MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — A Valders resident is heading to the big screen after landing a role in a Wisconsin-made film selected for the Wisconsin Film Festival.
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"Winter Hymns," directed by Tomah native Nathan Deming, was filmed entirely in Wisconsin. The film follows characters reflecting on life, family, and change — themes many Wisconsin families know well.
Bernie Starzewski, a Valders resident, plays a character named Chuck in the film.
"Chuck is talking about his regrets, what happened to his farm, how his children have grown up and moved away and I can personally relate to that, I have 4 kids, 3 are in Madison and one in Rhinelander and we are sitting out on this old farm going, where is everybody?" Starzewski said.
Starzewski said local film makes it possible for actors like him to tell stories they couldn't pursue anywhere else.
"Especially at my age, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I wasn't going to pass up for anything." Starzewski said.
When I asked Starzewski what film means to him, he had a broader answer.
"Film is how we say who we are. I think that our culture is defined by what we see as entertaining."
Independent filmmaker Melonie Gartner said more films need to be made about Wisconsin, and in Wisconsin.
"There is a charm to the Midwest … so we need to have more films made about the Midwest, we need to get them out there." Gartner said.
Gartner said Wisconsin's new tax credit program, Film Wisconsin, will help make that happen.
"I so far have been responsible for all the funding for my films, so tax incentives would help me big time." Gartner said.
"Winter Hymns" will be featured at the Wisconsin Film Festival in April at UW-Madison.
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