Four Thumbs Up: Seeing 11 movies over the 15-day Milwaukee Film Festival, and still wanting more, was a testament to this year’s film selection and diverse programming. B&D highlights included a midnight viewing of wildly funny and naughty-naughty Danish film Klown; the amazing silent Hitchcock film Blackmail, with Alloy Orchestra’s live music; and the hilariously dated The Giant Spider Invasion presented by Mark Borchardt, with director Bill Rebane fielding questions.
No God, No Master had an impressive Milwaukee presence, with 42 scenes shot here and utilizing numerous local actors, including Dan Mooney, seated at the premiere with his brother Mike; Jonathan Wainwright with his wife, Laura Gray, and many of the 300 extras, among them Bob Joehnk.
Last Call at the Oasis, a disturbing look at the world water crisis, which conveniently coincided with a Milwaukee meeting of aqua experts, was introduced by Milwaukee Water Council Executive Director Dean Amhaus. Another festival highlight was Tate Bunker’s Little Red, a brilliantly photographed and well-acted film starring Hannah Obst, a creepy Mark Metcalf, Bunker’s niece Paige Bunker, a cameo by Flora Coker, and extras, including Bruce and Peppy O’Neill and granddaughter Sadie. In its Fox Bay Cinema audience were producers Miles O’Neil of The Wicked Hop and Heidi Darrow Mains, plus blogger David Ashley of killerstencil.com.
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Regal Visit: The Milwaukee Art Museum’s President’s Circle got a royal preview of the exciting new show “Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasures of Kenwood House, London.” The program included remarks by MAM Director Dan Keegan; board President Ken Krei with an upbeat update; Brad Chapin, from sponsor BMO Harris Bank; curator William Keyse Rudolph, who thanked David Russick, the new MAM exhibition designer; and featured speaker Susan Jenkins, from English Heritage.
Mingling were Wisconsin Arts Board czarina Barbara Lawton, Alfred and Isabel Bader, politicos Marina Dimitrijevic and Luigi Schmitt, plus Tony and Bev Petullo, Ray and Barb Krueger, Eckhart and Ischi Grohmann, MAM Garden Club President Pat Netzow, and Mary Terese Duffy, just back from Ireland.
Planned Parenthood: Some 550 Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin supporters packed the Harley-Davidson Garage for a top-notch luncheon. A moving video by Jigsaw was previewed, followed by Sue Spaight and Steven Wold accepting an award for their outstanding Planned Parenthood work. Board member Harry Drake and CEO Teri Huyck emceed, along with enlightening speaker Ann Fessler, author and filmmaker of The Girls Who Went Away. A final treat was a duet by Adekola and Naima Adedapo and the Omo-Ana–Children of the Spirit of the Drum, led by Cecil Austin.
In the enthusiastic crowd were table co-captains Anne Booth, with her daughter Kit Trainer, and Sally Merrell, with her husband, Ely Leichtling, son Sam Leichtling and his wife, Lindsey Tauber; plus Sandy Wiegand, Joe Pabst and Mary Ritchie.
People Involvement: Forward Community Investments (FCI) hosted social advocates at Birdie’s Café to meet Oakland’s pioneer community investor Sister Corinne Florek. Circulating were lenders, funders and nonprofits’ brass, including Margaret Henningsen of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee; Barb Kueny of Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp.; LISC’s Jack West; Sue Eick of Legacy Redevelopment Corp.; Cathy Miller; Salli Martyniak and FCI’s Bruce Moffat. Charles Vang represented the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, and Debbie Davis repped the Milwaukee Area Time Exchange.
Survivor Salute: The Pinktacular Event Salute to Survivors at the Italian Community Center was co-chaired by sisters-in-law Diane Zore and Mary-Jo Zore, with welcomes by Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse chair Kadie Jelenchick. WISN’s Joyce Garbaciak, the mistress of ceremonies, read stories as 19 models and cancer survivors worked the runway. Among them were Steve Bailey dressed in Harley attire; Nikki Panico, executive director of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s southeast Wisconsin affiliate; oncologist Mary Horowitz; and Anne Brown from WITI. Among the 521 guests were Sally Blommer, Robin Berk and fashion chair Arlene Wesson, there with her husband, Phil, daughter-in-law Brittany Wesson and sister Ruth Kaufman, from Florida. Co-chairing the pre- and post-show bazaar were Katie Glaisner and Julie Lutz, with booths sponsored by Julia Burke from Burke Candy, Laura Goldstein from Grotta & Co. with her mother Deedee Goldstein, and Kay Brogelman and Kathy Sammons from K&K Designs.
Bookin’ It: Among local authors celebrating their writings at the Sterling North Book and Film Festival in Edgerton were the Poynter Institute’s peripatetic Jill Geisler, soon off to Bangkok; Barb Joosse, Mel Miskimen, illustrator Renee Graef and Janet Halfmann.
Fashion Plates: RunUp celebrated in style via a Great Gatsby-ish theme. Many of the 600 revelers wore vintage ’20s attire at the Pritzlaff Building extravaganza. A highlight was a Danceworks performance with drag diva Bjorn Nassett. The red carpet featured Project Runway’s Ra’Mon-Lawrence Coleman; local fashions from Mink’s Amanda Ergen, Delanie Couture and Linda Marcus Design, as well as creations by Judi Rath, Terry Crumble, Violetville Vintage’s Tina Poppy, Pfister Hotel Artist-In-Residence Timothy Westbrook and Mount Mary College students, including the winner Megan Zeman. Organizers Jordan Dechambre, David Caruso and Libby Castro announced that event funds were earmarked for Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin's new Translational Research Units. Representing Froedtert was fedora-topped Dr. James Thomas, with his wife, Debra.
Partying were Andy Nunemaker with Casey Hoffman; Jennifer Dale; Chantal Otto and Jen Daoust from Faye’s; attorneys Ron and Stephanie English; Tricia and TJ Schmidt in flapper garb; Aurora’s Tina Gallup; and Krista MacLeod.
Ward Frolic: Aurora’s Jerry Janis welcomed friends to his exquisite Third Ward condo for a delicious evening of fun, co-hosted by Mike Ball, visiting from New Jersey. Janis’ Aurora guests included Philip Loftus, Dr. Sieng Su, Stuart Wogsland and David Brown and his wife, Cindy. Admiring Janis’ river view were his niece, WPR producer Sara Nics, attorney Carlton Stansbury, artist Dan Petry, Meg Kasch and Peggy Murphy. The ever-glamorous chanteuse Karen Valentine vavoomed aplenty before heading off to a Jill McCurdy soiree. Remaining hearty-partiers wound up at the Impala Lounge’s Green Gallery after-party.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Nov. 1 issue of the Shepherd.
