On this episode, we talk with the people behind Iowa's two Latino film festivals. The Des Moines Latino Film Festival just held its sixth annual event on April 11. Antonio Romero of the Latino Center of Iowa and Ben Godar of Varsity Cinema, who co-present the festival, share how their partnership has reshaped the festival the last couple years, and their hopes for the future. Then, we get a preview of the inaugural Aqui y Alla Latin American Film Festival happening May 1-3 at Filmscene in Iowa City with programming director Ben Delgado and festival committee member Ariana Martinez. Also, poets JD Schraffenberger and Sean Thomas Dougherty join to discuss their recently published "chapbook" of golden shovel-formatted poems that were inspired by the work of James Hearst.
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This year, Winterset's annual Covered Bridge Festival is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the film, The Bridges of Madison County. -
After filming at iconic Iowa City landmarks and including locals as extras, the feature film will move on to Dubuque next. -
The upcoming movie Death of a Brewer tells the story of the three breweries that dominated the northside of Iowa City in the 1880s.
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When he's not acting in films and television, Marshalltown native Toby Huss is using his camera. Also in this episode, a conversation with the new executive editor of The Des Moines Register. -
The 48 Hour Film Project of Des Moines has been a staple in the city’s film scene for decades. But this year marks a change for many teams who have regularly participated in the annual competition. The event enters a new era with a new city producer leading the way. -
New PBS documentary Behind the Blue Ribbon shows a side of the Iowa State Fair you haven't seen before. And, an Iowa City physics teacher is a finalist for a prestigious national award.
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Author Beth Howard draws similarities between baking a pie and making a documentary film. Then, we hear from the founder of the Middle of NOWhere Rural Art & Music Festival.
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From 1875 to 1973, Fairfield, Iowa was home to Parsons College. When the school closed, it left a major void in the community, which that was quickly filled by an another — unconventional — university.
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Hundreds of arts groups across the country saw their National Endowment for the Arts grants suddenly revoked on May 2. The Trump administration has proposed new priorities for arts funding and has suggested eliminating the agency.
