs )
>> Jessica refused to go
see the movie about knitting
with me.
"Handmade Nation."
I love that movie.
Yes, I am a big geek, I'll admit
it.
>> So, I'm Jessica, I fly in.
Tell us about how the weekend
flies.
>> Oh, it's a little bit of
insanity.
We generally go to the Old
Fashioned for cheese curds
because Jessica's a huge cheese
curds fan, and then we start our
movies Thursday evening through
Sunday at about 9:00.
>> How many movies are we
talking now?
>> Well, we generally buy
tickets for 16 movies and four
days.
Our party time is in the
theater.
>> And you were an ambassador of
Madison --, what do you go to
Atlanta for?
>> Well, Dragon Con.
>> Dragon Con, okay.
>> The largest pop culture
convention in the United States.
>> I think once again the
geek-ness is coming out even
stronger now.
Do you have a Dragon Con tattoo?
>> I do not.
>> Okay.
>> Although, I have considered
it.
( both laugh )
>> What do you get
out of it, what do you get out
of the exchange and the
festival?
>> I've gone to film fest every
year with the exception of the
first year.
And for me, it was always a
solitary thing.
And then when Jessica decided to
start coming, I really wanted to
make sure that our experience
was the best it could be.
I mean, we really wanted to see
great movies and we really
wanted to do it together.
We're both huge film buffs.
And we solidified our friendship
through our love of the
Wisconsin Film Festival, which I
think is really pretty cool.
? ?
>> That's Bob Trondson
from Director's Cut on the
Wisconsin Film Festival.
That makes me want to go to the
film festival, of course I do.
Let's back up for a second.
What is a film festival, how is
a film festival different than
just me going to see "Avatar"?
>> Yeah, a film festival is
really a collection of movies
that have been specifically
chosen to come together to play
over, in our case, a five-day
weekend.
There are a lot of festivals
that can range 12 days long, or
longer.
And what's different about it is
that at a festival there will be
lots of different kinds of
movies playing all at the same
time.
And there is a group of people,
or an individual, that has very
specifically chosen that film to
play.
A lot of times when you go to
the commercial movie theater the
films you see have been slated
to play there by corporate
headquarters, that is just
trying to push that film through
that theater.
And so, what a festival does is
it gives that community a very
specific, carefully-chosen,
curated cross section of films.
>> And if you do a good job
you're vetting for them,
because, I'm a really busy guy
and I love alternative films.
And so, I get to trust a
festival to vet some really cool
stuff for me, because you've
already gone through that.
>> Yeah, almost everything in
the festival is there, at least
at the Wisconsin Film Festival,
is there because I've
specifically, I have actually
specifically seen it, chosen it,
and gone through the work to
book it and bring it to Madison.
I have people who help me with
that, and there's also a lot of
films that have been made in the
state that actually get selected
by a jury, that we'll talk about
later.
But the whole point of the
festival is to see films that
have been very carefully chosen
for this particular community.
I think of the community as the
entire state.
But this festival may share
films in common with other
festivals around the country,
but the particular combination
that's here is unique to
Wisconsin.
>> Talk about that clip we just
watched from that woman and her
friend in Atlanta.
>> Alex.
>> Yeah, what's interesting
about that clip is, I know, for
example, before the day the film
festival line-up came out in the
Isthmus, my friend had a party
and my wife and I went over
there and there were eight
people there, and they all had
laptops out and they were doing
research and trying to decide
their films.
And it is a community event, the
film festival, which is very
different than going to, again,
just to see "Avatar" because
it's this movie you want to see.
Why do people love, you may know
this more than anyone, why do
people love film festivals?
These people love the film
festival.
>> I actually am probably the
worst person, I don't make that
happen.
My job is to put on the event, I
take care of the logistics, I
choose the films and I take care
of a lot of the details.
As I like to say, I flick the
lights on and off inside the
theater.
But it's the audience that
brings that sort of passion.
It's Alex and her friends in
Atlanta and other people around
the city and around the state
that come to the festival.
They're the ones that really
bring that sort of passion and
for everybody it's different.
There are people who attend the
festival that like to do so
because they like being with
their friends and it's a better
way for them to get together as
friends.
I also know people who like to
come to the film festival by
themselves.
They can leave their family at
home, have a solo weekend.
It's like a little vacation all
on their own, where they don't
have to compromise, they don't
have to pay attention...
>> Eat as much popcorn as
they want.
>> They can do whatever they
want, right.
>> Sounds awesome.
Also, it's about the films.
We're going to show some clips
from different films.
And the first one, which I've
only seen now the clip and the
trailer of this film, it's
called "Children of Invention."
Tell us a little bit about it,
we'll see the clip, it really
makes me want to go see it.
Tell me about that film.
>> This is a film, "Children of
Invention" has played at a lot
of festivals around this country
and, in fact, around the world.
So this is a film that I think
is a great example of the kinds
of American independent
filmmaking that is happening
that shines the most at the
festivals.
Films like this don't always get
picked up for distribution to
come to the commercial movie
theater later.
You may only be able to come see
films like this at the festival.
And what festivals are really
trying to do is represent the
entire rest of the iceberg of
filmmaking.
When you go to the commercial
movie theater, you'll see a tiny
sliver of all the films that
were ever made in the last
couple years.
And so what festivals are trying
to do is say, there's a whole
lot more out there.
And films like "Children of
Invention" really shine because
they're beautifully written,
beautifully filmed, put
together, and are films that, a
lot of people who go to see them
really find a much more direct
personal and intimate connection
with.
>> Well, let's see a clip
from "Children of Invention."
( door thudding )
>> Raymond, it's closed.
Let's go home now.
>> We have to walk around until
it opens in the morning.
>> I don't want to be in Boston
anymore.
>> Do you want a million dollars
or not?
>> I do, but I don't want to be
in Boston anymore!
Raymond?
>> What?
>> If we had a million dollars,
why did we sell the house?
>> Because Mom put it there for
an emergency.
And now it's an emergency.
>> You said Grandma put it in
there.
>> Yeah, Grandma put it there.
>> Was it Mom or Grandma?
>> What?
You don't believe me?
>> We should've stayed at home.
>> We don't have a choice, Mom's
gone.
>> She's not gone, stop saying
that!
>> She is gone.
>> I don't believe you that
there's a million dollars and I
don't believe you that Mom's
gone.
>> Shut up, you don't know
anything.
>> Give me some money.
>> I don't have any money.
>> I'm going to call Dad.
>> Stop saying you're going to
call Dad!
>> He can drive down from
Providence and come pick us up.
>> He can't, we're on our own.
>> He can, you just don't want
him to.
>> Dad lives in Hong Kong.
He just tells you he lives in
Providence so you won't get
upset.
That's why we have to go to
Great-Grandpa's house to call,
and that's why we won't see him
until he comes back to the US.
>> He's going to come back for
my birthday.
>> That's because he has a
conference here.
Mom left just like Dad left and
now we have to take care of
ourselves.
( crying )
>> Dad does live in Providence.
>> Aw, that breaks my heart,
I've only seen two minutes of
it.
Well, why did you pick that
particular film?
>> I mean, I picked this film
because I love it.
It's a great story, and these
two actors are fantastic.
>> Yeah, geez.
>> But the film itself fits into
a small series of films that we
have at the festival that really
talk about the Asian-American
landscape.
And so this is one of the
aspects of the Wisconsin Film
Festival that's a little
different.
Because we're a project of the
University of Wisconsin, we pair
up with different campus
programs every year, slightly
different combination and choose
films with them.
So, we have a handful of films
in the festival that we do in
conjunction with the
Asian-American Studies program,
and there are a bunch of other
series we have in the festival
as well.
We have films from Brazil, we
have films from Africa, films
from South Asia.
And so this was a film that was
sort of jointly programmed,
that's the word we use to
reflect a film that's chosen for
the festival.
It was jointly programmed by me,
'cause I think it's a dynamite
motion picture, and also then by
the Asian-American Studies
program because it's a way to
talk about the Asian-American
experience.
>> Wow, that's so interesting.
I was thinking about the label
"independent film," because
these are in general, when
people think of film festivals
they think, we're going to see
independent films.
But that label is kind of weird
to me, what does that really
mean, but at the same time, you
do choose independent films
mostly, right?
>> Well, I don't choose films
because they're independent.
>> No, no.
>> Because that's true, over the
years it's become a label more
than a definition or
description.
What I'm looking for are films,
I mean, across the board I'm
trying to find all different
kinds of films for the festival.
We show documentary films,
experimental films, short films,
so films that are just of
shorter length, and when do you
get a chance to see those
outside of Director's Cut ,
right?
It's hard to do.
But I'm also looking for films
that tell different kinds of
stories.
And tell the stories in
different ways.
So some of the films we have in
the festival are huge
blockbusters that might have
been made by studios in other
countries, for example.
>> Right, right.
>> It's not independent, but
it's going to be really hard to
find that film here in the
United States.
So it's less that independence
is the defining characteristic.
What often succeeds the most as
a festival film here is the
story where, there's clearly a
vision followed through by the
people that created the film.
The producers, the directors,
the actors, where everybody's on
board creating this one
particular story.
And that can often be the
defining characteristic between
that and Hollywood studio films
where people get hired to make
somebody else's story into a
film.
>> That's a big difference.
>> So in a lot of cases when
we're looking at films for the
festival, I'm dealing directly
with the director.
>> That's interesting, right.
>> Who might have scripted the
film, cast it.
>> Not his PR agent.
>> That's right.
>> We're going to see another
clip now which is "Eggshell
Land," which is obviously not
made by a Hollywood film.
This is a clip from the
documentary "Eggshell Land."
>> My grandma and grandpa are,
like, famous, like really
famous.
>> There's a lot of publicity
surrounding it, which is great,
because my dad loves it.
>> In the newspaper, the
headlines, "It's Egg-citing,"
just this really corny play on
words that they do all the time.
Just kind of funny.
>> They've been on the Today
Show, they've been in the
newspaper, they've been on
Channel 3 and stuff.
? ?
( applause )
>> That was Montel
as an egghead!
( laughter )
Please welcome Ronald and Betty
to the show.
( applause )
>> Right now,
on "Extreme Cuisine."
If you usually crack your eggs
like this, stop.
There's someone in Ohio who
needs them whole.
>> This is "Early Today."
>> In Lyndhurst people flocked
to one yard for an eggshell
extravaganza.
Take a look at this.
Every year, one couple decorates
their yard...
>> Most of the local stations
come out every year and do a
piece on it or two.
>> If you're looking for
something to do this Easter
weekend, how about a trip to
Eggshell Land.
>> Eggshell Land.
