With the city currently in the throes of local awards fever, Milwaukee Record presents The Randoms, a series of highly specific and delightfully arbitrary “best of” awards that do away with pesky voting and feigned attempts at impartiality. Throughout the week, we’ll be recognizing the people, organizations, and places that help elevate life in Milwaukee. This week is sponsored by Boone & Crockett, 2016’s Best Bar With A Taco Truck Out Back (Bay View).

Despite running for 15 days, the annual Milwaukee Film Festival is always over much too soon. The films! The parties! The people! The Alice Cooper song that’s still stuck in our heads! If only there was a way to watch some off-the-beaten-path movies and enjoy the impeccable cinematic tastes of the folks at Milwaukee Film all year round. If only there were dedicated Milwaukeeans who could make something like that happen…

Oh, but there are dedicated Milwaukeeans making that happen—more than 3,000 of them. Yes, Milwaukee Film members are everywhere. According to 2016 figures, Milwaukee Film has a membership base of 3,350, putting it in the top five film festivals in the country. (Not too shabby for being #23 in media market size and being the youngest running fest in the country’s top 10.) That’s a whole lot of folks putting their money where their mouths are, and their butts in popcorn-covered seats.

And what do those members receive for their multi-tiered support? Monthly member-only screenings, discounted or free packs of festival tickets, and the knowledge that they’re keeping one of the best things currently going in Milwaukee, well, going. So here’s to you, Milwaukee Film members (and future Milwaukee Film members). Like Alice Cooper said in this year’s ubiquitous festival trailer, you’re our choice.

Milwaukee Film Festival Sponsor Trailer 2016 from Purple Onion Inc. on Vimeo.