Summer of the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council welcome the Iowa Picture Show independent film exhibition to the Iowa Arts Festival, June 2-4, 2006.

Drive-in theaters are nearly extinct in Iowa and throughout the nation, so we decided to take some of the elements of this great American pastime and create an opportunity for Iowa Filmmakers to show their work outdoors.  There's something different about watching a film outside that invites audience members to react to react to film in a way that most people don't in a traditional theater.  Plus, we know we are helping to create a unique opportunity to show all of the great independent films that are being created in Iowa.

The event, hosted by U.S. Bank, will take place in a tent theater on the parking lot at the intersection of East Washington and Linn Streets in downtown Iowa City.  All films are Iowa-centric and made in Iowa and/or by Iowa filmmakers.  The films will cross many genres and lengths — from a few minutes to feature-length; from fiction, to documentary, to animation, to experimental, to humor, or even to drama.  Screenings, which are FREE, will occur continuously throughout the weekend.  The event is free, open to the public, and appropriate for all ages.  In addition to the tent theater showings, films will be projected on the wall next to the parking lot on Friday and Saturday nights from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

The Iowa Picture Show is programmed by The Iowa Digital Filmmakers Guild (IDFG) , Cedar Rapids Independent Filmmakers Group (CRIFG), the Iowa Motion Picture Association (IMPA), and the Iowa Film Office.

 It was created to provide opportunities for Iowa filmmakers to find new audiences for their work, and to show Iowans the variety of films being produced statewide.  If you are interested in submitting a film please read this.

 Click here to watch a film by local filmmaker Drew Annis.

"Because of the joining together of the Iowa Arts Festival and the Saturday Night Free Movies Series under the umbrella of the Summer of the Arts," said Katie Roche, Executive Director of Summer of the Arts, "we are more easily able to bring a film element to the arts festival because the equipment needed to show film is available through Summer of the Arts. The Iowa Arts Council recognized that Iowa filmmakers are an underserved area of the arts and funded our grant because they agreed that this forum, which has the potential of reaching nearly 30,000 attendees, but be a foundational stepping stone to help to create a culture of committed audience members for Iowa-made film for years to come."Summer of the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit umbrella organization that works to encourage and facilitate the collaborative efforts to create a summer filled with arts and cultural entertainment in the Iowa City area. Situated in the heart of downtown Iowa City, the Iowa Arts Festival draws children and adults to the celebration of great art, music and film.

The IDFG is a collaborative group of independent filmmakers working primarily in digital movie production. Cedar Rapids Independent Filmmakers encourages Iowa independent filmmakers to continue improving their craft, presents cinematic cultural events to the community, and supports the Iowa filmmaking industry. The Iowa Motion Picture Association is a professional organization formed to promote and enhance the talents and skills of members of the Iowa film and video production community. The staff at the Film Office works closely with key industry associations to help creatives in all aspects of the film and television industry.

The Iowa Picture Show is funded in part with a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts