September 14, 2015
Brian McKaig, VP of Marketing & Communications
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County
Who doesn’t love a fun summer movie? Did you catch the three biggest mega blockbusters this season? Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, and Minions.
Superheroes, dinosaurs, and small, yellow, cylindrical, creatures with one or two eyes, what’s not to love? But beyond escapism, some movies are powerful instruments for change.
As a former journalist, I understand the profound power of a story well told. Storytelling is what makes us human; it is our common currency and as such can be a powerful tool for positive change. Compelling narratives have the ability to bring us together, to galvanize us into action. Documentary-makers commit years of their lives in an effort to bring us these vital and often complex stories and in doing so they make the issues we face as a society both more tangible and increasingly urgent.
That’s why I’m so proud United Way is partnering with the 2015 Milwaukee Film Festival to screen and hold a post-film panel discussion of Romeo is Bleeding, a documentary about gun violence and the effects it has on kids, families, and communities. Through the film and conversation, we are hoping to educate a diverse new audience about the ways they can come together to create lasting change in our community.
A synopsis of the film offers a glimpse of the film’s relevance to a Milwaukee audience:
A fatal turf war between neighborhoods haunts the city of Richmond, CA. Donte´ Clark transcends the violence in his hometown by writing poetry about his experiences. Using his voice to inspire those around him, he and the like-minded youth of the city mount an urban adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with the hope of starting a real dialogue about violence in the city.
Join us on Saturday, October 3 at 2:30 p.m. at the Oriental Theater for the special screening and post-film discussion. The cast from the movie will be in attendance, participate in the panel discussion and perform!
If you can't make it to the special screening, the film is also showing two additional times during the film festival:
- Friday, October 2 at 12:30pm / Times Cinema
- Thursday, October 8 at 1pm / Times Cinema
A special thank you to Johnson Controls, Inc. for sponsoring the film screening and panel discussion. Johnson Controls’ sponsorship also allows us to present a 30-second video trailer before each movie at the Film Festival. The video highlights our recent Intern Day of Action and encourages people to get involved with United Way by volunteering.