Port makes silver screen debut

The city of seven hills has hit the silver screen in Cream City, with a film written and directed by a Port Washington native that features the city prominently and depicts the distinct differences in socioeconomics and race relations between the two places just a 30-minute drive from each other.

The first of two showings of “Intoxicated Rain” by Miles O’Neil drew at least 200 people who resoundingly applauded the film at the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee on Sunday, part of the Milwaukee Film Festival. Guests included O’Neil, lead actor Dominique Reeder and a few other members of the cast and crew. Several Port Washington residents attended.

The story details some of the complexities of life for biracial Jaden Sobczak, a recent high school graduate navigating difficult, awkward and sometimes racist family and social situations.

“It seems like universal, almost timeless subjects that go on in cities in parts of the world,” O’Neil said.

He said he wanted to “keep things open ended for the most part. I kind of wanted to create a movie that was unpredictable — primarily a drama, but I threw some comedy in there as well,” he said.

Some of the story is loosely based on what O’Neil saw growing up. He moved from Port to the Washington Heights area of Milwaukee when he was 11.

Creating the film survived a number of setbacks, including the Christmas parade scene. Port’s event was rained out in 2018, and O’Neil decided to wait a year to shoot it to maintain authenticity.

The pandemic slowed the post-production process while O’Neil hired people with other full-time jobs to do the work as a part-time job. He remained owner and operator of the Wicked Hop, a bar and restaurant in the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee. That’s where he found Reeder, the lead actor who was 22 when the movie was filmed and has since worked his way up from host to manager at the Wicked Hop.

Numerous scenes feature Port Washington landmarks, such as the lighthouse, Mile Rock, Upper Lake Park and downtown businesses and streets.

O’Neil hopes to get the film streamed on various platforms.

The last showing of the movie is at 3:30  p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Oriental Theatre.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/4c3sht9p.