Audiences' eyes may be glued to the big screen during the Milwaukee Film Festival, but the two-week explosion of cinema doesn't begin and end just there. There's the panels, the parties and, of course, the special guests – both in front of and behind the camera – invited to the Cream City to share the spotlight with their creations as well as the stories from on screen and off. 

The Milwaukee Film Festival today announced its list of actors, directors, film subjects and filmmakers coming to its 2017 edition, another hefty collection of famous faces, award winners and fascinating figures. This year's star-studded slate including "Love Jones" star Larenz Tate (most recently seen charming Regina Hall and audiences nationwide in "Girls Trip"), "Silicon Valley" star Martin Starr making his second consecutive MFF appearance – this time representing "Infinity Baby" – New York City Ballet ballerina Wendy Whelan, Emmy-winner Sam Pollard ("ACORN and the Firestorm") and many, many more. 

The full list is below, so make sure to see them (and obviously their movies) by buying your tickets at the Milwaukee box office, now open online and in the lobby of the Oriental Theatre – the latter open from 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, as well as noon until 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Several showings are already on rush and selling quickly – so snag your seats fast!

Films

"72 Hours: A Brooklyn Love Story?"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 9 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Raafi Rivero (director)
• Monday, Oct. 2, 6 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Raafi Rivero (director)

"90 Days" (Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters)

• Monday, Oct. 9, 3:30 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Jennia Aponte (director)

"A Life in Waves"

• Sunday, Oct. 8, 3:45 p.m., Downer Theatre: Bradford Thomason (producer)

"ACORN and the Firestorm"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 4 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Sam Pollard (director)
• Sunday, Oct. 1, 9:30 p.m., Times Cinema: Sam Pollard (director)

"AlphaGo"

• Thursday, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Greg Kohs (director)

"American Fable"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 9 p.m., Times Cinema: Anne Hamilton (director), Kishori Rajan (producer), Wyatt Garfield (cinematographer), Amanda Griffin (editor) and Rusty Schwimmer (cast)
• Sunday, Oct. 1, 3 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Anne Hamilton (director), Kishori Rajan (producer), Wyatt Garfield (cinematographer), Amanda Griffin (editor) and Rusty Schwimmer (cast)

"Bending The Arc"

• Monday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m., Downer Theatre: Pedro Kos (director)

"Big Sonia"

• Wednesday, Oct. 4, 6 p.m., Downer Theatre: Leah Warshawki (director)

"Bill Nye: Science Guy"

• Tuesday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: David Alvarado (director)

"The Blood is at the Doorstep"

• Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Erik Ljung (director), Michael Vollmann (editor), Dan Peters (associate producer), Matt Prekop (trailer editor), Michael Bell Sr. (subject), Nathaniel Hamilton Sr. (subject), Dameion Perkins (subject), Maria Hamilton (subject), Nate Hamilton (subject) and Jazmine Henley-Brown (Impact Campaign)

"Bob the Buck" (before "Requiem for a Running Back")

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 4:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Brandon T. Jones (director) and Arthur Nienhuis (camera operator)
• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 3 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Brandon T. Jones (director) and Arthur Nienhuis (camera operator)

"Bronx Gothic"

• Sunday, Oct. 8, 5 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Okwui Okpokwasili (subject)

"Carpinteros"

• Monday, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m., Times Cinema: Jean Jean (cast)

"The Challenge"

• Friday, Oct. 6, 4:15 p.m., Downer Theatre: Yuri Ancarani (director)
• Sunday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Yuri Ancarani (director)
• Monday, Oct. 9, 9:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Yuri Ancarani (director)

"Chasing Bubbles"

• Monday, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Chris James Thompson (editor)
• Thursday, Oct. 5, 4 p.m., Avalon Theater: Chris James Thompson (editor)
• Sunday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Topher Cochran (director), Laurie Adrianopoli (producer), Ross Gerber (producer), Jim Ramirez (producer) and Chris James Thompson (editor)

"Chavela"

• Friday, Oct. 6, 6:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Adrián Gutiérrez (producer)

"The Chocolate Case"

• Sunday, Oct. 8, 4 p.m., Avalon Theater: Benthe Forrer (director)
• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 1 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Benthe Forrer (director)

"Civic Art: Four Stories from South Los Angeles"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Mark Escribano (director) and Sara Daleiden (producer)
• Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m., Oriental Theatre: Sara Daleiden (producer)

"Dear Coward on the Moon"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 6 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Carol Brandt (director), Martin Kaszubowski (producer), Logan Mitchell (cinematographer), Charla Cochran (cast), Linds Edwards (cast) and Ashley Shelton (cast)

"Destined"

• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 4 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Qasim Basir (director)
• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 8:45 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Qasim Basir (director)

"Don’t Break Down: A Film About Jawbreaker"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 10 p.m., Avalon Theater: Tim Irwin (director)

"The Dundee Project" (before "Love and Saucers")

• Mark Borchardt (director) and Max Hey (editor, associate producer)