Channel 3's Katherine Boyd has
eggs-clusive details.
>> Especially the news media.
They do the corny, the Eggman.
>> There's a guy out there in
Lyndhurst who cannot be beat.
>> Ron Manolio is the Eggs-pert.
>> He's all that he's cracked up
to be.
>> Mr. Manolio does not put all
of his eggs in one basket.
>> You've heard about walking on
eggshells, haven't you?
>> Walking on eggshells.
>> A bunch of shell shock.
>> Eggs-austing.
>> And a word once spoken is
like an eggshell broken.
>> You're eggs-agerating.
>> That's what my dad lives for.
It's something that he does that
makes him feel good.
So he wants to tell everybody
and anybody that'll come and
listen.
>> You do not see a documentary
about eggshells every day.
How many, do you have ratios in
mind, like, that's a
documentary.
And a lot of films are
documentaries, then you have
full-length feature films, short
films.
Do you have a ratio in your mind
when you're, three weeks from
now and the film festival's
over, you're like, okay.
>> No, I think probably, now
that you suggest that, I think
that would probably be the
disastrous way to go.
>> Then don't do it that way.
>> Trying to choose films in
order to meet a certain quota, I
think would probably end up
being kind of a disaster.
So what I have is just sort of
this gut sense as I'm putting
the festival program together,
of certain corners of the cinema
world that I want to try to hit.
But there's definitely no quota
that I'm trying to meet.
>> Just Meg magic.
>> Well, it's not me, again,
it's the audience.
I'm looking for films that I
think are going to both meet
people's expectations, in the
case of "Eggshell Land," which I
think is an incredibly charming
documentary about the Manolio
family in Ohio, who every year
at Easter time, decorate their
lawn with colored eggshells that
illustrate certain patterns.
It's a story that is just, it's
like who we are as people.
It's just a neighborhood,
somewhere else, but a
neighborhood, and a guy who
really likes to put on a good
show.
And so there are films like that
that I like to choose for the
festival because they make you
smile.
It's fascinating to see this
entire family pitch in and
create this project.
But there are other kinds of
films that I choose because I
really want to push people's
boundaries a little bit more.
So not just meet their
expectations but really help
expand their idea of what
filmmaking is and what motion
pictures can be.
>> And I think people, partially
expect that at a film festival.
I do, I think if I'm going to
see a Hollywood film at the 3D
animated thing, I'm going to get
spoon fed and I expect it and
that's what I'm going for,
complete escape.
But sometimes at a film festival
I take a chance.
And then you're taking a chance,
and that can be really
interesting experience, even if
I don't like it necessarily,
it's been a very different
experience.
The other thing I think happens
at your festival, and I don't go
to a lot of other film
festivals, I don't know if this
is true, is that people go in
groups.
I know my friends go and buy
tickets in blocks and go in
groups, and I think the
filmmaking experience normally
is like a date, or one person
going.
What is it about your film
festival or film festivals in
general that make it conducive
for people to want to go in
groups and be with that film.
What happens there?
>> You know, Charles, I actually
think that's, I think people do
that because that is what feels
right.
That movie going is actually
meant to be more social.
And actually I sort of feel like
the way we've come to go to
movies is actually what's more
artificial.
So festivals just feel normal.
You talk to people in line, you
hang out with folks that you
never met before.
You might be in a crowded movie
theater and so you're sitting
next to somebody who's going to
ask you to hold their seat, and
of course you say, yes, I would
be happy to do that.
And you make conversation with
people.
A lot of people attend the
Wisconsin Film Festival and talk
about how much they like
chatting with strangers that
they meet in line.
>> So interesting.
>> I don't know why more people
just don't do this in their
regular life, because this is
what feels normal.
Again, it's not because I've
decreed that this is what's
going to happen at the Wisconsin
Film Festival.
>> You will talk to your friend
next door you don't know!
>> I'm not in control of that.
But it's how people feel more
comfortable.
>> And it's nice, you've created
an atmosphere.
And I want to show another clip,
this is again from Bob Trondson
from Director's Cut and this is
showing that you guys have a TV
commercial, and this is showing
how it's a collaboration made.
Let's roll that clip.
? ?
>> The Wisconsin Film Festival
is built on partnerships,
and it could be
argued that no partnership is as
important or as strong as the
relationship between the
Wisconsin Film Festival and the
University of Wisconsin.
The UW provides everything from
theaters and technical advice
to, in this case, promotion.
? ?
So this is Brittany and
Erik, it's a lovely Sunday
afternoon and we are stuck in
this room doing what, exactly?
>> Well, we are working on the
Wisconsin Film Festival TV spot.
? ?
>> We're going to make a
30-second TV commercial that
announces the festival, lets
people know what the dates are,
how to get tickets.
? ?
>> I'm a junior.
>> Junior at?
>> The University of
Wisconsin-Madison, and yes, I'm
a Comm Arts and Journalism
double major.
>> At the end of the semester
last year we had a show of all
the student work, and I saw
animation that Brittany did and
I really liked it.
This year the graphic style
of the festival is kind of this
-- animation.
When I saw Brittany's animation,
I thought there was a good fit
there.
>> Does this give you an
opportunity to do things that
you would not normally have a
chance to do?
>> Definitely.
Erik and Nate, who has been
helping us from Planet
Propaganda, have been really
good resources for me.
Really supportive of the work
I've been doing.
