The 2026 Italian Film Festival USA in Milwaukee featured eight films that explore themes of grief, tragedy and growing up, with each having an underscoring theme centering on the hardships that love can bring, whether familial, platonic or romantic.
Only 13 U.S. cities present the festival, and the University of-Milwaukee Union Cinema, at 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., held the Milwaukee showcase from April 10-12. The festival was free to the public. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Italian professor and chairwoman for the festival’s Milwaukee chapter, Simonetta Milli Konewko, played a key role in selecting the films.
