University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of the Arts | Annual Report | 2018–19
WISCONSIN FILM FESTIVAL OUTREACH Big Screens, Little Folks
Screens for Teens
Additional Outreach
With generous support from SSM Health and Dane Arts covering ticket and transportation costs, Big Screens, Little Folks saw a 25% increase in attendance from school field trips. About 2,600 students watched a program of international shorts (grades K–2) or the featurelength animated film from Japan, Mirai (grades 3–5). Teachers received a study guide to assist with integrating film studies into their curriculum.
Screens for Teens brought 8 screenings of Wisconsin Film Festival (WFF) films to seven high schools and middle schools across southern Wisconsin. Each program offered post-screening Q&As (in person or Skype) with the filmmaker or relevant guest speaker. This year’s programming was expanded to address specific curriculum. ff Bugs was shown to biology and ecology students at Shabazz High School (Madison). A UW graduate student then discussed insects as a sustainable food source.
The Division continued to collaborate with the Madison Public Library’s Bubbler program and Crestwood Elementary School’s film program for the free “Stop-Motion Animation” workshop at Union South for 50 children and adults. To strengthen the relationship with local film educators, WFF staffed tables at the “Explore Arts Night” in the fall of 2018 at Crestwood Elementary and the “Madison Elementary Animation Festival” in June 2019 at Sequoia Library.
ff Los Lecheros screened during Edgewood High School’s (Madison) “Arts Week.” Coburn Dukeheart, the film’s producer and from the Center for Investigative Journalism, led the post-screening discussion.
For the third straight year, students from the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Film Committee participated in the WFF Wisconsin’s Own selection committee and helped with
ff Rwanda & Juliet was shown to 560 students at Cardinal Heights Middle School (Sun Prairie). A whole day was dedicated to curriculum and topics related to this film.
various festival operations. For a second year, films were featured from past festivals for the Tuesday Night Movie Club, a series of free public screenings at the Marquee in Union South.
To celebrate World Cinema Day, the Division collaborated with UW–Madison Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS) to screen two films. The documentary feature film, Midnight Traveler (Afghan Persian with subtitles) was shown to high school students. An animated feature from Brazil, Tito and the Birds (Portuguese with subtitles) was shown to middle school students.
Pictured left to right: Big Screens, Little Folks field trip; World Cinema Day attendees; 3D screening at Vilas Hall. Photos by Junlin Ou and Marissa Sugrue.
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