I know where I'm going with the
project, but it's really nice to
have them behind me saying,
"This looks good, let's improve
on it."
That's been really great to
just have them with me for the
whole ride.
>> I think the partnership
between the university and the
film festival has been a huge
benefit to students.
>> This is definitely something
that I'm going to be able to
show people, and say, "With the
help of Erik and Nate I created
this, and I'm really proud of
it," so, yeah.
It's been a really cool
experience actually.
>> One of the unique parts of
the Wisconsin Film Festival, the
part of the students.
Another unique part of your film
festival, I think, and maybe
it's a stereotype I have, and
others have, of film festivals,
is this red carpet thing, and
all this VIP access, and all the
schmoozing.
You don't do that.
I don't think, there might be a
carpet that happens to be red
going in, but you don't really
do the red carpet thing.
Is it a Midwestern thing, is it
a Madison thing?
Because you're trying to create
a culture, right?
>> I think there's just a lot of
things that all contribute to
the same result.
Part of it is, it's not my
style, so I would have a hard
time trying to pull that off.
And a lot of film festivals
actually, what they try to do is
mimic, they try to be Hollywood.
Well, here in Madison and here
in the state of Wisconsin, we
have a lot to be proud of.
We don't have to be anybody
else, we can just be ourselves.
And ourselves means showing
incredible motion pictures
without also having a lot of
those other glamour trappings.
But mostly, because this is an
event completely put on, the
collaboration between the
University of Wisconsin and our
businesses that help sponsor the
festival, it remains an
educational event.
I mean, it is a project of the
University of Wisconsin, and so
what we're trying to do, really,
is just expose people to a wider
range of motion pictures, and
not build up this exclusive
culture of, only access to some
films for some people.
>> Which I respect, but then,
the other problem you run into
if you're making it educational,
and that I worry about
sometimes, it's like wine
tasting.
It has an elite, film festivals
have an elite feel to me, and I
was wondering how you try to
overcome that for certain
members of the population in
Madison or Wisconsin that aren't
as educated or don't fit into
the stereotype to make it less
exclusionary.
>> Well, it doesn't have to be
elite.
The only way that you get to
that pretentious or elite status
is by imposing that upon your
event.
With the festival, tickets are
cheap so it's relatively
accessible to most people.
There's no special access that
some people get and other people
don't.
It's really just about putting
on a good show and having a lot
of movies to choose from, also.
Everything's equal.
All movies have the same kind of
access.
>> Yeah, that's cool.
>> And so, what we do here at
the festival is run as many as
ten theaters, this year we'll
have eight running theaters.
So there's just a ton of
choices, so there are just lots
of options for everybody.
And as long as you don't
willingly, manually put some
sort of VIP access or some other
kind of obstacle in people's
way, then it will be open to
everybody.
>> Great, let's see another
clip.
This is a great film, a clip
from "The Thorn in the Heart."
( speaking French )
( screams )
( speaking French )
>> That movie looks absolutely
fantastic and I also want to
comment, there's the screener
thing written across the top
there, when you go to see it at
the film festival, that will not
be on there, it's just my copy.
That film, "Thorn in the Heart,"
was also featured, I was looking
it up, at the South by Southwest
Festival, it was at the Cannes
Film Festival.
Does that bug you?
Like you didn't get it first, or
you don't get the premiere of
it, or you don't care about any
of that?
You just want a good movie.
>> I just want a good movie.
I just want to bring really
delightful movies here.
The fact that it might have
played in Austin, Texas or in
Cannes, France, doesn't meant
that our audience here gets to
see it.
>> That's a good point.
>> So this is a documentary by
Michel Gandri, who's a French
filmmaker who is known for doing
fictional films.
And this is a documentary that
he made about his aunt Suzette.
And so this is another kind of
fun thing about festivals, is
that you get to see, in this
case, a different side to a
filmmaker who's known for doing
quite extraordinary fantastical
films.
He has a very creative kind of
style that he uses for his
regular films.
And so to see a documentary that
he creates about his own family
is a really interesting side to
this.
>> Wherever he is, he still as
an Aunt Suzette like everybody
else, that's really nice.
We're going to see another clip,
but actually we're not going to
see another clip because what I
want to do next is, I thought it
would be fun to actually
experience the film festival.
We're going to show an entire
film.
Would you set it up for us,
we're going to watch a whole
film.
>> Well, this is a film called
"Sub-Prime."
It's a little three-minute
film by a Wisconsin filmmaker
named Mike Winkleman, whose
animations had been in the
festival before.
And so one of the things I like
is also being able to see the
style of a particularly animator
change over the course of the
years.
And so I get to see him try new
things.
And this is something that we
get to include in the festival
and share with our audience.
>> Break out the popcorn, we're
going to watch an entire film.
This is "Sub-Prime."
? ?
( animation zooms )
( sound of trees growing,
boards creaking )
( man humming )
( house clatters )
( house pieces
zooming into place )
( house clatter s)
( upbeat techno music )
? ?
( trees popping up )
( music grows quiet )
>> Well, there you go,
an entire movie.
I love it, we just watched an
entire movie, I love it.
That was a Wisconsin film.
>> Yeah.
>> One of the things I liked,
there's lots of things to talk
about in that film, but that
was, you feature Wisconsin
filmmakers.
How many do you do and how do
you go about doing that?
>> This is the other half of the
festival that's really
important, and one half that we
talked about was bring films
from around the world, like "The
Thorn in the Heart," Michel's
film.
