Hilldale: To host Wisconsin Film Festival in former AMC space April 14-20

MADISON, Wis. (February 14, 2023) – At a press event today, officials announced Hilldale will continue its partnership with the Wisconsin Film Festival by utilizing the former AMC Theaters space for the 2023 event. Afterward, Hilldale will donate the theater equipment to the film festival for its use at future Wisconsin Film Festivals. The venue’s name will be Wisconsin Film Festival Hilldale.

“Hilldale has been a proud partner of the Wisconsin Film Festival since 2012,” said Nanci Horn, General Manager of Hilldale. “This is an incredible community event, and we are proud to be able to expand on that support with a donation of theater equipment. Hilldale strongly believes in the arts and we’re so grateful to be able to contribute in this way.”

This will be the 25th year for the Wisconsin Film Festival, which plans to show 150 films in theaters on the UW-Madison campus as well as Hilldale during the
eight-day event. The festival showcases local Wisconsin-based talent, in addition to the best in current global and independent cinema, as well as a robust selection of restorations and rediscoveries drawing from the entire history of cinema. It is one of the largest campus-based film festivals in the United States.

“Hilldale has been an extremely popular and vital venue for our Festival since 2012” said Ben Reiser, Director of Operations for the Wisconsin Film Festival. “While we are sad to say goodbye to this location, we are thrilled to have one more year here, to send this beloved venue out in style, and to give Madison cinephiles one more chance to bask in the splendor of seeing movies, the way they were meant to be seen, on large screens, surrounded by friends and neighbors sharing in the communal experience. And the extraordinarily generous donation of equipment goes a long way in securing the future of the festival for years to come.”

The area’s alderperson sees the Film Festival’s partnership with Hilldale as an
important one, and is glad to see the city and its businesses giving value to the arts.

“I grew up here in Madison and some of my fondest childhood memories were
biking down to Hilldale with friends on hot summer days to watch movies in an air conditioned theater,” said Alder Bill Tishler, Madison City Council, District 11. “While it is difficult to say goodbye to a neighborhood movie theater, I am so excited that we will have one last time to head down to Hilldale to enjoy the Wisconsin Film Festival. The incredible generosity of Hilldale and the commitment to public service by the Wisconsin Film Festival came together at just the right time. This year’s film festival celebrates putting people before profits and ensures the City of Madison will continue to be known as a premier destination for those who love cinema.”

ABOUT HILLDALE:

WS Development has successfully transformed Hilldale into an outdoor street-style shopping experience equipped with pedestrian walkways, social gathering spots, and lush landscaping.

Hilldale is home to more than 55 shops, restaurants, and entertainment options
including Apple, lululemon, Madewell, Anthropologie, Levi’s, Shake Shack, L.L. Bean, Kendra Scott, Sur La Table, Peloton, and Title Nine, alongside best-in-class local offerings like Wildewood, Morgan’s Shoes, Ulla Eyewear, Twigs, Amara and Crescendo Espresso Bar. Hilldale has even expanded to include Creando Explorertorium, a convenient childcare option for busy parents which has opened a new permanent preschool for children on the property.

Hilldale brings Madison’s best together in one easy-access Midtown west side
location. The laidback, strollable setting makes Hilldale feel like a mini getaway,
even when you’re close to home.

For more information, go to www.hilldale.com and find them on Facebook and
Instagram.

ABOUT WS DEVELOPMENT:

Massachusetts-based WS Development is a mixed-use developer with a singular mission: creating places people want to be. With an approach that values art, science, innovation and, above all else, people, WS strives to engage each community it serves with best-in-class installations and activations. Established in 1990, WS is a vertically-integrated company that conceptualizes, owns, operates and leases more than 100 properties that range from cutting-edge urban spaces to lifestyle and community centers. With over 22 million square feet of existing space and an additional nine million square feet under development, it is one of the largest privately-owned development firms in the country. For more information, visit www.wsdevelopment.com, call 617.232.8900 or follow WS Development on LinkedIn.

ABOUT WISCONSIN FILM FESTIVAL:

Since 1999, the Wisconsin Film Festival has curated, promoted, and exhibited
programs showcasing the art and the history of world cinema. Currently presented under the auspices of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Communication Arts, the festival supports UW’s teaching, research and public service mission by exposing the campus and the greater Madison community to films and filmmakers from Wisconsin and beyond. As cinema is an essential art form that enriches the human experience and enhances one’s knowledge of a variety of cultures, the festival seeks to create a strong sense of community through curating a vast body of films and through the creation of gatherings before and after screenings that welcome diverse communities. With the ever-evolving technology of the film industry and the ongoing demand to engage future generations of filmgoers, the festival strives to screen movies using state-of-the-art projection and sound while creating opportunities for younger students to experience cinema from around the world through school field trips, special presentations, and community outreach.