The Cinebuds guide to the Dialogues Documentary Festival

By Brett Krzykowski

Published September 25, 2024 at 8:41 AM CDT

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Every week, Kristopher Pollard from Milwaukee Film and Radio Milwaukee’s Dori Zori talk about movies — because that’s what you do when you’re Cinebuds.

Documentaries are one of those segments of the movie world that can pretty quickly elicit a response along the lines of, “Eh, not really for me.”

Here’s the thing about documentaries, though: All it really takes is the right one to show you the possibilities of films like these. Over the past two decades alone, we’ve had grabbers like “Super Size Me,” “March of the Penguins,” “Exit Through the Gift Shop,” “Grizzly Man” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” Going from McDonald’s to arctic seafowl to street art to misguided conservation to Mr. Rogers shows the versatility of the form, which will be on full display right here in Milwaukee over the next several days.

Starting this Thursday, Sept. 26, Milwaukee Film will showcase its inaugural Dialogues Documentary Festival at the Oriental and Downer theaters. Before the event wraps up Sept. 29, the local organization will unspool 30 feature-length and 16 short films, with several screenings that feature a talkback or panel discussion right after.

That’s a lot of titles to sift through, which is why Kpolly picked out a few to highlight below, including the one at the center of this Cinebuds episode. Hit the “Listen” button above to hear him and Dori chat about We Can Be Heroes, and run through the full festival lineup below to find a few selections you might want to check out between now and Sunday. Each title link will take you right to the Milwaukee Film website so you can pick up tickets.

Kpolly’s picks

We Can Be Heroes
Carina Mia Wong, Alex Simmons | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 8:15 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

In a remote corner of upstate New York, a live-action role-playing (LARP) camp becomes a haven where magic isn't just make-believe. Here, neurodivergent, queer, and self-proclaimed "nerdy" teens find more than just camaraderie—they unearth a joyful sanctuary for self-discovery. As the campers immerse themselves in this imaginative world, they discover inner strength, heal from traumas, and emerge as heroes, both in the fantasy realm and in real life.

Agent of Happiness
Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurbó | 2024 | Bhutan, Hungary
Sept. 26 | 4 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

What's the secret to happiness? The tiny mountain nation of Bhutan may have just cracked the code. In 2008 the Bhutanese government started measuring the "Gross National Happiness". Agents are sent across the country to measure people's happiness to inform the government's mandated goal of increasing happiness. The film follows two men as they travel the mountainside, getting to know the people and maybe finding their own happiness along the way.

Family Tree
Jennifer MacArthur | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 2 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

This cinema vérité style documentary showcases the moving story of two Black family forest owners in North Carolina and tracks their triumphs and struggles historically and in the present day. The Jefferies sisters, Nikki and Natalie, struggle with their estranged father, Sidney, to clear the overgrown thicket of underbrush on their property. Meanwhile, the Williams family cultivates an award-winning tree farm at their aptly named Fourtee Acres.

New Wave
Elizabeth Ai | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 8:15 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

Mile-high hair. Synthesized sounds. Teenage rebellion. Elizabeth Ai was on a mission to excavate an untold story of rebellious punks in the chaotic world of 80s Vietnamese new wave, until she uncovered a hidden past. Amidst vibrant performances, she also reveals the struggles of refugees navigating cultural assimilation. Bolstered by a treasure trove of archival footage, New Wave is ultimately a love letter to a determined community striving for acceptance and identity.

Four shorts that explore reproductive justice and medical impoverishment for people who have uteruses that will leave audiences fired up and ready to join the revolution to combat period poverty, or fight for more medical research for endometriosis, among other topics.

Radio Milwaukee pick

My Sister Liv
Alan Hicks | 2022 | Australia, United States
9/28/2024 | 5:15 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)
Post-screening panel hosted by HYFIN’s Kim Shine

The bond between the sisters Tess and Liv seems to be unbreakable until Liv, who battles with depression, body dysmorphia, and suicidal thoughts, can’t take it anymore. Surviving sister Tess takes us on a heart-wrenching journey through their shared joys and fears, seeking to understand the circumstances that led to her sister’s death as she takes steps to help other struggling youth, honoring Liv’s memory by making a difference.

