As the Spring semester rolls on at PSOA, so does the latest run of Experimental Tuesdays, a free weekly screening series that showcases artist-made films and videos.
Founded by the late Carl Bogner, Experimental Tuesdays has been hosted by the Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres in collaboration with UWM Union Cinema for more than 20 years, running throughout both the Fall and Spring semesters.
Experimental Tuesdays is programmed by a committee made up of FVANG faculty members with participation from adjunct faculty and academic staff. Ben Balcom (Assistant Professor, Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres) is at the helm. Balcom believes the series is a strong reflection of the films that are most often analyzed by FVANG students.
“The history of our department is very intimately entwined with the history of experimental film,” said Balcom, adding that the program strives to “challenge the conventions of mainstream commercial narrative cinema.”
When it comes to curating the lineup for Experimental Tuesdays, the program mixes contemporary work alongside repertory work.
“What we’re attempting to do is bring a handful of artists that represent a provisional portrait of the landscape of contemporary film,” said Balcom. “It’s really about what we as a committee feel like is possible… It’s sort of unpredictable.”
Each Experimental Tuesdays’ lineup includes work from the Cinema Arts Archive, UWM’s 400+ film catalog made up of predominantly artist-made experimental films on 16mm.
Many of the chosen films are more historical. However, Balcom notes that the films screened are carefully selected to ensure that students develop an understanding of both past and modern films.
“We show a balanced selection of contemporary work and historical works from our UWM Cinema Arts Archive as a way to offer context for the more contemporary and emerging artists that we’re showing,” said Balcom.
The wide selection of films screened at Experimental Tuesdays allows students to express a range of thoughts about the work being shown.
An example of this that stood out to Balcom was screening the film Ten Skies by James Benning, a 100-minute movie made up of 10 uninterrupted shots of the sky at different locations and times. While Balcom describes this movie as “infamously difficult,” he observed students taking a lot out of the viewing experience.
“What was most rewarding is hearing how many students spoke to their feelings for the film changing while it unfolded and how many felt that they understood something new and unique about the power of cinema after seeing something as novel as that,” said Balcom.
Experimental Tuesdays also features several guest speakers each semester, with this semester including renowned film directors Peter Rose and Alee Peoples, animator James Mercer, and many others.
Milwaukee’s renowned film community is heavily built on creating independent work that allows filmmakers to flex their talents and creativity. Because of this, Experimental Tuesdays serves as a reflection of what is possible for UWM film students as artists beyond the industry, with the series seeking to expand filmmakers’ horizons.
“What I hope students experience is that Experimental Tuesdays is known by people all across the city,” said Balcom. “I would say this is one of the pillars of the Milwaukee film community.”
Learn more about the series and its current lineup on the Experimental Tuesday webpage.
Story by Jason McCullum ’25