Between "Dune: Part Two" showing in 70mm at the Oriental, the upcoming Milwaukee Film Festival and the return of the Downer Theatre, Milwaukee Film is up to some really exciting stuff right now. And here's one more to add to the list: Ethan Hawke will bring his upcoming Flannery O'Connor biopic "Wildcat" to the Oriental in May, complete with the Oscar-nominated actor-writer-director attending two of the screenings in person for post-film Q&A sessions.
The "Before Sunset," "Training Day" and "Reality Bites" actor will attend the 7:30 p.m. screening of "Wildcat" on Saturday, May 18 as well as the 2 p.m. showing on Sunday, May 19 – both complete with a post-film Q&As with Hawke as well as editor Barry Poltermann, who previously worked with Hawke on the CNN docu-series "The Last Movie Stars" and made his name with Chris Smith's Wisconsin cinematic icon "American Movie."
“Ever since our screenings of his documentary series 'The Last Movie Stars' in July of 2022, we’ve been looking for ways to get Ethan to see our gorgeous cinema palace," said Milwaukee Film artistic director Cara Ogburn, in a press release. "And we are so honored to get to bring him to the Oriental Theatre with his latest project alongside the film’s editor and friend of our organization, Barry Poltermann, for what is sure to be an inspiring Q&A."
Hawke's first narrative feature film since "Blaze," "Wildcat" – which debuted at last year's prestigious Telluride Film Festival – follows famed author Flannery O'Connor (played by Maya Hawke of "Stranger Things" fame) as she attempts to get her first novel published while also trying to deal with issues in her faith, her personal life and her tricky relationship with her mother, played by Oscar nominee Laura Linney.
"The film will challenge your assumptions about the relationships between an author’s life and work, so I’m excited to dig into those choices made in the filmmaking process with our audiences in May," Ogburn said, in the release.
Tickets for the two special screenings and Hawke/Poltermann Q&A sessions at the Oriental are on sale now at Milwaukee Film's website. "Wildcat" will also screen at the Oriental the rest of the week of May 17-23, with tickets on sale for those showings soon. For more information on the film and the showings, click here.
That's all coming in May – but as for what's showing at the Oriental right now, click here for OnMilwaukee's weekly Milwaukee movie listings. And for more Milwaukee Film Festival announcements and updates, stay tuned to OnMilwaukee!
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.
