James Runde is an independent filmmaker, photographer, and musician from Madison, WI. He loves: cows, greasy spoons, the R&B/Soul section of a record store, Robert Altman, and tube amplification. He hates: sugary beverages, the interstate highway system, smart phone addiction, and gas pump TVs.
While a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (B.A. 2015), he directed his first short film White and Lazy (2016), a slacker comedy shot on 16mm. His follow-up film Played Out (2019, 42 mins) won a Golden Badger Award at the 2019 Wisconsin Film Festival.
His latest project The Last Milk (2023, 10 mins) is a short documentary about his aunt and uncle retiring from small-herd dairy farming after over 38 years. The film explores the rewards and challenges that come with dairy farming, as well as the technological innovations of the past few decades and how they’ve affected small farmers.
Press
- Late Night with Pete Schwaba
Pete Schwaba | Civic Media | 03/18/2024 - The Pursuit Podcast
Mikey Boyd | NATAS Chicago/Midwest | 09/28/2023 - Q&A: Filmmaker and musician James Runde is just happy to be here
Rob Thomas | The Cap Times | 02/13/2022 - Supporting “Wisconsin’s Own” cinema in the wake of COVID-19
Grant Phipps | Tone Madison | 03/23/2020 - Cinematalk Podcast #3: James Runde
Ben Reiser | UW-Cinematheque | 12/13/2019
Screenings
- Midwest Movie Mixtape
12/12/2024 | Underscore Art Gallery | Milwaukee, WI - Midwest Movie Mixtape
07/11/2024 | The Bur Oak | Madison, WI - Indy Film Festival
04/26/2024 | Kan-Kan | Indianapolis, IN - Midwest Movie Mixtape
04/25/2024 | UWGB Christie Theatre | Green Bay, WI - Wisconsin Film Festival
04/16/2023 | Chazen Museum of Art | Madison, WI