The 18th annual Milwaukee Film Festival is heading back to the East Side from April 16 to April 30, 2026, and organizers are handing the first spotlight to a hometown legend. Opening night will feature the world premiere of Ueck, a new feature-length documentary about Bob Uecker, on the big screen at the Oriental Theatre. Over the two-week run, the festival will roll out dozens of features, shorts and special events that put Milwaukee filmmaking alongside national premieres.
Festival Dates, Venues and Tickets
According to Milwaukee Film, the 18th annual festival, presented by Associated Bank, runs April 16 to 30 with screenings at the Oriental and Downer Theatres on Milwaukee’s East Side. Passes and ticket packages are already on sale, while individual tickets are set to be released in early April.
Opening Night: Ueck
WISN reports the festival will open April 16 at the Oriental Theatre with the world premiere of Ueck, a film that traces Uecker’s path from sandlot ball to his long-standing role behind the Brewers’ microphone. The outlet also notes that the festival will present roughly 245 films, including more than 100 features and 138 short films, and that most of this year’s entries were directed by women. “It’s what we believe to be the definitive Bob Uecker documentary,” September Club co-founder Jeremy Coon said in a statement to the station.
About the Film
September Club, the production company behind Ueck, credits Steve Farr and Michael Vollmann as directors, with Jeremy Coon and Barry Poltermann among the project’s executive producers. The company notes that filmmakers began shooting during Spring Training 2023 and were granted extended access to Uecker, his family and his colleagues. The production describes Ueck as an intimate, career-spanning portrait built from archival material and long-form interviews.
Local Resonance
For Milwaukee, Bob Uecker is not just a broadcaster; his voice and deadpan comedy have been woven into local summers for decades. He has long carried the hometown title of “Mr. Baseball,” a legacy chronicled in detail by OnMilwaukee. As WISN reports, the documentary is expected to reach theaters this summer, making the Milwaukee Film Festival premiere the first big-screen look at the film for many local fans.
