Blackstar Film Festival 2018 - MILWAUKEE 53206
MILWAUKEE 53206 chronicles the lives of those affected by incarceration in America’s most incarcerated ZIP code. Through the intimate stories of three 53206 residents, we witness the high toll mass incarceration takes on individuals and families that make up the community. The film not only examines Milwaukee’s ZIP code 53206, but also illuminates the story of people from across the United States who live with the daily affects of mass incarceration.
Interview with Director/Producer Keith McQuirter
Watch on Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
This story started 10 years before we started production for me. I was doing research on another documentary in New Jersey and visited a correctional facility for the first time in my life. I was there because a group of community healers were speaking to the men about what life was going to be like returning to society as felons. I was able to sit with the men in the cafeteria of the facility as the presentation happened, and all around me, I was surrounded by young black and brown men who were all about my same age and looked like me.
Obviously, I’ve always known about the vast racial disparities in the criminal justice system, but they were intellectual and not emotional. This was the first time it became emotional for me, and it hit home pretty hard, especially when you look at my professional life – I’m always the only black male. That day, I left the facility feeling sick. I knew that I had to address this issue somehow someway through the power I cultivated in storytelling and filmmaking. This is my way of fighting back against injustice. So when MILWAUKEE 53206 was being developed, I knew exactly where to start emotionally, and for me, that is the core of finding your film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It's widely known that the United States of America incarcerates more people by huge margins than any other country in the history of the world. Most people have no idea what devastating impact this socially-engineered phenomena has on communities. The intimate stories of MILWAUKEE 53206 follow the psychological and emotional impact of what life is like having a loved one missing at the dinner table due to incarceration. The 53206 ZIP code sits on the Northside of Milwaukee and is the most incarcerated ZIP code in America, where 62% of its men have been imprisoned. Audiences will find stories about heroes from this ZIP code who are fighting daily on the frontline to break the back of mass incarceration and doing all they can do to restore their families.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
MILWAUKEE 53206 is about family and community. Its not common to find an incarceration film that focuses on these two areas. Family and community are often overlooked in the conversation about criminal justice reform. What I set out to do was humanize the white paper statistics that are often used when talking about mass incarceration in America. When we talked about 62% of men in 53206 having been incarcerated, there is minimal impact. But once you learn the names, personalities, and faces, then the number takes on a whole new meaning and creates an avenue to connect on an emotional level. I think most people find their way into this story through family, even those who have no experience with incarceration or this midwestern African-American community.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
In documentaries, because it’s real life, you are at the mercy of the events happening in the lives of the families we are following. So the story starts with an idea at the beginning, but it grows into a full story of its own over time, often throwing a lot of curve balls and surprising twists that my team nor I could have imagined. That’s the nature, beauty and art of making documentary.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has mostly been positive. We’ve had screenings at film festivals around the country plus a really robust social impact campaign with over 200 additional private and public screenings. All in all, audiences say they appreciate the angle the film addresses by giving a rare glimpse into the voiceless families in America who are living with the daily impact of incarceration. The film has been screened at universities, government agencies, churches, schools, medial centers, technology companies, social service agencies, to advocates and even before the US Congress. I think people really relate to the characters in the stories and connect with their strength, joys and pain. After the film people feel moved to want to do something and get involved.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
What’s most surprising to me was being approached after a screening in Wisconsin by a woman in tears who works as a senior probation officer. She has had a 15 year career as a probation officer and she confessed she never considered how her decisions affected the families of those she supervised. She said the film widened her perspective. Although I appreciated her honesty, I found that to be so eye-opening and so disturbing. Even people who are extremely close on a daily basis with those in the criminal justice system they are blind to how their decisions impact more than just the individual they supervise. That really blew my mind.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope folks see the film! It’s currently streaming free on WORLD channel’s website. (Link below.)
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
At this point, we need more journalists to cover the film so people can learn about and see the film. The film found distribution on acclaimed documentary series American ReFramed on WORLD Channel. We are also looking for donations for our follow-up film currently titled The 3,000 Project (link to be published week of Aug. 6th).
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Mass incarceration is a gargantuan issue in the United States with many tentacles. I hope MILWAUKEE 53206 plays a part in chipping away at this problem that is devastating communities from coast to coast. Part of the impact is simply making people aware of the issue. Beyond that, it’s getting people involved by using their individual talents, vocational skills, votes and/or donations to organizations already working this issue. We just need to keep pushing the agenda forward and the more people involved the greater the momentum toward change.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
For the social impact campaign designed for MILWAUKEE 53206 we created a thorough discussion guide to help those who host a screening facilitate healthy discussions with audiences after the film. The guide has been successful in helping steer the conversations into fruitful dialogue and debate. (Link below.)
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We are currently in production on a follow up film that takes a closer look at the cause of the mass incarceration with special examination on prosecution, the courts and the parole system. Our fund raising link will go live this week.
Interview: August 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
MILWAUKEE 53206
MILWAUKEE 53206 chronicles the lives of those affected by incarceration in America’s most incarcerated ZIP code. Through the intimate stories of three 53206 residents, we witness the high toll mass incarceration takes on individuals and families that make up the community. The film not only examines Milwaukee’s ZIP code 53206, but also illuminates the story of people from across the United States who live with the daily affects of mass incarceration.
Length: 54 minutes
Director & Producer: Keith McQuirter
About the writer, director and producer:
KEITH MCQUIRTER is an award winning producer and director with credits in TV documentary, new media and commercials. He co-produced the five-part Peabody Award winning and Prime Time Emmy nominated docu-series Brick City for the Sundance Channel. Having worked as an executive producer in advertising, Keith produced commercials for national and international brands in entertainment, apparel, beauty, food and consumer products. Keith studied film and television production at New York University Tisch School of the Arts where he was awarded the Martin Scorsese Young Filmmaker Award. He also studied directing at the National Theater Institute. His production company Decoder Media is based in New York City.
Key cast: Beverly Walker, Dennis Walton, Chad Wilson
Looking for: journalists
Facebook: Milwaukee 53206
Twitter: @milwaukee53206
Instagram: @milwaukee53206
Official Website: www.milwaukee53206.com
Other: Discussion Guide
Funders: Transform Films Inc
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Catch MILWAUKEE 53206 Streaming Free on WORLD Channel: http://worldchannel.org/programs/episode/arf-s6-606-milwaukee-53206/