But the other half that's really
important is showing films that
are made right here.
There are a lot of Wisconsin
filmmakers who, regrettably,
have fewer opportunities to get
their work seen.
And nothing to do with quality,
it just is because it's a huge
world, and not enough screens,
really, to show locally made
films.
>> That's the quote of the day,
it's a huge world and not enough
screens.
>> There should be more screens.
And so, one of the things
festivals do is make it a
priority to give local
filmmakers a platform.
And this is not unique to the
Wisconsin Film Festival,
festivals around the world do
this for people in their own
community.
And so this is a top priority
for us.
So each year many films that
have Wisconsin ties get
submitted to the festival.
And we have, every year we have
a jury that looks at those
films, and it's the jury that
actually decides which of the
Wisconsin films make it into the
festival.
And so that's a little bit
different because, then, some of
these films e a surprise for
me because I'm not the one
actually choosing them.
>> How fun.
>> And so it's the delightful
part for me to be able to then
see which films were selected by
the jury.
>> Not only do you do Wisconsin
filmmakers, you're a part of the
UW so you also do student films.
>> That's right.
>> Which, from my understanding,
they're the first to sell out,
that's the most popular.
People love, kids love watching
the student films, right?
>> It's really important to be
able to support those students
who are making films, whether
they've made films within a
college classroom or whether
they're making films on their
own.
But it's true that the Wisconsin
Film Festival has its own
submission process and its own
competition for Wisconsin films
made either by students in the
state or by Wisconsin residents
that might be going to school
elsewhere.
>> There you go.
There's one we're going to show
a clip from, it's from a
Milwaukee student.
We're actually not going to show
a clip, this is Bob Trondson,
this is another clip from Dao
Chang, she's a young filmmaker,
and this is a great clip about
how she made this film.
? ?
>> Being an independent
filmmakers is hard work.
No other calling demands
harnessing so many different
tools.
Writing, producing, directing.
The look of the film, the sound
of the film, the list goes on
and on.
But when you finish your piece
and you get it into a festival
like the Wisconsin Film
Festival, there's nothing like
it.
The crowds, the audience, the
energy.
It makes all the hard work worth
it.
? ?
>> I guess I was looking for
evidence that I had a happy
family.
It's funny.
>> Dao Chang, Joe Zaucko, and
Meg Strobel, all from Milwaukee,
created a documentary
called "My Way Home."
The film is about Dao
returning to her homeland in
Laos.
Her goal, to connect with the
memory of her mother, who died
in a refugee camp in Thailand
when Dao was still a baby.
>> Yes, this was one of the
hardest things I've ever done,
it was always a struggle between
me as the filmmaker and me as
the subject.
Because me as the filmmaker is a
completely different person than
me as the subject.
So I just needed to find a way
to put them together.
? ?
( speaking Hmong )
>> I don't speak Hmong, and a
lot of the filming was in Hmong.
So it was interesting to not
always know exactly what footage
you got.
( speaking Hmong )
>> And Dao, did you always know,
obviously, because you can speak
the language, did you know, we
got some really good stuff?
>> The team would always just
look towards me and they'd
always give me that look like,
"Are we done?
Did we get it?"
I'd be like, "Yeah, we got it."
>> So you're sitting at home,
you're reading a book, taking a
shower, whatever, and you hear
that you're in the Wisconsin
Film Festival.
What was the reaction?
>> I screamed, not that loud,
because I'm not a loud person,
but I did because I was really
excited, yeah.
>> Do you think that the
Wisconsin Film Festival is part
of the journey of becoming a
filmmaker as well, because it's
not just about creating it, it's
about that next step, too, of
getting it to people.
>> Seeing it with an audience is
a lot different.
And there were moments with our
280 hours of footage where we
were like, "I really like this
moment but I can't really
understand why, or why I'm drawn
to it."
And then when you see it with
an audience, you'll just get a
soft sigh, or you'll feel the
audience reacting, and you're
like, "Oh, we made a great
choice."
>> What do you hope the
audience reaction will be at the
festival?
What do you hope they take away
from it?
>> The -- a film that's just
very personal, about Dao's
story.
I think, I hope, it will be a
positive experience for people,
open some eyes.
>> I don't know, I hope that
people who watch this would,
like, reflect on their selves
and their own history and
hopefully it motivates them to
go out and seek these answers.
Everyone has their own history
and their own story.
>> That was Dao Chang and she's
actually going to be a guest on
Director's Cut on May 13th,
Thursday, May 13th at 9:00,
check it out.
"My Way Home," definitely one of
my favorite films of the year
and of course I get to watch it
because it's on the show.
She's won the special jury
prize, right?
The Wisconsin special jury
prize?
>> There are eight films this
year, three student-made films
and five regular what we call
"Wisconsin's Own" films.
Eight films total were given
what we now call the "Golden
Badger" for Wisconsin
filmmaking.
We used to just call it "special
jury award" and...
>> I like "Golden Badger."
>> I thought, I wanted
something that would make people
smile when we said it out loud.
>> Do they get a...?
>> No, there's an award.
There's a plaque, but it is not
an actual badger that is gold.
>> We'll talk about that later.
So how is that, how is the
Golden Badger chosen and how
does that work?
>> Well, this is what the jury
does.
So we have two juries, and one
of the things they do is
actually choose which of all the
submitted films are going to
play in the festival and there's
over 50 films with Wisconsin
connections that are playing in
the festival.
