Celebrate Pride and Prep for Paris Olympics with Milwaukee Film Programming this Summer!

MILWAUKEE – Thursday, June 6th  – Summer is finally here, and Milwaukee Film is inviting folks to stay cool at the historic Oriental Theatre this season with two special film series: a Pride weekend series, and a series of sports films to help audiences prepare for the 2024 Olympics.

In honor of Pride Month, Milwaukee Film has dedicated the weekend of June 21st through 23rd with a focus on films about the LGBTQIA+ community. Jack Feria, GenreQueer and Shorts Programmer, enthused, “It was such a joy to program a packed weekend of seven great films from the past, present, and future of LGBTQIA+ cinema! While Milwaukee Film proudly screens queer films year round, it means the world that Milwaukee audiences can celebrate Pride Month at our historic cinemas.” He continued, “From outrageous comedies, a nail-biting thriller, and groundbreaking documentaries, we’ve got the perfect (air-conditioned!) recharge you’ll need for a great Pride Month.”

This series includes the 2024 film Problemista, John Waters’ 1974 cult classic Female Trouble, a Marlon T. Riggs double feature of Tongues Untied and Black Is… Black Ain’t, MFF24 jury award winner Femme, the first American feature to be directed by a black lesbian The Watermelon Woman, and a memorial screening of Markie in Milwaukee with director Matt Kliegman in attendance.

Marquise Mays, Black Lens Programmer, worked especially hard to program the Marlon T. Riggs double feature as part of this Pride weekend series. He said, “Since the 1990s, Marlon Riggs’ legacy has been deeply woven into the fabric of Black queer filmmaking. As a journalist, performing artist, and documentarian, Riggs provided a vital guide for creating work with urgency.” Mays enthused, “Join us for a double-feature retrospective of his most seminal works: Tongues Untied and Black Is… Black Ain’t. Both films offer a profound critique of the experiences of living in a body that embodies both Blackness and queerness.”

Pride Weekend series: 

• Problemista – 6/21/24 at 4PM and 6:30 PM
• Female Trouble – 6/21/24 at 9 PM
• Tongues Untied – 6/22/24 at 2:30 PM
• Black Is… Black Ain’t – 6/22/24 at 4 PM
• Femme – 6/22/24 at 9:15 PM
• The Watermelon Woman – 6/23/24 at 3 PM
• Markie in Milwaukee (w/ filmmaker in attendance!) – 6/23/24 at 6 PM

In July, Milwaukee Film is excited to bring nine sports films to the Oriental Theatre, to help audiences get ready for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which begins on July 26th. The week before the Olympic Games begin in Paris, France, folks are invited to practice watching people play sports with the “Olympic Training Camp” series.

Programming Director Kerstin Larson explained the thought process behind this series: “Movie nerds and sports super fans may not seem like they have much in common, but even the most academic cinephile can acknowledge that sports films really cater to a gripping drama.” She continued, “I’ve never hit, kicked, or caught a ball in my life and I can’t wait to cheer for the champions and underdogs in these stone cold classics. And by the end of the series we’ll all be warmed up to cheer for the real athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics!”

Olympic Training Camp series: 

• Major League – 7/19/24 at 7 PM
• Rad – 7/19/24 at 9:30 PM
• Rudy – 7/20/24 at 12 PM
• Raging Bull – 7/20 at 6:30 PM
• Happy Gilmore – 7/20/24 at 9:30 PM
• Tokyo Olympiad – 7/21/24 at 12 PM
• Unsyncable – 7/22/24 at 7 PM
• Chariots of Fire – 7/23/24 at 7 PM
• Love & Basketball – 7/24/24 at 7 PM

All Tickets and showtimes can be found online at mkefilm.org/comingsoon

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.