Mullet-wearers refused to be part of their serious documentary about the hair style. So a group of UW-Madison students decided, as part of an assignment for a communication arts class, to create a \mockumentary"" on the subject.
""The Mullet,"" produced by UW-Madison juniors Paco Bertsch and Jesse Johnson and senior Erik Figi, is one of three sold-out UW System student films being shown at the Wisconsin Film Festival, held April 4-7 at various campus and downtown theaters.
This is the fourth year of the festival which, according to organizers, began as a forum for independent and art-house films to be shown in Wisconsin.
""In Madison, since we're in such a small place, even though it's a university town, we really only see the big, mainstream movies that come through,"" UW-Madison Arts Institute Outreach Specialist Mary Carbine said.
Of the 138 films being shown, three are student short films. Carbine said she was excited there was such interest in the students' films.
""People know how good [the student films] are going to be,"" she said.
Bertsch and Johnson said their class assignment involved brainstorming film ideas of Wisconsin life.
""When you think of Wisconsin you kind of think of the backwoods, you think of the hicks that live up North and that's where we got the idea for 'The Mullet,'"" Bertsch said.
UW-Milwaukee senior Aaron Kraft produced another film in the festival. ""MILW,"" a documentary on the city of Milwaukee, was his idea for his junior year film project.
According to Kraft, the sold-out crowd is due to a large student population in Madison and interest in the younger generation's view of their community.
Bertsch said the response was impressive.
""It says a lot for all the students and all the work they put in,"" he said. ""We are young and creative and get a chance to show a different aspect of life.""
Johnson said he hopes the audiences can see the efforts put into the films.
""Wisconsin isn't thought of as a film savvy area and I think this area has a lot of talent,"" he said.
Both ""MILW"" and ""The Mullet"" will be shown Saturday, April 6 along with one other student film.
""It'll be fun to see the audience reaction'you have 'High Fidelty' showing one night and 'The Mullet' showing the next day,"" Bertsch said.
Johnson said people will love ""The Mullet.""
""Everyone relates back to when they were in third grade and their parent made them get a mullet,"" he said.
For more information on the Wisconsin Film Festival, go to .