Dialogues Documentary Festival lineup

Admissions Granted
Hao Wu, Miao Wang | 2024 | United States
Sept. 29 | 6:30 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

In a landmark Supreme Court case pitting Asian American plaintiffs against Harvard University, activists on both sides wrestle with hard truths about race, equality, and stereotypes that AAPI folks face in education. While headlines polarize attitudes around affirmative action, Admissions Granted nuances these conversations and reveals more about the complex dynamics of race in America than simple sound bites might.

An Invitation to Wonder: Waubesa Wetlands
Ben Albert | 2024 | United States
Sept. 27 | 8:30 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

Guided by the wisdom of his grandfather, a young filmmaker journeys through the mysterious wetland in his grandparents' Wisconsin backyard. Navigating the challenges of this environment, the film uncovers the life, secrets, and wonder of wetlands in a way that must be seen to be believed. When we lose our relationship with nature, we lose our ability to care for and protect it. This documentary is an invitation to explore the beauty our state has hiding just around the corner.

Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness
Don Sawyer | 2024 | United States
9/26/2024 | 6:30 PM | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

Beyond the Bridge begins by asking seemingly simple questions about solutions to homelessness. Starting in Milwaukee and traveling over 40,000 miles around the US, the filmmakers meet those with lived experience, policymakers, and service practitioners discovering that Housing First and integrated systems are the answer, but getting to zero homelessness is not as simple an equation as the solutions may suggest.

Black Table
John Antonio James, Bill Mack | 2024 | United States
Sept. 27 | 5 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

The class of 1994, the largest group of Black students at Yale in the 1990s, faced an unprepared institution. The Black Table became their refuge, a space of their own. Directors John James and Bill Mack’s documentary BLACK TABLE tells their story by highlighting a created environment for scholars discovering their identities. Through interviews and reunions, the film is a time capsule with insights that resonate today as the country addresses the Supreme Court's decision to abolish affirmative action.

Dust to Dust
Kosai Sekine | 2024 | Japan
Sept. 27 | 8 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

The future of fashion is here and it’s being ushered in by Yuima Nakazato. While designing sculptural haute couture for the runway, Yuima dreams up a visionary and socially aware practice through research and experience of environmental and production issues happening all across the world — this time in Kenya, where the scale of textile waste is a harbinger of the urgent need for conservation and social change.

Emergent City
Kelly Anderson, Jay Arthur Sterrenberg | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 2 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

Emergent City is an observational civic epic that explores the profound intersections of gentrification, climate crisis, and real estate development in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. When this neighborhood with a long legacy of good industrial jobs (and the environmental impact of that industry) meets a global developer who promises "innovation," a battle erupts over the future of this place for current residents, future residents and workers, and the land itself.

Eternal You
Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck | 2023 | Germany, United States
Sept. 29 | 11 a.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

With the help of artificial intelligence, a dream comes true that is as old as mankind itself: eternal life. Eternal You examines the story of people who live on as digital replicants in the pockets of their loved ones. The film tracks tech start-ups creating these "digital doppelgangers" raising crucial questions: Can a digital replica replace a lost loved one? How will human memory be impacted? And do we have the right to forget?

Food and Country
Laura Gabbert | 2023 | United States
Sept. 29 | 11:30 a.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

Worried about the survival of small farmers, ranchers, and chefs hobbled by America’s policy of producing cheap food, trailblazing food writer Ruth Reichl reaches across political and social divides to report on the country's broken food system and the innovators risking everything to transform it. As Reichl says: “How we grow and make our food shows us our values — as a nation and as human beings.”

Free Money
Sam Soko, Lauren DeFilippo | 2022 | Kenya, United States
Sept. 26 | 4 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

When universal basic income (UBI) comes to the Kenyan village of Kogutu, lives are forever changed. GiveDirectly, one of the fastest growing nonprofits of the 21st century, is sending free money to select villagers for twelve years as part of the world’s largest UBI experiment. Free Monday juxtaposes these young, ambitious economists deadset on ending poverty with the lived experiences of local Kenyans whose lives are being impacted in diverse ways by UBI.

