Milwaukee Film announces 10 initial MFF26 selections and unveils new festival artwork for April dates

Early lineup and visual identity revealed for Milwaukee Film Festival 2026

Milwaukee Film has released the first group of titles for the 2026 Milwaukee Film Festival (MFF26) and introduced the festival’s official artwork ahead of the event’s April run on Milwaukee’s East Side.

The 18th annual festival is scheduled for April 16–30, 2026, and is set to take place at the Oriental Theatre and the Downer Theatre. Milwaukee Film recently became the owner of the Downer Theatre and has begun a capital campaign focused on restoring and updating the historic venue.

Festival artwork created by Milwaukee design studio

The newly unveiled campaign artwork was created by Milwaukee digital design studio Northern Ground. The studio has also been involved in broader branding work for the organization, including the development of Milwaukee Film’s updated logo and website. Milwaukee Film is using the artwork as the public-facing visual identity for the 2026 festival season.

Ten titles span documentary, repertory, and special-event programming

The first slate includes 10 announced selections and event screenings, signaling the mix of new releases, classics, and live-performance elements that have become regular components of the festival’s programming. Among the special events is a centennial screening of Buster Keaton’s silent-era film “The General” (1926), presented with live orchestral accompaniment by Milwaukee’s Anvil Orchestra at the Oriental Theatre.

Milwaukee Film also confirmed the return of a “Stop Making Sense” screening paired with a dance-party format—an event-style presentation that has previously been used to frame repertory titles as community gatherings rather than standard screenings.

• “Cookie Queens” (Alysa Nahmias, 2026, USA) — documentary focused on Girl Scout cookie sales and competition
• “The General” (Buster Keaton and Clyde Bruckman, 1926, USA) — presented with live accompaniment by Anvil Orchestra
• “I Want Your Sex” (Gregg Araki, 2026, USA) — narrative feature starring Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde
• Additional titles were included in the initial announcement, with more to be detailed in the festival program book

Ticketing timeline and next publication milestones

Advance festival passes and ticket packages are already on sale. Milwaukee Film has set early April dates for additional steps in the rollout: program books are scheduled to become available beginning April 2, with individual ticket sales opening first for members on April 6 and for the general public on April 8. In-person ticket availability at the Oriental Theatre is scheduled to begin on April 10.

Milwaukee Film has framed the early announcements as a first look at a larger festival schedule that will expand beyond these initial selections and special events.

The full lineup is expected to exceed 200 films across the festival’s 15-day run, continuing a programming model that combines features and shorts with guest events and themed screenings.