08/12/2026
🎬 JUST ANNOUNCED: THE SIDE EFFECTS OF U: AN EXHIBITION ✨
We love supporting local creatives, but we especially love when the art has a real story behind it.
The Side Effects of U isn’t just another film release. It’s a deeply personal project inspired by real experiences surrounding family, trauma, grief, change, and the moments in life that shape who we eventually become.
Written, directed, and produced by RJ Smith, the project takes inspiration from his own personal story and brings it to life through the character Darius Bryant, a man navigating a fractured reality where memory, grief, and truth refuse to stay separate. Knowing the real experiences behind this project makes us even more interested in seeing how that story translates on screen.
And the experience doesn’t stop with the film…
Following its world premiere at the MKE International Short Film Festival, the story will continue through The Side Effects of U: An Exhibition. This will be a three day experience featuring original artwork, photography, archival materials, family heirlooms, multimedia work, and pieces from featured artist. This is the type of creative work we want to see more of in Milwaukee. Local creatives taking real experiences and turning them into something bigger that allows others to feel, reflect, and connect.
If you support Milwaukee film, art, storytelling, and creatives who aren’t afraid to tell personal stories, this is one you’ll want to experience for yourself.
Come experience The Side Effects of U: An Exhibition. Put it on your calendar and come support Milwaukee creativity and storytelling. 🎥⭐️
📍 Third Space Collective MKE
📅 September 17–19, 2026
500 N. 29th St., Milwaukee
A film. An exhibition. A world beyond the screen.
