April 5-7, 2024
Collins Road Theatres • Marion, Iowa
The Iowa Connection
CRIFF celebrates the fact that people with ties to Iowa are in the production industry EVERYWHERE. We search for films from anywhere and by anyone, who just happen to have an Iowa connection.
That could be a crew or cast member who lived, worked or went to school in Iowa; a film that was produced, at least in part, in Iowa; or a story featuring an Iowa subject or Iowan (present or former, real or fictional).
We’ve had films submitted from all across the US, and around the world! We tell skeptical filmmakers that if you don’t think your film qualifies, ask around…you just might have an Iowan on set!
Download the Call for Entries flyer PDF and post in a conspicuous place!
Call for Entries is OPEN
We’re excited to formally announce that the 2024 Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival will be held April 5-7, 2024 at Collins Road Theatres, and that the Call for Entries is now open.
Fresh elements were added in 2023 to further enhance the filmmaker and audience experiences. These included a Filmmaker VIP Lounge stocked with delicious refreshments, all-new Eddy Award Trophies, guest spots on the Screen Speak Podcast, DCP projection technology, and more. We expanded the screening schedule by starting earlier on Friday and adding Student Cinema Sunday.
We have several new things brewing for 2024, so stay tuned!
Every entrant is welcome to free admission, and has the opportunity to schedule a personal Conversation With the Judges, on Sunday, April 7. This rare opportunity for one-on-one feedback has long been a hallmark of the Festival, and is regarded by many filmmakers as the most valuable perk of entry.
In addition to being screened twice for our enthusiastic audience, Official Selections are honored with a commemorative shirt with your name on the back, your entry featured on promotional statewide media, and advancement into the Saturday night Eddy Awards competition. Gold and Silver Eddy Awards are presented in Professional, ProAm and Student categories for Features, Shorts, Documentaries, and “Freestyle” (experimental, music video, video art, etc.) films. We also award the Audience Choice Eddy and Student Audience Choice Eddy, voted on by audience members. The Iowa Connection Eddy is awarded to that film which best represents Iowa’s filmmaking community. It’s a film that tells the world WHO is making films in Iowa, WHY they’re doing it in this state, and WHAT Iowa stories are being told. Finally, the Collins Road Theatres Scholarship is awarded to a student filmmaker to further the recipient’s filmmaking education.
To Enter
We have 4 deadlines, with entry fees lowest for the those of you ready right now! There are also discounts for being FilmFreeway Gold Members.
Deadline
Pro and ProAm Entry Fees
Student Entry Fees
10/20/23
$35 / $31.50 for FF Gold
$25 / $22.50 for FF Gold
11/17/23
$40 / $36 for FF Gold
$30 / $27 for FF Gold
12/22/23
$45 / $40.50 for FF Gold
$35 / $31.50 for FF Gold
1/12/24
$55 / $49.50 for FF Gold
$45 / $40.50 for FF Gold
Pro & ProAm
$35 / $31.50 FF Gold by 10/20/23
$40 / $36 by 11/17/23
$45 / $40.50 by 12/22/23
$55 / $49.50 by 1/12/24
Student
$25 / $22.50 FF Gold by 10/20/23
$30 / $27 by 11/17/23
$35 / $31.50 by 12/22/23
$45 / $40.50 by 1/12/24
Here is that all-important FilmFreeway CRIFF Entry Button!
Celebrating Student Filmmakers
They’re the future of the art and industry. Student filmmakers are integral to the festival’s success, so we value giving them red-carpet treatment.
Our host venue generously continues its COLLINS ROAD THEATRES $1000 SCHOLARSHIP, awarded to a student filmmaker in order to further the recipient’s filmmaking education and career.
We are also proud to present Student Cinema Sunday, a special screening of just student films. Student tickets for this special session are at a greatly reduced rate. At the close of this event, we’ll present the Student Audience Choice Eddy Award!
The Festival is open to the general public, and the Saturday night Eddy Awards Ceremony is free with any other Festival ticket purchase. For pricing and purchase, visit our Tickets Page.
We can’t wait to see you at the 2024 CRIFF!
The Eddy Awards
The Eddy Awards are named after Thomas Alva Edison who, among many other pursuits, was a pioneer in motion picture technology. The term eddy is also defined as “a current moving contrary to the direction of the main current,” which is a suitable description for independent filmmakers, who often go against the current trends in mainstream cinema.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Venue Sponsor
Scholarship Sponsor
Technology Sponsor
Eddy Awards Ceremony Sponsor