"Extra Terrestres"

• Saturday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m., Times Cinema: Carla Cavina (director)
• Sunday, Oct. 8, 1 p.m., Avalon Theater: Carla Cavina (director)

"The Feels"

• Friday, Oct. 6, 9 p.m., Avalon Theater: Jenee LaMarque (director) and Julian Wass (composer)

"For Akheem"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 6:30 p.m., Times Cinema: Daje Shelton (subject) and Jeff Truesdell (producer)
• Saturday, Sept. 30, 12:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Daje Shelton (subject) and Jeff Truesdell (producer)

"The Forever Tree"

• Monday, Oct. 9, 3:30 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Stephen Hintz (producer) and Chrishaunda Lee Perez (producer)
• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Stephen Hintz (producer)

"Found Footage Festival: After Dark"

• Saturday, Sept. 30, 11 p.m., Downer Theatre: Joe Pickett (producer) and Nick Prueher (producer)

"Fry Day"

• Monday, Oct. 9, 9 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Laura Moss (director)
• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 6:15 p.m., Times Cinema: Laura Moss (director)
• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 9 p.m., Downer Theatre: Laura Moss (director)

"Girl Unbound"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 11 a.m., Downer Theatre: Erin Heidenreich (director)
• Wednesday, Oct. 4, 12:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Erin Heidenreich (director)

"Give Me Future"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 9:15 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Jack Turner (producer)
• Saturday, Sept. 30, 8 p.m., Avalon Theater: Jack Turner (producer)

"Hold On"

• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Duana Butler (producer)

"Infinity Baby"

• Saturday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Bob Byington (director) and Martin Starr (cast)
• Monday, Oct. 9, 9:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Bob Byington (director) and Martin Starr (cast)

"Leche (Milk)"

• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Avalon Theater: Gabriella Moses (director)

"Like Cotton Twines"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 6:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Leila Djansi (director)

"The Lost World" (feat. Alloy Orchestra)

• Tuesday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Terry Donahue (Alloy Orchestra), Roger Miller (Alloy Orchestra) and Ken Winokur (Ally Orchestra)

"Love and Saucers"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 9:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Brad Abrahams (director) and Matthew Ralston (producer)
• Tuesday, Oct. 3, 9:30 p.m., Times Cinema: Brad Abrahams (director) and Matthew Ralston (producer)

"Love Jones"

• Saturday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Larenz Tate (cast)

"Lucky"

• Sunday, Oct. 8, 6 p.m., Downer Theatre: Matthew Soraci (producer)

"Manlife"

• Saturday, Sept. 30, 1:45 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Ryan Sarnowski (director), Susan Kerns (producer), Terry Caddell (producer), Jessamy Meyer (editor), Lyelle Henry (subject) and Jim Newman (subject)
• Tuesday, Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m., Times Cinema: Ryan Sarnowski (director), Susan Kerns (producer), Terry Caddell (producer), Jessamy Meyer (editor) and Jim Newman (subject)
• Thursday, Oct. 12, 1 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Ryan Sarnowski (director), Susan Kerns (producer) and Jessamy Meyer (editor)

"Mara’kame’s Dream"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 6:30 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Masha Kostiurina (producer)
• Sunday, Oct. 1, 9:45 p.m., Downer Theatre: Masha Kostiurina (producer)

"The Milwaukee Music Video Show"

• Monday, Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre

-- Direct Hit!, "Snickers or Reese’s": Adam Santiago (director) and Derek Shreves (director)
-- The Fatty Acids, "Digested": Cole Quamme (director, musician) and Josh Evert (producer, musician)
-- Hot Coffin, "Whistle, Hawk & Spit": Chris Chuzles (producer, musician) and Christian Hansen (producer, musician)
-- IshDARR, "Locals": Damien Blue (director) and Amanda Mills (set design)
-- Jacob Banks, "Unholy War": Cody LaPlant (director) and Kyle Kadow (grip)
-- Jim White & Paul Fonfara, "The Saga of the Whittled Hodag": Kara Mulroony (director) and Amanda Tollefson (production designer)
-- Joe Quinto & Miguel Diaz, "Black Magic": Emmanuil Morari (director)
-- The Kingdom of Mudnscum, "Genie Gypsy Woman": Tommy Simms (director) and Jamie Hazelwood
-- The Listening Party, "Bones": Jessica Farrell (director) and Quinn Hester 
-- Marielle Allschwang, "Aquarium": Heather Hass (director) and Diana Ehlers (costumer designer)
-- No/No, "Television": Ryan Reeve (director, editor, cinematographer) and Harrison Colby (producer, musician)
-- Ragani, "Peace Prayer (Seeing All The World As Devine)": Ragani Buegel (director) and Jimmy Sammarco (post-production crew)
-- Sat. Nite Duets, "St. Yuppie": Kurt Raether (director) and Leo Fleming (editor)
-- Soul Low, "Amputee": Harper Robinson (director) and Aby Farrey (producer, art director)
-- Uncle Larry, "Cosmic Sugar": Billy Baldus (director) and Betty Allen (director)
-- WEBSTERX, "Blue Streak": WEBSTERX (musician) and Damien Blue (director)