Mediha
Hasan Oswald | 2023 | United States
Sept. 27 | 2:15 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

Mediha, a teenage Yazidi girl who was kidnapped and enslaved by ISIS and was recently liberated from captivity, turns her camera on herself to process her trauma while rescuers search for her missing family members. Mediha tells the story of the Yazidi genocide and its aftermath, shown through the lens of one young survivor as she confronts her past through personal video diaries, reclaiming her voice and stepping bravely toward the future.

Missing From Fire Trail Road
Sabrina Van Tassel | 2024 | United States, France
Sept. 28 | 9 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

Mary Ellen Johnson Davis has been missing from the Tulalip Reservation since 2020, just one of thousands of Native American women gone missing in the U.S. This urgent documentary sheds light on the epidemic of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women plaguing this country. Davis' story opens up a broader conversation about the violence and generational trauma suffered by Indigenous communities, as well as the fallible laws, policies between tribal and federal entities, and lack of investigation surrounding them.

One Person, One Vote?
Maximina Juson | 2024 | United States
Sept. 26 | 7 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

One Person, One Vote? gives an in-depth look at the Electoral College, its slavery origins, and its impact on society today. Four dynamic electors from different parties during the 2020 election cycle — a Republican, a Democrat, a Green, and a Kanye West elector — offer insight into the inner workings of this often-misunderstood institution. This timely, nonpartisan documentary will fill a stark information gap in American presidential elections for audiences.

Preconceived
Sabrine Keane, Kate Dumke | 2023 | United States
Sept. 29 | 3 p.m. | Downer Theatre (North Cinema)

Where does someone turn when facing an unplanned pregnancy? Preconceived follows Maleeha and Maria, two women whose quests to navigate their unplanned pregnancies misled them to enigmatic centers that some call “pregnancy resource centers” and others call “fake clinics.” Shedding light on how many of these centers are a part of a movement striving to make abortion unthinkable and illegal, the documentary explores the complex role of deception, finances, faith, and privacy.

Public Defender
Andrea Kalin | 2024 | United States
Sept. 27 | 5 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

Heather Shaner, a feisty, blue-haired defense attorney in Washington, DC, has spent over 45 years representing people who can’t afford a lawyer. Her empathy is tested when she is assigned to represent two clients who participated in the violent mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Public Defender explores the delicate state of U.S. democracy, the forces threatening to tear it apart, and the people dedicated to protecting it.

Quad Gods
Jess Jacklin | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 6 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

From debut filmmaker Jess Jacklin, this high-stakes and heart-warming documentary follows three New York men who meet at Mount Sinai Hospital’s neuro-rehabilitation lab and decide to form the first fully quadriplegic eSports team. Providing a unique lens into both gaming and disability, this captivating story challenges assumptions and spotlights the restorative power of resilience, passion, and found community.

Razing Liberty Square
Katja Esson | 2023 | United States
Sept. 29 | 6 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

As rising seas threaten Miami’s luxurious beachfront, wealthy property owners are pushing inland to higher ground. Residents of the historically Black neighborhood of Liberty Square — the first segregated public housing project in the South — are the new target of an upcoming “revitalization” project due to their location 12 feet above sea level. Razing Liberty Square is a character-driven verité documentary that weaves personal stories with the larger social justice narrative of climate gentrification.

Sabbath Queen
Sandi DuBowski | 2024 | United States
Sept. 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

The choices are clear: accept a 38 generation-deep ancestral tradition or become a rebellious drag queen. Rabbi Amicai Lau-Lavie chooses both! Filmed over 21 years, Sabbath Queen joins the Rabbi on a quest to creatively and radically reinvent religion while challenging gender norms in a rapidly changing 21st century.

From bail freedom funds, to expungement, to programs creating communication access for deaf incarcerees, these three films will open your eyes to carceral justice reforms and actions, including some efforts happening right here in Milwaukee.

This set of splashy shorts follows trailblazers from across the US who are fighting to protect our most precious natural resource: Water. Whether they are combating oil spills, maintaining unfettered access to shorelines, or demolishing dams to restore tribal fishing sources, these eco-warriors will inspire you to fight the good fight in your own community.

