Sherman Park - Paulina Bugembe-Kuwahara
$10,000 cash, $20,000 from Electric Sun, $10,000 from North American Camera 

Mother’s Motherland - Delaney Doersch 
$15,000 cash, $10,000 from Independent Studios, Music, audio rights & sound design consultation from Super Natural Sound 

Forest County - Joel Kaswan-Meilijson + Amira Stone
$10,000 cash, $10,000 from Independent Studios, Music, audio rights & sound design consultation from Super Natural Sound 

Christopher - Justin Goodrum
$10,000 cash, $10,000 from North American Camera

The 3,000 Project - Keith McQuirter
$10,000 cash

Communicable - Jay Beckman
$10,000 cash

Everything Must Go - Jesse McLean
$10,000 cash

Warm Blood House (or House or House Dream) - Chloe Corcoran
$7,500 cash, Music, audio rights & sound design consultation from Super Natural Sound

Read to Me - Inna Dmitrieva
$7,500 cash, Music, audio rights & sound design consultation from Super Natural Sound

My Teacher in Space - Suzanne Jurva + Colin Sytsma
$5,000 cash

MINE! - Louis Morton
$5,000 cash

Horror Hosts - Alicia Krupsky
$5,000 cash to support archival rights acquisition, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Why My Dad Loves - NK Xiong
$5,000 cash, $2,000 from Misty Mountain Audio, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Decoupling – Yinan Wang
$10,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Golden Key - Grace Mitchell & Sofia Theodore Pierce
$7,500 cash, $10,000 from North American Camera, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

For the Time Being - Kara Mulrooney
$10,000 cash, $10,000 from Electric Sun, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Julie Justice - Colin Sytsma
$15,000 cash, $5,000 from Independent Studios, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Pink Moon - Carol Brandt
$25,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Christopher - Justin Goodrum
$7,500 cash, $10,000 from North American Camera, $10,000 from Electric Sun, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Arthur Byas (working title) - Laj Waghray
$15,000 cash, $15,000 from Independent Studios, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Corridor - Johnathon Olsen
$10,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

See Your West - Janelle VanderKelen
$10,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

Visibility for Existence- Nick Leffel
$10,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

Malignant Practice - Kristin Catalano
$15,000 cash, $2,500 Misty Mountain Audio, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

The Exchange. In White America. Kaukauna & King: 50 Years Later. - Joanne Williams
$10,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

Man in the Wall - Alyssa Borkowski
$10,000 cash, $5,000 North American Camera, $10,000 Electric Sun, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

The Last Week - Santana Coleman
$15,000 cash, $5,000 North American Camera, $10,000 Electric Sun, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

Black Strings - Marquise Mays
$20,000 cash, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, and post-production consultation from Independent Studios

Manner - Lori Felker
$10,000 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Cycle: The Right to Remain Violent - Laura Dyan Kezman
$7,500 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Many Shades of Brown - Anna Scott
$7,500 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Out of the Picture - Mary Louise Schumacher
$7,500 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Black Strings - Marquise Mays
$5,000 cash, $7,000 from Electric Sun, $5,000 from North American Camera, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

A Valley Without Trees - Janelle VanderKelen
$2,500 cash, $3,000 from Electric Sun, consultation services from Independent Studios, legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Achoques - Mike Gibisser
$2,500 cash, $10,000 from Electric Sun, $5,000 from North American Camera, $2,000 from Misty Mountain Audio, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Double Exposure - Barry Poltermann
$2,500 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

One Foot In - Eric Schabla
$2,500 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Scapegoat - Jay Beckman
$2,500 cash, consultation services from Independent Studios, and legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

Funding for the 2019 Brico Forward Fund was provided by the Brico Fund, with additional support from Big Chair Studios, The Electric Sun Corporation, Independent Studios, Misty Mountain Audio, North American Camera, Over Easy, and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. All recipients received a legal consultation with Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c. 

The New Extinction (dir. Kyle Arpke)
$30,000 cash, $10,000 from Independent Studios, and $10,000 from Over Easy, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

Milwaukee Ocean (dir. Andrew Swant) 
$15,000 cash, $10,000 from Independent Studios, $10,000 Over Easy, $5,000 from North American Camera, and $5,000 from The Electric Sun Corporation, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

Mexican Ghost Stories (dir. Daniela Cortes)
$15,000 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, and $5,000 from Electric Sun, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

They Want Me Gone (dir. Drew Britton)
$15,000 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, and $5,000 from The Electric Sun Corporation, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

The Warrior Princess (dir. Vianca Fuster)
$10,000 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera,and $5,000 from The Electric Sun Corporation, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

Ringolevio (dir. Kristin Peterson)
$10,000 cash, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

King Girlz (dir. Courtney LeFlore)
$5,000 cash; four days at Big Chair Studios, and $2,500 from Misty Mountain Audio, plus legal services from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, s.c. 

Funding for the 2018 Brico Forward Fund was provided by the Brico Fund, with additional support from Big Chair Studio, Electric Sun Corporation, Independent, North American Camera, and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. All recipients received a legal consultation with Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.  

