To acknowledge applause while introducing a movie, Wisconsin Film Festival interim director Meg Hamel would often raise both fists over her head, like Rocky Balboa reaching the top of the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
It’s a gesture of triumph that many patrons at this year’s festival would say was well earned. Having started from behind in terms of both resources and time – she was only hired to replace former director Mary Carbine just over four months ago – Hamel and a large cast of sponsors and volunteers put together a film festival this past weekend that equaled past festivals, and even exceeded it in spots.