In this program of shorts, we bear witness to the great resilience of women in the face of trauma and gain insights to how collective action and activism can help surround impacted communities with abundant love and healing.

Shorts: The Fight for Healthcare for All
If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis | Ramin Bahrani
In Due Season | Ashley O'Shay
Sept. 26 | 4:30 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

This duo of longer short docs explore healthcare access — from both a geographic and a policy standpoint — in the American South and Southeast. These issues are not irrelevant to those of us in Wisconsin, however, and this program will inspire you to learn more locally.

The Book of Mary – A Memorable Man
Daniel Ollman | 2023 | United States
Sept. 29 | Noon | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

Milwaukee filmmaker Dan Ollman chronicles 40 years of the life of Leslie Lemke, a prodigious savant who, despite severe physical and cognitive limitations (including having his eyes removed at birth) has proven to have the deep talent of inspiring others across the world through his musical gift. Audiences will come to know Leslie's life and, in turn, the power of family to nurture the unique gifts of all individuals.

The Click Trap
Peter Porta | 2024 | Spain, France
Sept. 29 | 7 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

Automated ad tech dominates the web, with just a few big tech giants using sophisticated algorithms to match ads with users, cementing their monopoly over this multi-billion-dollar industry. The Click Trap exposes how this powerful digital advertising machine not only drives massive profits but also fuels scams, spreads misinformation, and amplifies extremist hate online. The Click Trap is required viewing for anyone using the internet, which includes you.

The Eternal Memory
Maite Alberdi | 2022 | Chile
Sept. 27 | 4:30 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

Augusto and Paulina have been in love for 25 years. Eight years ago, their lives were forever changed by Augusto's Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Oscar-nominated for Best Documentary Feature, The Eternal Memory beautifully balances the heartbreaking taxes of the disease with the same warmth and tender sense of humor shared by its subjects.

The Strike
JoeBill Muñoz, Lucas Guilkey | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 11:30 a.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

Pelican Bay — one of the most infamous prisons in the U.S. — houses mostly men of color, many alone in tiny cells for indefinite periods based on questionable evidence. In 2013, 30,000 prisoners went on hunger strike. The Strike features a half century of personal and criminal justice history, combined with unprecedented access to state prison officials along with never-before-seen footage from inside Pelican Bay to reveal the panic that gripped the highest echelons of state government.

The Thinking Game
Greg Kohs | 2024 | United States
Sept. 28 | 3 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

The Thinking Game takes you on a fascinating journey into the heart of DeepMind, one of the world’s leading AI labs, as it strives to unravel the mysteries — and possible ethical concerns — of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Filmed over five years, the documentary puts viewers in the room for the pivotal moments of this quest, including the exhilaration of historic breakthroughs, the crushing weight of disappointment during setbacks, and the unwavering pursuit of knowledge.

Union
Stephen Maing, Brett Story | 2024 | United States
Sept. 29 | 2:30 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Herzfeld Cinema)

In 2022, a group of ordinary workers made history when they successfully won their election to become the very first unionized Amazon workplace in America with no prior organizing experience, no institutional backing, and a total budget of $120,000 raised on GoFundMe. Heralded as the most important win for labor since the 1930s, this timely documentary captures the Amazon Labor Union’s historic grassroots campaign to unionize thousands of their co-workers from day one of organizing.

unseen
Set Hernandez | 2023 | United States
Sept. 29 | 3:30 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

An aspiring social worker, Pedro faces restrictions as a blind, undocumented immigrant to get his college degree. But when attaining his dreams leads to new challenges, what will Pedro do? Using experimental cinematography, UNSEEN reimagines film accessibility through an audio-centric experience, while exploring the intersections of immigration, disability, and mental health. The film is a jagged quest towards healing in a society that struggles to see folks with these challenges as multi-dimensional.

War Game
Jesse Moss, Tony Gerber | 2023 | United States
Sept. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Oriental Theatre (Abele Cinema)

War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation inhabited by a group of bipartisan U.S. defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers, spanning five presidential administrations. While participating in an unscripted role-play exercise, they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the U.S. military, in the wake of a contested presidential election. Like actors in a thriller, but with profound real-world stakes, the players have only six hours to save American democracy.