Wisconsin's connection to Oscar-winning 'One Battle After Another'

Wisconsin's connection to Oscar-winning 'One Battle After Another'

From Center Stage, with Milfred and Hands by Wisconsin State Journal

April 7, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

Milfred and Hands discuss the Oscar-winning film 'One Battle After Another' with its cinematographer Michael Bauman, exploring its themes and implications.

Milfred and Hands talk politics and film with Wisconsin native Michael Bauman, the cinematographer for "One Battle After Another," which won six Oscars last month. Bauman, who grew up about 60 miles northeast of Madison in the Fond du Lac County village of Brandon, was nominated for an Oscar and won a BAFTA Award for best cinematography. He talks about the blockbuster movie and its implications for immigration and border policy. He also recounts his experience in the film program at UW-Oshkosh and explains why bigger productions shoot in Illinois rather than Wisconsin -- including "Monster: The Ed Gein Story," which he worked on.   Hands thinks Sean Penn's character, Col. Lockjaw, for which he won a supporting actor Oscar, is too real in the Trumpian era to be absurd. Milfred, who grew up with Bauman in Brandon, picks a star to play Bauman in a future biopic.

People in this episode

Hosts: Milfred, Hands

Guest: Michael Bauman

Topics covered

  • politics
  • film
  • immigration
  • border policy

Keywords

  • Oscar
  • BAFTA
  • cinematography
  • Wisconsin
  • film program
  • UW-Oshkosh

Mentioned in this episode

Products: One Battle After Another, Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Books & works: Oscar, One Battle After Another, Oscars, a BAFTA Award, Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Places: Wisconsin, Madison, Fond du Lac County, Brandon, Illinois

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