But then they also single out
certain ones for recognition and
those are the eight films that
win the Golden Badger.
Could be a different number
every year.
Again, I don't like the quota
idea, so it's just whatever
films that the juries think have
particular merit, have
accomplished something
technically and artistically to
get that extra recognition.
>> I was very touched by that
movie when I saw it, and it's
like, you know it's an hour-long
film about a young Hmong girl
going back home.
And you're, like, you don't see
that, that's the kind of thing
you don't really get to see.
It's nice that that
opportunity's there.
>> And one thing that Meg
Strobel, who is the producer in
that clip, talked about, is
where the festival fits into it.
Of course, the film, the movie,
they did all the hard work, they
made the movie, that's the great
part.
The festival is just the glue
that sticks a bunch of films
together.
But what Meg talked about was
the idea of watching this now in
front of a live audience.
You can make the most wonderful
film in the world, but unless
it's shown to an audience, it
doesn't exist.
It has to be seen in order to
exist.
And so there are fewer
opportunities for filmmakers to
actually be able to see their
work alongside with the live
audience.
So when she talked about the
sigh, or the reaction of the
audience, this is something a
lot of filmmakers really
treasure, this opportunity that
they only get at festivals.
>> I bet, I bet.
>> To see, when do they laugh,
when does the audience react?
Are they quiet during that scene
or do they cheer?
And so that's a really fun part
of the festival for me, is being
able to see that process take
place with filmmakers.
>> I'm going to take a complete
90 degree turn here, we're going
to show another clip, this is
from a documentary called
"Waking Sleeping Beauty."
>> That is a little baby cub,
and he is just the cutest thing.
And this guy is going to grow up
to be 750 pounds.
( both laugh )
>> Ever since Frank's death,
Jeffrey was lobbying
for Frank's job as
president of the company.
But Roy wouldn't have anything
to do with it.
He already felt uncomfortable
with the amount of press Jeffrey
was getting.
>> I was out fought on these
movies, I was selling the films.
The more successful they were,
the more attention came to me,
the more I was able to get
attention for the films.
( crew chattering )
At the time, I think many people
felt, am I doing this for me and
my own career?
I think Michael became very
competitive with me at some
point in this.
He was uncomfortable with the
amount of attention and the
recognition that I was getting
for it.
I think Roy was extremely
uptight about it.
( singing "Hakuna Matata" )
>> We heard one day that Jeffrey
was going to come in with a
reporter from the Wall Street
Journal that was going to follow
us around to show how the movie
got made.
And Jeffrey performed for the
journalist and we created what
looked like a slice of how the
movie actually got made.
And in that article, Jeffrey was
proclaimed "the guy who is
saving Disney animation."
>> That was kind of a last
straw kind of a thing for me.
I was just incensed by that.
>> Another clip from the
Wisconsin Film Festival.
Do you like all the films?
>> Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.
>> Like all 192 films, you like
them all?
>> Yeah, that's why they're in
the festival, because I like
'em.
I like these and I like a whole
lot more that didn't even make
it into the festival.
This is, the film that we just
saw, "Waking Sleeping Beauty,"
is another film, though, that
actually has a Wisconsin
connection.
The executive producer of this
film, Peter Schneider, is from
Madison.
His folks still live here.
And Peter's actually going to be
at the festival because he's
going to be presenting this
film.
He used to work at Disney.
He was head of Disney studios
for many years, during the time
that this film covers, the sort
of resurgence of Disney's
animation studios.
And so what I enjoy about this
film is not just a slice of film
history, looking at one of the
most successful movie brands
ever, but the fact that one of
the guys who was instrumental in
actually creating the films,
like "Lion King" and "Little
Mermaid," that is featured
within this particular
documentary, he's from Madison.
And so he's coming back and he's
going to be here for the
screening.
>> And you do have speakers
afterwards and do different
things, that makes it
interesting, to have the
directors there.
I found that really cool.
I have a personal question for
you if you don't mind me asking,
a personal question.
Obviously, you're into film,
this is something that's part of
your life and you wouldn't have
gotten this job, you wouldn't
have tried to get this job and
do this if you didn't love it.
Obviously you work more than 40
hours a week and this
encompasses your existence.
I respect that.
How many years have you been the
director?
>> This is my 10th year with the
festival, and my fifth year as
festival director.
>> Do you find that watching 192
films a year and being in the
business of films and all this
stuff, does it take some of the
love of films away for you, or
does it make you love it even
more?
>> You love it even more.
Because instead of the movies
simply just being about the end
result of what it feels like
during that hour and 40 minutes
when you sit there as the
viewer, and just watch the final
product, it's so much more
fascinating when you know more
about it.
Not just how movies are made in
general, like how do you shoot a
film, but actually when you get
to know who the people are.
It's all about the people.
>> I'm the same as you, I do
this for a living and I
interview these directors, and
now I'm like, "Independent
Wisconsin films are the greatest
films ever!"
because I think these people
are awesome.
>> Yeah, doing this over and
over year after year doesn't
make me like it less.
I like it a lot more because I
get to know more of the people
who make the films, of course,
with the festival I know more of
the people in the audience who
are actually coming, literally
the people who show up to see
these movies.
And that just drives me to want
to do this more and more and
more, yeah.
>> So we should do a couple
festivals a year, you won't be
too tired.
>> It would be wonderful, I wish
I could, yeah.
