Philipe Melo Belongs in MKE 2024!

Hello!

My name is Philipe and I'm a Brazilian filmworker and I have been living in Milwaukee for the past 5 years.

I came to the US with the dream to make movies and stay here to tell stories that I feel that I have on me. I attended and graduated from UW - Milwaukee with a BFA in Film in 2022.

Throughout those years I had the amazing experience to participate in over 20 student and professional projects, and they all have changed my life and my vision of what I can do in the world. Film is my not just film to me, it's my life. I have photographed and filmed different people, different lives, different stories, and I want to keep doing that. I owe everything to the people of this community for always being so kind to someone that is not from here.

In 2023 I had the pleasure to work at the Milwaukee Film Festival as an Assistant Theatre Manager.

After that, Milwaukee Film and everyone there took me in as a member of their family, and I have been lucky to grow along side them and keep working with them.

They have been so kind to show City of God (2002), by my favorite Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, a movie that not only has shown me the power of photography and film in changing somebodies lives, but also is a mark of the Brazilian cinema and the world.

My visa has expired and now, for me to continue to be a part of Milwaukee Film, but most importantly, to be a part of the Milwaukee community, I need your help to raise funds for a new visa that will allow me to be here and continue this beautiful love story between a Brazilian and this amazing community that this city has.

Much love from your favorite Brazilian and one of the OT's biggest stan,

Philipe Melo.