"The Milwaukee Show I"

• Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Oriental Theatre

-- "The Alligator Hunter": Kayle James (director, animator), Mallori Taylor (director, animator) and Michael Bourne (producer)
-- "ANGELAAA": Shannon McInnis (director) and Andrew Harrington (producer)
-- "the beautiful’: The Stories She Tell": Maeve Jackson (director) and Rudy Raasch (film support)
-- "Grey Sheep": Damien Blue (director) and Jordan Hiltz (co-writer, assistant director)
-- "Remnants of a Room": Devon Smith (director, writer) and Sayvon Friend (assistant director)
-- "Sabrina": Julien Lasseur (director) and Jamie Thalman (producer)
-- "The Sneeze": Erin Valusek (director, writer) and Bryce O’Boyle (producer)
-- "The Survivor": Christopher Carson Emmons (director) and Nate Habin
-- "A Walk With My Brother": Sitora Takanaev (director) and Michael Krieger (assistant camera)

"The Milwaukee Show II"

• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 8:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre

-- "Corn": Nicklas Hendrickson (director, actor, animator) and Matt Schaefer (voice actor)
-- "The Deer Queen": Brooke Thiele (director) and Yinan Wang (cinematographer)
-- "Hummingbird: A Sister’s Courage": Tyshon Wardlaw (director)
-- "Marshland": Drew Britton (director) and Samuel Karow (director)
-- "The Pilot": Sean McDowell (director) and Bryce O’Boyle (producer)
-- "Silently Steal Away": Andrew Swant (director)
-- "Visions of an Island": Sky Hopinka (director)

"Mutants"

• Monday, Oct. 9, 9 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Alexandre Dostie (director)
• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 6:15 p.m., Times Cinema: Alexandre Dostie (director)

"Paa Joe & The Lion"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Jacob Ashong (subject) and Joseph Ashong (subject)

"Requiem for a Running Back"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 4:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Rebecca Carpenter (director) and Sara Dee (producer)

"Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan"

• Saturday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Linda Saffire (director), Adam Schlesinger (director) and Wendy Whelan (subject)
• Monday, Oct. 9, 4:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Linda Saffire (director), Adam Schlesinger (director) and Wendy Whelan (subject)

"Schumann’s Bar Talks"

• Saturday, Sept. 30, 4:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Marieke Schroeder (director)

"SCORE: A Film Music Documentary"

• Sunday, Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Matt Schrader (director)
• Monday, Oct. 2, 3:45 p.m., Times Cinema: Matt Schrader (director)

"See You Yesterday"

• Monday, Oct. 9, 3:30 p.m., Fox Bay Cinema Grill: Stefon Bristol (director)
• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Stefon Bristol (director)

"Strad Style"

• Friday, Sept. 29, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Stefan Avalos (director) and Daniel Houck (subject)

"Stranger In Paradise"

• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 8:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Guido Hendrikx (director)

"Stumped"

• Thursday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Robin Berghaus (director), Will Lautzenheiser (subject) and Kevin McCarthy (producer)
• Saturday, Sept. 30, 4:30 p.m., Downer Theatre: Robin Berghaus (director), Will Lautzenheiser (subject) and Kevin McCarthy (producer)

"Supergirl"

• Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Downer Theatre: Jessie Auritt (director) and Naomi Kutin (subject)

"Unrest"

• Friday, Oct. 6, 3:30 p.m., Times Cinema: Jason Delane Lee (producer)

"Watched"

• Friday, Oct. 6, 3:30 p.m., Oriental Theatre: Katie Mitchell (director) and Danielle Varga (producer)
• Sunday, Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theater: Katie Mitchell (director) and Danielle Varga (producer)

VR Gallery

"Across the Line"

Brad Lichtenstein (director) and Madeline Power (production assistant)

"Eagle Bone (CH'AAK' S'AAGI)"

Tracy Rector (director)

Jurors

Black Lens Jury

• Lashondra Scott
• Aramide A. Tinibu
• Delila Vallot

Brico Forward Fund Jury

• Mike Blizzard
• Laura Thielen
• Sean Weiner

Cream City Cinema Jury

• Nicole Bernardi-Reis
• Toby Leonard
• Robert Patla

Documentary Festival Favorites Jury

• Gregory Bishop
• Deirdre Haj
• Joel Van Haren

Herzfeld Competition Jury

• Tate Bunker
• Eric Allen Hatch
• Logan Kiebens

The Milwaukee Music Video Show Jury

• Tyrone Miller
• Cal Roach
• Grace Webber

Rated K: For Kids Jury

• Kyle Cross
• Vivian CuCu
• Josephine Gasser
• Daisy Kiekhofer
• Izzy Kiekhofer

Shorter Is Better Jury

• Kristin Catalano
• George Eldred
• Jon Gann