Black Girl Training  - Dir. Santana Coleman
$10,000 cash, $4,000 North American Camera, $5,000 Electric Sun Corporation, 7 studio days at Big Chair Studio

The New Extinction - Dir. Kyle Arpke
$10,000 cash, $5,000 Independent, $5,000 Electric Sun Corporation

Ringolevio - Dir. Kristin Peterson
$5,000 cash, $5,000 North American Camera, $5,000 Electric Sun Corporation,

Among Wild Beasts - Dir. Ryan Reeve
$5,000 cash, $5,000 North American Camera, $5,000 Electric Sun Corporation,

Latino Wisconsin - Dir. Ralph Pabst
$7,500 cash

The Floating World - Dir. Janelle VanderKelen
$6,000 North American Camera

The Cost of Freedom - Dir. Erik Ljung
$5,000 cash

Pink Moon - Dir. Carol Brandt
$5,000 cash

The Mistake of the Third Chimpanzee - Dir. Colin Sytsma
$5,000 Independent

Pass On - Dir. Maeve Jackson
$5,000 Independent

Real Soul: A Gospel Music Story - Dir. Daniel Andera
$5,000 Independent

Yene Fikir, Ethiopia (My Love, Ethiopia) - Dir. Gabrielle Tesfaye
$2,500 cash

Funding for the 2017 Brico Forward Fund was provided by the Brico Fund, with additional support from the Electric Sun Corporation, Independent, North American Camera, RDI Stages, and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. All recipients received a legal consultation with Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

The Sacred and the Snake – Dir. Jonathan Klett
$20,000 cash

Wander – Dir. Vasilena Slavova
$10,000 cash

Dying of Thirst – Dir. Daniel Boville
$7,500 cash, $10,000 from North American Camera and $2,500 from Independent

Pet Names – Dir. Carol Brandt
$5,000 cash and $5,000 from Independent

A Grave Situation – Dir. Michael Vollmann
$2,500 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, $2,500 from Independent, and $5,000 from Electric Sun

In Pursuit of the Stars – Dir. Jessica Farrell
$2,500 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, $2,500 from Independent, and $5,000 from Electric Sun

The Inhabitants – Dir. Tate Bunker
$10,000 from Electric Sun and four studio days at Steinhafels Studios

Operation Wolf Patrol: The Rod Coronado Story – Dir. Joseph Brown
$2,500 cash and $7,500 from Independent

The Stolie Tippers – Dir. Trevonte Maxwell-King
Two studio days at Steinhafels Studios

Funding for the 2016 Brico Forward Fund was provided by the Brico Fund, with additional support from the Electric Sun Corporation, Independent, North American Camera, RDI Stages, and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. All recipients received a legal consultation with Dan Kattman of Reinhart Boerner van Deuren, s.c.

Give Me Liberty - Dir. Kirill Mikhanovsky
$20,000 cash and $10,000 from North American Camera

Plucked - Dir. Joel Van Haren
$15,000 cash and $10,000 from Independent

Black Box - Dir. Jon Phillips
$2,500 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, $10,000 from RDI Stages, and $5,000 from Electric Sun

Popper Baxton’s Sickly Stew - Dir. John Roberts
$2,500 cash and $10,000 from Electric Sun

Kaukauna & King: 50 Years Later - Dir. Joanne Williams
$2,500 cash, $5,000 from North American Camera, and $5,000 from Electric Sun

Mothers for Justice - Dir. Erik Ljung
$2,500 cash and $6,000 from RDI Stages

Lunar Lords - Dir. Kyle James
$2,500 cash and $5,000 Independent

A Walk With My Brother - Dir. Sitora Takanaev
$2,500 cash and $5,000 from Independent

Funding for the 2015 Brico Forward Fund was provided by the Brico Fund, with additional support from John Axford, Michael Drescher, Kelly & Jeff Fitzsimmons, Alexander Lasry, Madeleine & David Lubar, and Andrew Nunemaker. Production services were donated by the Electric Sun Corporation, Independent, North American Camera, and RDI Stages.

Mothers for Justice (working title) - Dir. Erik Ljung
$25,000 cash and $10,000 from Independent

The Night Country - Dir. Oliver Franklin Anderson
$10,000 cash, $15,000 from North American Camera, $15,000 from the Electric Sun Company, and $10,000 from RDI Stages

When Claude Got Shot - Dir. Brad Lichtenstein
$10,000 cash, $6,000 from RDI Stages, $5,000 from the Electric Sun Company, and $5,000 from Independent

Never Home (working title) - Dir. Pang Yang Her
$5,000 from Independent

Just Eat - Dir. Laura Dyan Kezman
$5,000 from North American Camera

Lunar Man - Kyle V. James
$5,000 cash for script development

Since our very first festival in 2009, Milwaukee Film has given a cash prize to the jury-selected winner from our Cream City Cinema program. The Filmmaker-in-Residence program enabled the winning filmmaker to make a new film using the support, guidance, and resources provided by Milwaukee Film, including a mentorship program, a $5,000 cash prize, and a production-services package valued at more than $20,000. 

Past Cream City Cinema Jury Award Winners

2014: James Tindell, New Planet
2013: Michael T. Vollmann, Before You
2012: Chris James Thompson, The Jeffrey Dahmer Files
2011: Michael Hawkins-Burgos, Don’t Go
2010: Tate Bunker, Mickey Burgermeister
2009: John Roberts, Mary’s Friend