Our Programs

In 2014, Black Lens was created with a singular focus: to spotlight the incredible work of filmmakers of African descent by bringing their films to the Milwaukee Film Festival. These filmmakers explore the stories, topics, and histories that are deeply shared throughout the Black diaspora, while inviting diverse audiences to engage.

Ten years later, the program has evolved beyond the Festival, offering year-round film programming. This extension promises even more unique cinematic experiences, honoring the rich legacy of Black film while championing the contemporary wave of Black filmmakers who are at the forefront of redefining our cinematic presence.

Since 2016, Cine Sin Fronteras (Cinema Without Borders) has presented film screenings and enrichment extensions that explore and unpack stories surrounding identity, culture, family, history, and modernity within the Latina/o/e diaspora, including stories from the Chicana/o/e, Latin American, Indigenous, and Afro-Latinx communities.

Initially made possible by a special grant from the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee, Cinematic Sisterhood highlights the often overlooked work of women filmmakers, reframing their bodies of work, bringing new perspectives to wider audiences, and supporting up-and-coming storytellers. When possible, screenings are accompanied by a networking hour, discussions with visiting filmmakers, expert panels, or masterclasses to maximize connecting event attendees to the wider world of films and filmmaking.

Show your hometown pride by supporting local cinema! Showcasing the best new work from Milwaukee-area filmmakers, Cream City Cinema devotes precious screen time during the Milwaukee Film Festival for Milwaukee filmmakers to premiere films, build audiences, and bathe in the glory of watching their movies with 1,000 cheering audience members! Year-round, our Cream City Cinema Encore program brings locally made favorites to the big screen.

By supporting homegrown cinema, you’re saying that your community matters and that its creative life is worth sustaining. It’s a small but meaningful act of pride: celebrating where you live by participating in collective storytelling experiences close to home.

Spotlighting the best in documentary and fiction filmmaking that explores LGBTQ+ lives, GenreQueer amplifies both new and established voices from cinema’s rich queer tradition. From the Milwaukee Film Festival to June Pride programming and beyond, these screenings foreground visibility, memory, possibility, and pure joy.

Kids (and kids at heart) are charmed and delighted with programming chosen with them in mind. Our family-friendly programs offer award-winning features and shorts from around the world for ages 3–12 years.