Documentaries focusing on justice and overcoming challenges took home top honors at the 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival.
On May 8, during the final day of the 15-day festival, an awards ceremony was held.
“Middletown,”
This film centers around a team of student reporters who discover a plot within their town in upstate New York. It was honored with the festival’s Luminaires Prize. This judged accolade, bestowed upon directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, includes a monetary reward of $2,500.
“Pavements,”
The unconventional documentary film by Alex Ross Perry featuring an alternative rock band was notably mentioned with distinction.
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The prize for Best Documentary was awarded to
“Remaining Native,”
Regarding a Native American long-distance runner pursuing his aspirations amid the challenges posed by his family’s painful history, meanwhile, the Emerging Fiction Jury Award went to
“Outerlands.”
Each of the winners was presented with a prize of $2,500 in cash.
In the emerging categories, special mentions went to documentaries
“Life After”
and
“A Mother Apart”
and fiction films
“Color Book”
and
“DJ Ahmet.”
The Cream City Cinema Jury Awards — going to local filmmakers, who got a $5,000 cash award as well as $40,000 in in-kind production services — went to
“Zastava Brothers,”
a brief film directed by Pep Stojanovic;
What Became of Dorothy Bell?
a horror thriller by Danny Villanueva Jr.; and
“Cycle,”
a documentary exploring the 2019 shooting death of Racine’s Ty’rese West by a Mount Pleasant police officer by directors Laura Dyan Kezman and William Howell.
Special recognitions at the Cream City Cinema awards were given to
Required Restroom Pause,” “Last Minute Left
and
“MINE!”
Other accolades presented on May 8 encompassed:
-
Shorts Jury Award, accompanied by a $1,000 cash prize, goes to
“It Shouldn’t Rain Tomorrow”;
Special recognition goes to Juan Vicente Manrique for his direction.
“Looking for a Donkey,”
Pablo García Gallego for the cinematography work
“Ripe!”
and Bonnie Hellman for her acting work
“Susana.”
-
Children’s Choice Jury Prize, $500, to
The Koi and the Kid
special mentions to
“Skate in the City”
(Most Inspirational),
“Unibrow”
(Best Representation),
“Hello Summer”
(Best Hybrid Animation) and
“Dynasty and Destiny”
(Best Message).
The winners of the festival’s Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig Audience Awards will be revealed at a later date.
The article was initially published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival will present jury-awarded prizes for documentary films, local productions, and additional categories.