First Look at the Fest

This is a fun time for film fans; attendees get the Wisconsin Film Festival guide a day early and can peep screeners for 2023 films, all the while snacking, having a beer or two, and picking up the buzz for must-see movies from festival staff. You can also get a jump on buying tickets for those showings. The guide otherwise appears in Isthmus on March 9 and tickets go on sale March 11.

courtesy Wisconsin Film Festival

A graphic for the Wisconsin Film Festival's annual preview program.

The Wisconsin Film Festival celebrates 25 years in 2023.

media release: The Wisconsin Film Festival kicks off its 25th edition with First Look at the Fest, on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, from 7:00-10:00 pm at the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Company - Hilldale. Sponsored and hosted by the Great Dane and Isthmus, attendees will get first crack at the Festival’s Film Guide before its public release in the March 9 edition of Isthmus and the chance to buy tickets on the spot, before the general public on-sale date of March 11. Professor Kelley Conway, Director of the Wisconsin Film Festival, explains that First Look at the Fest is a great opportunity to get a taste of the wide range of films in this year’s Festival from local to global, family-friendly to experimental, and recent releases to cult favorites. “Our whole team will be at the Great Dane to greet old and new friends, sell tickets, talk about movies, watch trailers of films to be screened at our 2023 Festival, and enjoy the Great Dane’s delicious drinks and hors d’oeuvres,” said Conway.

Admission to First Look at the Fest is $40 in advance and $50 at the door. To purchase tickets, visit wifilmfest.eventive.org/welcome.

The 25th Wisconsin Film Festival will be presented April 13-20, 2023. Tickets go on sale to the public Saturday, March 11 at noon CST. General admission tickets are $12 each. All-Festival passes are available for $325. Visit wifilmfest.eventive.org/welcome to purchase tickets and passes.

Since 1999, the Wisconsin Film Festival has curated, promoted, and exhibited programs showcasing the art and the history of world cinema. Currently presented under the auspices of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Communication Arts, the Festival supports UW’s teaching, research, and public service mission by exposing the campus and the greater Madison community to films and filmmakers from Wisconsin and beyond. As cinema is an essential art form that enriches the human experience and enhances one’s knowledge of a variety of cultures, the Festival seeks to create a strong sense of community through curating a vast body of films and through the creation of gatherings before and after screenings that welcome diverse communities. With the ever-evolving technology of the film industry, the Festival strives to screen movies using state-of-the-art projection and sound while creating opportunities for younger students to experience cinema from around the world through field trips, special presentations, and community outreach.