Filmscene

Series & Special Events

FilmScene hosts numerous special events, community screenings and ongoing series to bring a diverse slate of film programming to Eastern Iowa audiences.

BOTTLE ROCKET

1996 / USA / Wes Anderson

Sun, May 284:00pmTue, May 306:30pm

Three best friends attempt to escape suburban boredom by embarking on a life of crime. They’re just not very good at it.

BOBLO BOATS: A DETROIT FERRY TALE

2022 / USA / Aaron Schillinger

Wed, May 317:00pm

A doctor, psychic and amusement park fanatic unite to save Detroit’s beloved “Boblo Boat” from the scrapyard in this documentary interweaving history with mythology.

THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS MOVIE

1987 / United States / Rod Amateau (The Seniors)

Wed, May 3110:00pm

It doesn’t get any grosser than this.

WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR

2021 / USA / Jane Schoenbrun

Thu, Jun 17:00pm

A teenage girl becomes immersed in an online role-playing game, digitally documenting the strange changes that take place from her attic bedroom.

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

2001 / USA / Wes Anderson

Sat, Jun 37:00pmTue, Jun 66:30pmWed, Jun 76:45pm

Royal Tenenbaum and his wife, Etheline, had three uniquely talented children and then separated. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. This is the story of their reunion.

WAYNE’S WORLD

1992 / USA / Penelope Spheeris

Sun, Jun 48:00pm

Two slacker best friends try to promote their public-access cable show.

PRIMORDIAL

2015 / United States / Eric Widing (Ragmork)

Wed, Jun 710:00pm

Valerie is an alcoholic, misanthropic young woman on a dangerous path of bloodshed, insanity and sadistic urges.

DRESSED IN BLUE

1983 / Spain / Antonio Giménez Rico

Thu, Jun 87:00pm

Antonio Giménez-Rico’s landmark 1983 documentary explores the lives and loves of a group of six transgender women living in Madrid in the years following Spain’s transition to democracy

MOONRISE KINGDOM

2012 / USA / Wes Anderson

Fri, Jun 97:00pmSun, Jun 114:00pmTue, Jun 136:30pm

Twelve-year-olds, Sam and Suzy, fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness on an island off the New England coast in the summer of 1965.

ISLE OF DOGS

2018 / USA + / Wes Anderson

Sat, Jun 108:40pm

When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, 12-year-old Atari sets off alone in search of his dog, Spots.

ANIMATION CAMP 2023

2023 / Iowa City / FilmScene Animation Team

Mon, Jun 128:30amMon, Jun 198:30amMon, Jun 268:30amMon, Jul 108:30amMon, Jul 178:30amMon, Jul 248:30am

Tell your own animated stories with FilmScene! At Animation Camp, campers imagine and create their own animations, totally from scratch. Each day, campers learn the key principles of animation and explore the styles of 2D paper, 3D object, Pixilation, Claymation, and replacement animation and then apply these lessons by making their own videos!

POETIC JUSTICE

1993 / USA / John Singleton

Wed, Jun 147:00pm

A lyrical summery love story of new beginnings from Oscar-nominated director John Singleton with an all star cast featuring Janet Jackson, Regina King, Tupac Shakur, and Joe Torry.

WHITE FIRE

1984 / Turkey / Jean-Marie Pallardy (Emmanuelle Goes to Cannes)

Wed, Jun 1410:00pm

Robert Ginty (The Exterminator) and Belinda Mayne (Krull) play Bo and Inga, brother and sister jewel thieves who target the legendary ‘White Fire’ diamond – a priceless rock so hot it actually burns those who try to lay their hands on it!

TANGERINE

2015 / USA / Sean Baker

Thu, Jun 157:00pm

After hearing that her boyfriend/pimp cheated on her while she was in jail, a transgender sex worker and her best friend set out to find him and teach him and his new lover a lesson.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

2014 / USA + / Wes Anderson

Fri, Jun 166:30pmMon, Jun 197:00pmTue, Jun 206:30pm

At the opulent Grand Budapest Hotel, the concierge and his young protégé forge a steadfast bond as they are swept up in a madcap scheme.

