Fellowships, Workshops & Curricula

Milwaukee Film is committed to supporting area educators in their efforts to bring film into the classroom. Through our Educator Services programs, educators have the opportunity to learn how to leverage film as a powerful teaching tool and develop their own unique film-related curriculum.

We offer these services to local teachers and instructors:

Teachers can also access our Education Screenings curriculum archive, below on this page. Scroll down to explore the common core-tied activity packets we've offered over the years!

 

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Educator Testimonials

Here's what a few past participants had to say about our workshops and fellowship program:


"We learned so much from each other in the short time we worked together. Sharing the readings and our understanding of the concepts helped us to reflect and find structure to build our own knowledge upon. Talking through the process of creating our lessons or curricula pushed each of us to go just a little bit farther than if we were doing it on our own." – Karen Ambrosh
 

"The experience of the Educator Fellows allowed me to meet several of my Professional Practice Goals: using culturally relevant materials and practices, incorporating the arts to improve student motivation and outcomes, and participating in a professional learning community to reflect on my teaching practices. Talking with teachers from various disciplines and schools and simply being part of a community of professionals with similar goals and interests did a lot to inform my practice. Through these discussions, we were able to brainstorm and troubleshoot ways to develop our instruction and incorporate film into our curriculum." – Jasmine Nichols
 

" Last year I felt challenged and was happy to attend twelve films. This year I strove to attend twenty. Three days into the festival I upped that goal to thirty. Mission accomplished. [We Educator Fellows] were urban and suburban, old and young, male, but mostly female. Our little cohort was very quiet at first, but after two meetings we found our voices and our opinions really blossomed. It wasn’t just fawning over favorite films, but honest insight with topics that many weren’t familiar. I took in many ideas for film integration from some very smart teachers, and I’m lucky for that. I felt valued for my experience and ideas, too." – Steven Midthun
 

"The fellowship experience has given me the opportunity of watching films while giving me the tools, per say to incorporate film into my classroom, films other than the same old, same old. […]Participating in the MKE Film festival was a great experience for me. The viewings opened my eyes up to a whole new realm of teaching. I want to further my professional development in the art of film by partaking in future film festivals as well as having my colleagues jump on the film wagon." – MingYon Blackwell

