How To Share The Road With Farmers During Harvest, Milwaukee Film Fest Kicks Off Next Week

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• 4 Picks From 2018 Milwaukee Film Festival Directed By Women

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  In its 10th year the Milwaukee Film Festival has decided to put a focus on female directors. Almost half of this year’s 300-plus films are directed by women, compared to less than a third last year.

  That was intentional, said Cara Ogburn, programming and education director for the Milwaukee Film Festival.

  “Industry wide there’s a long way to go in terms of equity for women in leadership roles, equity for women having access to the funds to make films to tell the stories that audiences want to hear,” said Ogburn.

  “But we hope that by our audiences coming and seeing these great films that will help prove to the folks who make those decisions,” she said.

  As one of the Top 10 largest film festivals in the country, the festival drew more than 84,000 attendees last year, said Sara Meaney, chief communications officer for the Milwaukee Film Festival.

  “We are continuing on a growth streak,” Meaney said. “There’s a lot more to the Milwaukee film community than one might think at first glance.”

  Kicking off Thursday, Oct. 18 and running through Thursday, Nov. 1, the festival features films for all ages and all genres, along with events and forums, at various locations around the city.

  Below are four of Ogburn’s top picks directed by women to check out during the festival.

  “Zero Weeks“

  “‘Zero Weeks,’ which is directed by Chicago-based filmmaker Ky Dickens, is an incredibly incisive story about how paid leave affects all Americans and how our lack of access to it really is a challenge that is really unique to the United States,” Ogburn said.

  The documentary weaves together personal stories with interviews with policymakers, economists, researchers and activists — including Milwaukee resident Ellen Bravo, executive director of Family Values @ Work.

  “Science Fair“

  Co-directed by Milwaukee native Cristina Costantini, “Science Fair” follows nine high school students from around the world as they work to make it to the International Science and Engineering Fair, while battling hallmarks of teenage years, friendships, rivalries and hormones.

  “It’s following young future scientists and engineers, kids who are eventually going to invent something that’s probably going to change the world, so it’s pretty inspiring,” Ogburn said.

  “Keep the Change“

  A romantic comedy set in New York City, “Keep the Change” tells the story of two adults on the autism spectrum exploring dating and romantic relationships.

  “There’s a bit of comedy, there’s a bit of lightheartedness, but really sort of helping see characters on screen that are really recognizable above all,” Ogburn said. “We’re doing a panel after one of the screenings featuring some adults who are living on the spectrum talking about how they respond to the film, which should be a pretty cool experience.”

  “The Sun Ladies“

  As virtual reality documentary, viewers consume “The Sun Ladies” — a seven-minute story about women who escaped from the Islamic State group and formed a female-only fighting unit — through a virtual reality headset in one of the festival’s galleries.

  “ISIS believes that if you are killed by a woman, you go to hell apparently,” Ogburn said. “And so this is a particularly powerful moment for sort of activating this cause to sort of fight back on behalf of their people.”

• What Drivers Should Know As More Tractors Hit The Roads

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  As harvest season ramps up, we learn how Wisconsin drivers can safely share the roads with a greater number of large, slow-moving tractors and farm equipment.

• Milwaukee Film Festival Highlights

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  The 2018 Milwaukee Film Festival is coming up. In its tenth year, the festival decided to focus on female directors. Almost half of this year’s films are directed by women, compared to less than a third last year. We guide you through which films to check out and look at the highlights of the festival’s 300-plus movies.