The results are in, and they reveal that 2010 was another growth year for the Wisconsin Film Festival, which ended Sunday. Total attendance was 34,539, up from 32,645 in 2009 and 30,028 in 2008. The festival ran for five days in 2010, one more than in past years, so that surely gave the numbers a goose.
Festival director Meg Hamel also announced the winners of this year's audience poll. Viewers' favorite documentary was Paddle to Seattle: Journey Through the Inside Passage, which Isthmus' David Medaris called the "antithesis of the self-important expedition doc." And their favorite narrative film was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the Swedish thriller. If you're sorry you missed it, don't fret. It is slated to open at Sundance Cinemas on Friday.
Our coverage of each day at this year's film fest follows:
- Day One: "I'm just ready for this to begin"
- Day Two: "This is my vacation"
- Day Three: "This could be considered sort of like work"
- Day Four: "Beating Soderbergh by at least a year"
- Day Five: "A more gentle approach to the films"
In addition, TDP videographer and filmmaker Ben Reiser produced two videos:
Amusingly, and fittingly, Hamel's announcement came in an automated out-of-office email. This marks the first time in my journalistic career that I've reported news from an out-of-office email. "In the busy days that follow," she writes, "I continue to be away from email as we do the work involved in breaking down our theaters. Please have patience."
I hope she also gets a little down time, a little Meg time. Because soon she'll be knee-deep in planning the 2011 Wisconsin Film Festival, scheduled for March 30-April 3.