Curriculum Archive

Grades 9-12

  • The Youth Governor
    Over the course of four months, 4,000 teens in California run a simulated government complete with legislators, lobbyists, party bosses and elections. Directors Matthew and Jaron Halmy closely follow some of the teens running for governor. As film critic Nell Minow writes, "As we watch the teenage participants in the YMCA Youth and Government program, we cannot ignore the sinking realization that for better and for worse, they have been watching us. We can see that they have learned from the mistakes of the current generation of politicians. But we also see that they have absorbed and repeated some of those mistakes as well." THE YOUTH GOVERNOR is a wonderful way to get your students engaged in deep discussion about politics, documentary film, and more. 
  • The Exchange. In White America. Kaukauna & King 50 Years Later
    Joanne Williams' documentary captures an experiment of sorts. In 1966, amid the Civil Rights era, students from Milwaukee's Rufus King High School and students from Kaukauna High School participated in an exchange program that culminated in a production of Martin Duberman's play IN WHITE AMERICA. Now, over fifty years later, the original participants come together with a new generation, reprising this play with reflection and new energy amid our own racial reckoning.
  • Lily Topples The World
    Lily Topples The World follows 20-year-old sensation Lily Hevesh as she rises as an artist, role model, and young woman. Filmed for over 3 years across countless cities and featuring appearances by Jimmy Fallon, Katy Perry, Will Smith, YouTuber Casey Neistat, and a steady stream of Gen-Z creators, Lily Topples The World is a coming-of-age story cloaked within a unique portrait of an artist, a story of how passion and artistry can make dreams come true, and an unlikely American tale of a quiet Chinese adoptee who transforms into a global artistic force with over 1 billion YouTube views.
    Trailer 
  • The Blood Is At The Doorstep
    After Dontre Hamilton, a black, unarmed man diagnosed with schizophrenia, was shot 14 times and killed by police in Milwaukee, his family embarks on a quest for answers, justice, and reform as the investigation unfolds.
    Trailer 
  • Always In Season
    When Lennon Lacy is found hanging from a swing set in rural North Carolina, his mother's search for justice begins while the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present.
    Trailer  
  • Coded Bias
    When MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini discovers that facial recognition does not see dark-skinned faces accurately, she embarks on a journey to push for the first-ever U.S. legislation against bias in algorithms that impact us all.
    Trailer 
  • Kuessipan
    Two girls grow up as best friends in an Innu community who promised each other to stick together no matter what. But their friendship is shaken when Mikuan falls for a white boy. A gorgeous and heart-rending coming-of-age story told from an indigenous perspective.
    Trailer 
  • Fruits of Labor (Bilingual)
    Fruits of Labor follows the day-in-a-life of a young farm and factory worker in California, who dreams of being the first in her family to graduate from high school and go to college.
    Trailer 
    - Curriculum (English Only)
    - Bilingual Curriculum (English and Spanish)
  • Growing Up Milwaukee
    Behind every statistic is a story. Three inner-city youth growing up in Milwaukee struggle with the daily dilemma of growing up Black and avoiding becoming just another statistic.
    - Special Event: Growing Up Milwaukee: Our Milwaukee, Our Stories
  • The Biggest Little Farm
    Documentarian John Chester and his wife Molly work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles.
    Trailer 
  • Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project
    Marion Stokes secretly recorded television 24 hours a day for 30 years from 1975 until her death in 2012. For Marion taping was a form of activism to seek the truth, and she believed that a comprehensive archive of the media would be invaluable for future generations. Her visionary and maddening project nearly tore her family apart, but now her 70,000 VHS tapes are being digitized and they'll be searchable online.
    Trailer 
  • Minding The Gap
    The secret to growing up is that no one really knows what they’re doing. It's in the gap between childhood and adulthood that we find meaning for ourselves. In this stunning coming of age documentary by award-winning filmmaker Bing Liu, three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust-Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. 
    Trailer 
  • Sonita
    After her family attempts to sell her into marriage, a young Afghan refugee in Iran channels her frustrations and seizes her destiny through music. Grabbing the mic, she spits fiery rhymes in the face of oppressive traditions.
    Trailer 
  • T-Rex
    17-year-old Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields from Flint, Michigan dreams of being the first woman in history to win a gold medal in Olympic boxing. But in order for her to succeed, she'll need to stand her ground both inside and outside the ring.
    Trailer 
  • Point And Shoot
    An American sets out with his motorbike to find both adventure and his sense of manhood, leading him on an extraordinary journey he could not have imagined, including fighting in the Libyan Revolution.
    Trailer 
  • Valentine Road
    On February 12, 2008, in Oxnard, California, eighth-grade student Brandon McInerney shot his classmate Larry King twice in the back of the head during first period. When Larry died two days later, his murder shocked the nation. Was this a hate crime, one perpetrated by a budding neo-Nazi whose masculinity was threatened by an effeminate gay kid who may have had a crush on him? Or was there even more to it? Looking beyond all the copious news coverage of this tragic event, Valentine Road tells the story of two victims: the deceased and the murderer. With keen insight, the film connects the human wreckage of Larry's and Brandon's troubled lives-both physically abused, both from broken homes, and both searching for a sense of belonging.
    Trailer 
  • Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
    A documentary that chronicles artist and activist Ai Weiwei as he prepares for a series of exhibitions and gets into an increasing number of clashes with the Chinese government.
    Trailer 
  • Louder Than A Bomb
    By turns hopeful and heartbreaking, Louder Than a Bomb follows the fortunes of four Chicago-area high school poetry teams as they prepare for and compete in the world's largest youth slam.
    Trailer 

