A Room Alive

American Movie

November 1999 •English

American Movie is the story of filmmaker Mark Borchardt, his mission, and his dream. Spanning over two years of intense struggle with his film, his family, financial decline, and spiritual crisis, American Movie is a portrayal of ambition, obsession, excess, and one man's quest for the American Dream.

Royalty Free: The Music of Kevin MacLeod

October 2020 •English

A documentary on how composer Kevin MacLeod unwittingly became one of the most heard composers in the world by releasing thousands of songs for free.

Painted Stories About the War

January 2024 •Ukrainian

This is a story about the Ukrainian comic book industry. The authors introduce the audience to a still little-known and under-appreciated art form in Ukraine - drawn stories. Where did this art come from? When did it appear in our country? What forms did it take in the Soviet era and how did it change in the first years of independence?

Mysteries of the Driftless

September 2013 •English

What strange forces saved one isolated section along the Upper Mississippi River from the repeated crushing and scouring effects of glaciers during the last two million years? And what pre-Ice Age throwbacks survived here in this unique geologic refuge that holds more Native American effigy mounds, petroglyph caves, strange geological features, and rare species than anywhere in the Midwest? These questions and more are answered in this captivating new documentary. A team of scientists embarks on a journey of exploration to expose both the science and threats behind three unique features of the zone - rare plants and animals, odd geological phenomenon, and striking remnants of a Native American pilgrimage like no other.

Manlife

June 2017 •English

For over 80 years, Merle Hayden has crusaded to recruit members to the utopian movement Lawsonomy. Founded by aircraft pioneer Alfred Lawson, Lawsonomy advocates for economic reform and clean, communal living that transforms followers into a "New Species" that will benefit the human race either in this life or the next. Merle joined Lawson as a teenager and never looked back. His high school sweetheart Betty Kasch, however, is tired of Lawson coming between them. Reunited after over 60 years apart, non-believer Betty wants Merle to join her in Florida. Merle's commitment to preserving Lawson's legacy, artifacts currently rotting in a barn alongside a Wisconsin highway, has Betty worried Merle may leave her for Lawson once again.

Wisconsin Crisis: Why it matters to Alberta

December 2011 •English

An in-depth look at the early 2011 crisis for public sector unions in Wisconsin, and why it matters in Alberta.

Triviatown

March 2006 •English

This documentary is about the "World's Largest Trivia Contest" held in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Eight questions per hour are asked over 90FM, the student radio station at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, for 54 hours straight. This film highlights several trivia teams and how very differently they play the contest from the more serious teams to the teams who just get together to party. For most teams, Trivia is like an annual reunion where they can get together with family and friends and have fun doing something they all love.

Wisconsin Death Trip

September 1999 •English

Inspired by the book of the same name, film-maker James Marsh relays a tale of tragedy, murder and mayhem that erupted behind the respectable facade Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the 19th century.

Who Is Bill Rebane?

May 2021 •English

A feature-length documentary on the life and work of Wisconsin grindhouse cinema auteur Bill Rebane, featuring historians, critics, and filmmakers, plus cast and crew members who worked with Rebane himself.

Can You Hear Us Now?

April 2020 •English

After eight years of one-party control, Wisconsin voters have found their lives increasingly irrelevant to state lawmakers. An ensemble of strong-willed Wisconsin women sets out to be heard in this unnerving portrait of American democracy.

Lighting the 7th Fire

July 1995 •English

A Chippewa prophecy foretells a time called the 7th Fire when lost traditions will be recovered. Native American filmmaker Sandra Sunrising Osawa examines how the Chippewa Indians of Northern Wisconsin have struggled to restore the centuries-old tradition of spearfishing — and the heated opposition they have encountered.

Los Lecheros

November 2017 •English

The fates of undocumented immigrant workers and Wisconsin's $43 billion dairy industry are closely intertwined - and both are grappling with their options for survival as fears of ICE raids and deportations under the Trump administration grow.

Speciale Lucca Comics

November 2017 •Italian

Lucca Comics Daily

November 2023 •Italian

The War at Home

December 1979 •English

Documentary film about the anti-war movement in the Madison, Wisconsin area during the time of the Vietnam War. It combines archival footage and interviews with participants that explore the events of the period on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus.

Bad River

March 2024 •English

Wisconsin's tribe's ongoing fight to protect Lake Superior for future generations. "Bad River" shows the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's long history of activism and resistance in the context of continuing legal battles with Enbridge Energy over its Line 5 oil pipeline. The Line 5 pipeline has been operating on 12 miles of the Bad River Band's land with expired easements for more than a decade. The Band and the Canadian company have been locked in a legal battle over the pipeline since 2019.

Old Fashioned: The Story of the Wisconsin Supper Club

April 2015 •English

Supper club restaurants were the hot dinning trend in the mid twentieth century. They provided a place for people to spend their evenings enjoying cocktails, home cooked, high quality food and entertainment. The supper club scene slowly faded from the rest of the country, but kept a strong hold in Wisconsin due to a culture that allowed it to thrive. Around for decades, supper clubs in Wisconsin have been able to hold their own style and traditions. While chain restaurants continue to expand and threaten their future, supper clubs are fighting to survive while continuing to offer the same exceptional dinning experience and a personal touch that is not seen in the modern lifestyle of dine and dash. Old Fashioned: The Story of the Wisconsin Supper Club takes you into this uniquely Wisconsin institution.

Remarkable Homes of Wisconsin

March 2015 •English

Join host Michael K. Bridgeman for a tour of Wadsworth Hall in Lake Geneva, the Havilah Babcock House in Neenah, Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien, the Island of Happy Days in Birchwood, the Brooks Stevens House in Fox Point and Wingspread in Wind Point. Featuring interviews and observations from historians and architects, historic photos and breathtaking video tours of each of the properties, the program reveals the inspiration behind the design of each home, the goals of the original owners and the careful preservation by modern caretakers. Decades after their construction, these treasured buildings are still a vibrant part of their communities serving as museums, meeting places, vacation destinations or private residences. Venture inside each of these spaces to uncover the splendor of Remarkable Homes of Wisconsin.

Tale of the Spotted Cow

September 2015 •English

Wonderfully candid interviews with New Glarus Brewery founders/owners Deb and Dan Carey fuel this inside look at the legend behind WIsconsin's signature craft beer, Spotted Cow. Filmmaker Bill Roach has captured endearingly down to earth and detailed anecdotes about the couple's history both in and out of the brewery, revealing a true-life rages-to-riches tale that is both touching and inspiring.

D.L.F.A.

November 2013 •English

The DLFA was a haphazard assortment of young misfits unified by their unwavering pursuit of climbing, partying, and testing the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior. During the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s they established bold first ascents at Devil's Lake State Park and elsewhere in the Midwest. Their spirit of youthful nonconformity and brash rebellion is enshrined in the group's full name: The Devil's Lake Fukness Association.