Milwaukee Film
Press Release

HBO & Milwaukee Film Partner for Wisconsin Premiere of THE NORMAL HEART

Milwaukee one of five cities selected for special premiere before HBO debut

By - May 7th, 2014 07:05 pm

MILWAUKEE – Wednesday, May 7, 2014 – Milwaukee Film is proud to partner with HBO to host the Wisconsin Premiere of HBO Films original The Normal Heart on Wednesday, May 21, 7 PM at the Landmark Oriental Theatre. Milwaukee was selected for special premiere of the new HBO film as one of only five cites (along with Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco) across the country to see the film before it airs on Sunday, May 25.

Based on the Tony Award-winning play by Academy Award nominee Larry Kramer (whose activism also played a prominent role in MFF 2012 alum How to Survive a Plague), The Normal Heart is set in early 1980s New York, as the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis inspires the gay community and their allies in the medical community to band together to expose the truth to a city and nation in denial. Directed by Ryan Murphy (Glee), The Normal Heart boasts a star-studded cast including Academy Award nominee and Kenosha native Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right), Matt Bomer (White Collar), Taylor Kitsch (Lone Survivor), Emmy winner Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Alfred Molina (An Education), and Julia Roberts (August: Osage County, MFF 2013).

“Milwaukee has been identified as one of the top markets for “Game of Thrones” viewership, so we felt it was only logical to bring a film like The Normal Heart to a market with a proven following,” says HBO Director of Corporate Affairs Mike Hopper. “We are excited to be partnering with Milwaukee Film for the Wisconsin premiere and look forward to a continued relationship to feature our programming in front of a savvy film community.”

“We had such a wonderful experience working with everyone at HBO when we hosted the North American premiere of Alex Gibney’s Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God during the 2012 Milwaukee Film Festival,” says Milwaukee Film Artistic & Executive Director Jonathan Jackson. “The reputation of their original content fits perfectly in line with the kind of films our organization is proud to present.”

The Normal Heart debuts on May 25, 9PM EST exclusively on HBO.

Tickets to the screening are available exclusively to Milwaukee Film Members and Supporters by invitation only. More information can be found at mkefilm.org. A limited number of tickets will be available to the general public through selected media partners.

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.

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