>> Set up another clip for us,
this is the film "Bomber," which
looks completely awesome, so why
don't you tell us a couple
seconds about that one and we'll
show a clip.
>> So, "Bomber" is a film from
England, and this is a film that
I really like because it's just,
to me it represents the classic
kind of festival film.
It's understated, it's not
flashy, and yet it has the most
charming, tender story.
The three actors in it are
wonderful.
When I first saw this film I was
delighted because Benjamin
Whitrow, who plays the father in
"Bomber," I first fell in love
with when he played the father
in Jane Austen's "Pride and
Prejudice" that was on BBC years
ago.
And so, I think he's a
tremendous actor and so I have
gotten to know the filmmakers
who have been putting this
together.
And so this is a little slice
from across the Atlantic of a
film that, I don't know what its
commercial prospects are, that's
not my job.
I don't know how to assess
whether a film could ever do
well commercially here in the
United States.
But I certainly know from a
festival point of view that this
is exactly the kind of film that
I personally really enjoy
showing.
>> Well, let's show a slice.
>> They're going to make us a
sandwich, we'll take it with us.
>> Did they understand you?
>> I think so.
Young lad in the kitchen spoke a
bit of English.
I do hope he's going to feel
better soon.
>> What, the lad in the kitchen?
>> Ross.
>> Oh, oh.
>> He's taken quite a knock, you
know.
>> Being a bit of a sissy, if
you ask me.
>> No one's asking you and
that's not very nice.
>> He's hysterical.
>> He's a sensitive boy.
>> Yes, well, we know where he
gets that from.
>> Meaning?
>> No wonder Ledger's dumped
him.
>> You don't know what you're
talking about.
>> Oh, of course she has.
Women want someone who's
reliable, tough, and strong.
Not someone who's always harping
on about their feelings.
It's the sign of a poofter.
>> How would you know what a
woman wants?
>> Did I ever harp on about my
emotions to you?
>> No.
>> Exactly.
>> You never did.
>> Well, there you go.
I mean, completely lost control.
>> Mm.
>> I wouldn't throw a temper
like that.
>> Oh, really?
>> No.
>> What about the time I bought
the dishwasher?
>> We didn't need it.
>> You didn't need it, you had
me.
>> I liked doing the dishes.
>> Of course you did.
You were never there.
>> I don't remember losing my
temper.
>> I do.
>> We couldn't afford it.
>> You went through the roof.
>> I did not.
>> You did.
( waitress speaks German )
>> Thank you, danke schoen.
Young man in the kitchen says
this is their local specialty.
It's supposed to be very good.
Would you like to try some?
Mm, delightful.
Sure you won't have some?
>> It's a wonder you don't get
fat.
>> Oh, just want to sit there
and watch the movie.
>> Needless to say, there are
some personal issues that they
work through during the course
of the film.
>> Yes, I hope they come to a
resolution in the end.
The Wisconsin Film Festival,
what kind of economic impact
does it have on Wisconsin or in
Madison?
It's huge, it must have a big
impact.
>> It's actually, the festival
is actually a fairly small
project.
It's a tiny little project put
on by the university.
We have a staff of two and rely
on a huge number of volunteers.
>> Maybe it just impacts my
life.
>> So, it's large because so
many people enjoy coming.
And we are able to connect with
so many filmmakers.
I think that its impact has a
lot less to do with an economic
baseline and more of a cultural
one of just being able to bring
stories from around the world
and to find other ways of
introducing people to films, so
that's what I think is
important.
>> I understand why the mall
movie theater's going to show
"Avatar" for 13 weeks in a row
and won't show this film,
"Bomber."
I get that.
I understand that.
What I have a hard time
understanding is why we can't,
and occasionally we can do this
more, but why we can't rent all
these movies.
Why, since it's so easy to see
the Hollywood spoon-fed stuff,
which again, I don't mind,
sometimes it's fun having an
escape to do that.
Why isn't it easier to rent, I
just don't understand why we
can't see these films more
often.
Why are they almost impossible
to see?
>> It is getting easier and
easier.
As each year passes, there are
more way to do it.
There are more films that become
available on DVD, there are
other tools, we can now stream
things over the internet that
come a little faster, we can
watch things on our television
sets a little easier.
There's more on-demand options.
But one of the things that still
matters, I think, is that with
all of these new systems
available, sure, you have 100
times more choices of what
movies you could watch tonight
than you would have had five
years ago.
But what still matters is the
idea of bringing people out into
the community.
And that's why festivals still
exist.
This festival's not going away
any time soon.
>> Netflix is not going to
replace the Wisconsin Film
Festival.
>> Right, because even if, even
if you could see every single
one of these films from the
privacy of your own home on
television, you'd miss something
really important, which is the
idea of watching them with your
friends and neighbors in a
crowded movie theater.
And when movies are funny,
you'll laugh a lot harder.
>> It's weird to watch a comedy
alone, isn't it?
I didn't think about that, or
cry alone, if it's really sad.
Like, who do I look at and
elbow?
>> One of the fun parts about
the festival, we have four films
by a South Korean filmmaker
named --, who is one of my
personal favorite filmmakers.
So he has a new film out called
"Mother" that we're going to
show at the end of the festival.
And I just decided, 'cause I get
to do this as the festival
director, I decided to bring his
three earlier films back to the
festival.
>> Great.
