Movie buffs can see new episodes of a popular show featuring Iowa cinema on a night before in Iowa City this month before the episodes air on Iowa PBS statewide later this winter.
Now in its sixth season, “The Film Lounge” is an annual showcase of short films created by Iowa filmmakers. Through a compilation of short films and interviews, each episode celebrates the work of Iowa filmmakers, familiarizes viewers with the region’s vibrant film communities, and explores the art of filmmaking.
“The Film Lounge” is produced by Iowa PBS in partnership with the Iowa Arts Council and Produce Iowa, two divisions of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, whose experts annually select entries based on their technical and artistic merit. .
The Film Lounge Watch Party, January 29
An in-person surveillance night will be held at 12:30 p.m. on January 29 at FilmScene at The Chauncey, 404 E. College St. in Iowa City. The event will feature screenings of the two hour-long episodes of the new season, featuring a mix of 2-20 minute films in a variety of art forms. A reception with the filmmakers will follow.
TV shows, January 31 and February 7
The new season of “The Film Lounge” will premiere on Iowa PBS at 9 p.m. on Monday, January 31, followed by the second episode at 9 p.m. on Monday, February 7. Each episode will also air at the same times on Facebook, where viewers can interact with contributing filmmakers and other moviegoers using the hashtag #TheFilmLounge.
Here is the schedule for the two new episodes:
January 31st, Episode 601
- “Frozen” through Tyler hill and Hao zhou of City of Iowa brings together scenes from rural Iowa and rural China to explore anxiety, dislocation, and self-exile. In October, he won a Student Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- “Doubt” through Ebong freed from god of Cedars Rapids uses the experience of a mixed martial arts fighter to create a tale of triumphing over adversity.
- “To like” through Storm Montgomery of City of Iowa uses abstraction, color and clay to study the conflict of emotions and discover the sources of true joy and fulfillment.
- Flagship feature: Take a look behind the scenes of a short film project by Beau Batterson which was entirely filmed in a Cedars Rapids basement with the use of green screens. It’s all about creativity on a low budget.
- “The phantom stream” through Benjamin manager of City of Iowa reflects on the anxiety, hope and understanding gained when a city loses the art, culture and community that make it unique.
- “Birdsong” through Paul Huenemann of Cedars Rapids is a lively contemplation of what it would be like to retire.
February 7, Episode 602
- “Land FM” through Philippe Rabalais of Fairfield tells the story of three scientists who reach the planet using esoteric audio equipment and make a mysterious and cathartic discovery.
- “A Seussian journey” through Katie Jensen, Bruce James Bales and Cynthia o’hern of monks showcases the art of avant-garde fashion.
- “Green witch” through Antoinette Lavelle of monks Visually represents a mantra to encourage reflection on the natural world and harmonization with the earth.
- Flagship feature: On this tour of the ‘America’s most twisted film festival’, you’ll understand why the annual festival Snake Alley Film Festival in Burlington draws fans from across the country to its popular mix of short films, script contests and tabletop readings.
- “Start” through Connor hopkins of Decorah Introduces the professional wrestling subculture by following a wrestler’s journey from novice to professional.
- “The atmosphere” through Amenda Tate of West of the Monks captures an experimental performance that uses movement, gesture, presence, space, abstraction and self-interaction to investigate consciousness.
For more information on “The Film Lounge”, including guidelines for submitting films for the following season, please visit thefilmlounge.org.
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The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and its divisions – the Iowa State Historical Society, including the State Historic Preservation Office; the Iowa Arts Council; the Iowa Interim Humanities Council; and Produce Iowa, the state office of media production – empowers Iowans to create and support culturally vibrant communities by connecting to the people, places, and points of pride that define our state. iowaculture.gov
As the only statewide television network in Iowa, Iowa PBS’s mission to educate, inform, enrich and inspire the people of Iowa guides its programming quality, non-commercial that tells Iowa stories like no one else can. Four statewide public channels deliver programs of lasting value to Iowa residents no matter where they live or what they can afford: Iowa PBS .1, Iowa PBS KIDS .2 , Iowa PBS WORLD .3 and Iowa PBS Create .4 on Channel 11, Des moines; Canal 12, Iowa City; Canal 21, Fort Dodge; Canal 24, Mason City; Canal 27, Sioux City; Canal 32, Waterloo; Channel 32, Council Bluffs; Canal 36, Davenport; Handle 36, Red Oak. You can find more information at iowapbs.org.