FINDING NEMO

2003 / USA / Andrew Stanton +

Sat, Jun 1711:00amSun, Jun 1811:00amThu, Jun 223:30pm

After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.

DIRTY DANCING

1987 / USA / Emile Ardolino

Sun, Jun 188:00pm

Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances “Baby” Houseman falls in love with the camp’s dance instructor, Johnny Castle.

SEÑORITA

2011 / Philippines / Isabel Sandoval

Wed, Jun 217:00pm

A transgender woman tries to leave sex work by taking care of a friend’s son and joining a mayoral campaign, but she’s hindered by an old client who controls the opposition’s campaign.

SMART HOUSE

2023 / United States / John Oak Dalton (Scarecrow County)

Wed, Jun 2110:00pm

Writer/director John Oak Dalton and producer/cinematographer Henrique Couto join us at FilmScene to present this tense techno-thriller.

ROMEO + JULIET

1996 / USA + / Baz Luhrmann

Sat, Jun 248:45pm

The classic tale of star-crossed lovers, reimagined by Baz Luhrmann.

JAWS IN 3D

1975 / United States / Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark)

Wed, Jun 2810:00pm

The film that still makes audiences afraid to go in the water.

BY HOOK OR BY CROOK

2001 / USA / Harry Dodge +

Thu, Jun 297:00pm

Two butch transmasc grifters join forces to stay afloat in San Francisco.

BATTLE ROYALE

2000 / Japan / Kinji Fukasaku

Sun, Jul 28:00pm

A schoolbus full of 42 delinquent 9th graders is transported to an undisclosed island locale, where it is revealed that the students must fight to the death.

THE CORPSE GRINDERS

1971 / United States / Ted V. Mikels (The Astro Zombies)

Wed, Jul 510:00pm

Bone-crushing terror! Spine-tingling chills! Turn bones and flesh into screaming, savage blood death!

PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE

1985 / USA / Tim Burton

Sat, Jul 88:45pm

When eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.

THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE

2000 / USA + / Mark Dindal

Sat, Jul 1511:00amSun, Jul 1611:00amThu, Jul 203:30pm

Emperor Kuzco is turned into a llama by his ex-administrator Yzma, and must now regain his throne with the help of Pacha, the gentle llama herder.

SPEED

1994 / USA / Jan de Bont

Sun, Jul 168:00pm

A young police officer must prevent a bomb from exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.

TURNING RED

2022 / USA + / Domee Shi

Sat, Jul 228:35pm

Thirteen-year-old Meilin makes a mortifying discovery: every time she is overwhelmed by emotion, she transforms into a giant red panda.

ADVANCED ANIMATION CAMP 2023

2023 / Iowa City / FilmScene Animation Team

Mon, Jul 318:30amMon, Aug 78:30am

Take your stop motion skills to the next level in our advanced class! Campers who have taken our general Animation Camp twice previously are invited to work on honing acquired skills, learn more challenging techniques, and apply knowledge to longer and more story-driven projects. Both content and grading criteria will be more challenging than the standard course and students will be working alongside and collaborating with fellow veteran animators.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

1992 / USA / Penny Marshall

Sat, Aug 58:20pm

Two sisters join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amid their own growing rivalry.

MINIATURE CONSTRUCTION CAMP 2023

2023 / Iowa City / FilmScene Animation Team

Mon, Aug 148:30am

In this week-long camp, campers will learn the history of miniature making, study design, and create their own miniature set pieces, including buildings, terrain, and more! Curriculum includes 3D printing.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO on 35mm

1988 / Japan / Hayao Miyazaki

Sat, Aug 1911:00amSun, Aug 2011:00amThu, Aug 247:00pm

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.