>> So what I mean is, there's a
film called "The Host," which he
directed, which came out a
couple of years ago, so a lot of
people watching the show may
have seen "The Host" already.
And they might have seen it on
DVD, they might have seen it on
television.
But one of the thrills of the
festival is being able to show a
funny, scary film like "The
Host," which is not new to
people, as I said.
It came out a couple of years
ago and it's very popular.
But to show it at the big
Orpheum theater on State St.
in Madison, late at night, 10:00
at night on Thursday, when there
will be a whole lot of other
people in the theater.
When you watch a funny movie or
a scary movie, or even better, a
funny, scary movie, together
with a big audience, that's when
people fall in love with the
movies.
They don't fall in love with
watching DVDs at home, that's a
convenience.
>> The Jean Claude Van Damme
film, from last year.
>> JCVD.
>> I watched it with a bunch of
people.
I loved it because it was there,
it was great.
Well, we're running out of time.
I really, really am excited for
the film festival and a lot of
people are.
We're going to show a little
montage of some films so people
get more of a flavor of the
Wisconsin film festival.
Thank you very much for joining
us today.
>> Thank you, Charles.
( speaking foreign language )
( singing in foreign language )
? ?
( speaking foreign language )
>> Tell me, some place you know
about?
>> I joined the Church of
Scientology.
>> Good.
>> I'm already a level 5 tekron
warrior.
>> Hi, baby.
I'm Carly, what's your name?
>> Um, I'm Michael.
>> And what can I do for you
this morning, Michael?
>> This will just take a minute.
>> What will take just a minute?
>> My next errand.
>> What is your next errand,
that is my actual question.
? ?
>> Ah, this just keeps getting
better and better.
? ?
( speaking foreign language )
>> God, those films look
amazing, sumo film in Israel, I
love it.
Meg, thank you very much for
joining us today.
>> Thank you, Charles.
>> And thank you all very much
for watching Director's Cut.
For more information on the
Wisconsin Film Festival, please
go to wpt. org/directorscut.
And while you're there, send us
an email because we love hearing
from you.
We leave you now with one more
behind-the-scenes report from
Bob Trondson, which sums up the
essence of the Wisconsin Film
Festival.
I'm Charles Monroe-Kane, and for
everyone here
at Director's Cut,
thank you very much for joining
us.
Check the gate.
? ?
>> So, when you think about
going to a film, you think about
going with a buddy, a partner,
or even going by yourself.
But unless you're a gaggle of
middle school girls, you don't
normally think of going to a
movie as a group event.
But not these fans.
These fans of the festival, they
love film.
And they love to talk about
film.
And for them, the Wisconsin Film
Festival is an exercise in group
dynamics.
? ?
>> How does one "movie group"?
>> Well, first you have to be
really enthusiastic about the
films.
>> It started out as a
get-together, support group for
recently divorced people back in
the late 70s.
>> Started on a Wednesday, we
went out to dinner.
>> Over the hump.
>> You go to the movies on all
the doldrum days of Sunday
afternoon, and we potluck at
somebody's house, and then
hopefully you talk about it all
evening over your food and
drink.
>> There are certain weeks when
the movie that we have seen in
the movie group doesn't get as
much attention as the food at
the potluck.
>> You are in for life once you
get in, but it is a select
group.
>> There's a blood oath, I
assume.
>> Oh yeah, and I'm sworn to
secrecy, so we can't talk about
that.
>> If I want to get in but I
happen to think that the number
one actor in the world for
talent is someone like the Rock,
would I be not...?
How was bringing the festival
into the movie group, was it
just an organic thing?
>> It was not at all a
formalized thing, it was just,
various of us started straggling
to the film festival.
>> I personally go to maybe six,
seven movies.
>> We did, I think, ten one
year.
>> Once we saw twelve, that's
too many.
>> We go to 12 to 14 movies
throughout the weekend in a row.
>> I have this image of your
group of women, walk out of the
place, the limo shows up, the
doors open, and you're whisked
away to the next one.
>> I only wish.
>> Do you find a big difference
between the "normal films" and
the film festival films?
Do you find that a lot
different?
>> Oh, yeah, huge difference.
>> It's a different level of
enthusiasm, though, because
everything in regular films is
pretty well Hollywood-ized.
But you go to the film festival
and it's just all these
incredibly creative minds.
>> I say to people, they say,
how do you pick a movie and I
say, well, it doesn't matter.
If you get a movie you don't
like you've got six more.
>> And one of the nicest things
is, when they have the people
there who are the writers, the
directors, the cinematographers.
And you can actually see the
people and it makes it so much
more meaningful, and ask them
questions.
So it has that whole aura of
great excitement.
( applause )
>> To me, the highlight
of the entire film festival,
is Meg Hamel.
Whenever she's introducing a
movie, I want to see that movie.
She has been very keen on movies
ever since she had a wall full
of VHS tapes.
So I make out my list of tickets
based on Meg's recommendations
and I just lay the guilt trip on
her.
"Meg, tell me
what I should see."
>> Some of my friends who live
other places, I think, envy us
for having such a good film
festival.
>> It's not only seeing the
movies, it's seeing the same
people at the movies, it's
talking to people you've never
met before in line about movies
that you've seen.
>> Traditions are very important
to people.
And for us, that's the film
festival.
And there's so much going wrong
in the world that the film
festival's really helpful.
All these people with all these
creative minds, you think,
surely there will be good
answers coming out.
? ?