Grades 6-8

  • Louder Than A Bomb
    By turns hopeful and heartbreaking, Louder Than a Bomb follows the fortunes of four Chicago-area high school poetry teams as they prepare for and compete in the world's largest youth slam.
    Trailer
  • Binti
    Our titular 12 year-old (Bebel Tshiani Baloji), a Congolese expat with eyes on vlogging superstardom, strives for normalcy as she and her father (played by Bebel’s actual father, hip-hop artist Baloji) navigate life as undocumented immigrants in Belgium. When their communal flat becomes the target of a police raid, Binti and her father race headlong into a whirlwind of excitement, meeting a mother-and-son duo every bit their match. An exuberant and stylish heartwarmer made for this moment.
    Trailer 
  • Landfill Harmonic (Bilingual)
    Kids living in a slum built on a landfill in Paraguay create an orchestra made of trash, The Recycled Orchestra, and tour the world, finally realizing their wildest dream: to play with the heavy metal band, Megadeth.
    Trailer 
    - Curriculum (English Only) 
    - Bilingual Curriculum (English and Spanish)
  • Abe
    Twelve-year-old Abe is an aspiring chef, but his family--half-Israeli, half-Palestinian--have never had a meal together without a fight. But when Abe ditches his traditional summer camp to spend time with radical street chef Chico, his mentor's fusion cuisine inspires him to unite his family through food. Abe decides to cook a meal that will bring everyone to the table, but he's about to learn that the kitchen can't heal some age-old divides.
    Trailer 
  • Science Fair
    Nine high school students from disparate corners of the globe navigate rivalries, setbacks, and hormones on their quest to win the international science fair. Only one can be named "Best in Fair."
    Trailer     
  • Supergirl
    When Naomi Kutin, an Orthodox Jewish girl from New Jersey, broke a world powerlifting record at the age of ten – lifting 215 pounds when she herself weighed only 97 pounds – she quickly became a media sensation, earning the nickname “Supergirl.” This intimate portrait follows her unique coming-of-age story as she fights to hold on to her title while navigating the perils of adolescence — from strict religious obligations to cyberbullying to health issues that could jeopardize her future in powerlifting. Filmed over the course of three years, beginning when Naomi was 11, through her Bat Mitzvah at 12, through age 14, Supergirl follows Naomi and her family through training and powerlifting events as well as documenting their strong faith and involvement in the Orthodox community.
    Trailer 
  • Keepers Of The Game
    Lacrosse was born in Akwesasne Mohawk Territory as a sacred game, traditionally reserved for men. Just off the reservation at Salmon River High in Fort Covington, NY an all-Native girls lacrosse team comes together, seeking to be the first Native women's team to bring home a Section Championship. But first, they will have to overcome their crosstown rivals, Massena High. As the season comes to a head, the team is faced with increasing ambivalence in their own community and the girls must prove that the game of lacrosse is their rightful inheritance. With more than just the championship on the line, the girls fight to blaze a new path for the next generation of Native women, while still honoring their people's tradition in a changing world.
    Trailer 
  • AninA
    A fantastical journey into the world of a ten-year-old girl who, following a playground skirmish, is given the weirdest punishment in the history of weird punishments.
    Trailer
  • Maidentrip
    14-year-old Laura Dekker sets out on a two-year voyage in pursuit of her dream to become the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.
    Trailer 
  • Brooklyn Castle
    Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school's champion chess team.
    Trailer 
  • Le Tableau
    Three characters of different social classes escape their unfinished painting in search of the Painter, hoping he will complete it.
    Trailer 
  • The Starfish Throwers
    Worlds apart, a five-star chef, a twelve year-old girl, and a retired school teacher discover how their individual efforts to feed the poor ignite a movement in the fight against hunger. This documentary tells tale of these remarkable individuals and the unexpected challenges they face. Despite being constantly reminded that hunger is far too big for one person to solve, they persevere and see their impact ripple further than their individual actions.
    Trailer 
  • Crocodiles

Grades 4-6

  • H Is For Happiness
    A twelve year old girl with boundless optimism and a unique view of the world, is inspired by the strange new boy at school and sets out to mend her broken family - whatever it takes.
    Trailer 
  • Binti
    Our titular 12 year-old (Bebel Tshiani Baloji), a Congolese expat with eyes on vlogging superstardom, strives for normalcy as she and her father (played by Bebel’s actual father, hip-hop artist Baloji) navigate life as undocumented immigrants in Belgium. When their communal flat becomes the target of a police raid, Binti and her father race headlong into a whirlwind of excitement, meeting a mother-and-son duo every bit their match. An exuberant and stylish heartwarmer made for this moment.
    Trailer 
  • Shorts: Healthy Kids!
    This collection of gorgeously-rendered live action and animated shorts feature young protagonists—an 8 year-old Mexican kickboxer, a diverse group of chess enthusiasts, a star pupil, a child telling their mom "I'm not a girl" for the first time, and more—who find and forge authentic expressions of health. AGES 8+ 
  • Dilili In Paris
    From 'Kirikou and the Sorceress' creator Michel Ocelot. In Belle Époque Paris, accompanied by a young scooter deliveryman, little Kanak Dilili investigates mysterious kidnappings of girls.
    Trailer 
  • Mary and The Witch's Flower
    Based on "The Little Broomstick" by Mary Stewart, a strange flower grants a girl magic powers.
    Trailer 
  • Mune: Guardian of the Moon
    When an evil magma demon and his minions steals the sun of a magical world, the new guardians of both the sun and the moon must embark on a quest to retrieve it and save their world from disaster as the moon faces destruction as well.
    Trailer 
  • Oddball
    The true story about an eccentric chicken farmer (Shane Jacobson) who, with the help of his granddaughter, trains his mischievous dog Oddball to protect a wild penguin sanctuary from fox attacks and in the process tries to reunite his family and save their seaside town.
    Trailer 
  • Song of the Sea
    In this enchanting story from the Academy Award-nominated director of The Secret of Kells, Ben and his little sister Saoirse—the last Seal-child—must embark on a fantastic journey across a fading world of ancient legend and magic in an attempt to return to their home by the sea. The film takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land.
    Trailer 
  • Zarafa
    Inspired by the true story of the first giraffe to visit France, Zarafa is a sumptuously animated and stirring adventure, and a throwback to a bygone era of hand-drawn animation and epic storytelling set among sweeping CinemaScope vistas of parched desert, wind-swept mountains and open skies.
    Trailer 
  • Mia and the Magoo
    One night Mia has a premonition. So after saying a few words of parting at her mother's grave, she sets out on a journey across mountains and jungles to search for her father, who is trapped in a landslide at a remote construction site.
    Trailer 
  • Alfie, The Little Werewolf

Grades 1-3