2026
April 9-12
121 Entries
65 Official Selections
2 New Venues
25th Anniversary
Inspired films. Talented filmmakers. Iowa connections.
The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival held its 23rd edition April 9-12, 2026. Friday-Sunday screenings were at Collins Road Theatres, 1462 Twixt Town Road, Marion, Iowa.
NEW for 2026: Thursday Night Screenings happened at the Olympic South Side Theater – 1202 3rd St SE #200, and Ideal Theater & Bar – 213 16th Ave SE, both in Cedar Rapids’ NewBo District.
We also hosted 2 forums: A.I. – Evolution & Ethics in Filmmaking and the student discussion: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
Congratulations to all Official Selections and Eddy Award Winners!
Check out our new event gallery on Pixieset!
Eddy Award Results
Eddy Award Results
Professional Freestyle
Gold
Saving Silhouettes
Silver
Do Androids Dream?
Professional Short Film
Gold
Alien: Lost Transmission Fan Film
Silver
The Valley of the Devil
Professional Documentary
Gold
From Iowa and Back: The Vietnam Era
Silver
The Collins Story – The Internet Connection
Professional Feature
Gold
Jury of Her Peers
Silver
Your Lips Never Left Mine
Hobbyist Short Film
Gold
Hit It Off
Silver
Relax
Hobbyist Documentary
Gold
Garden of Des Moines: ONE YEAR LATER
Hobbyist Feature
Gold
On Our Way
Silver
Ellie and Xavier
Student Freestyle
Gold
Self-Portrait (Mirroring)
SILVER
The Mouse
Student Short Film
Gold
ACORN, IOWA
Silver
Tenderloin
Student Documentary
Gold
Ride On: The Story of Gwen Maiers
Silver
Midnight Metro: A Fashion Story
Student Long-Form
Gold
Life After Life
Audience Choice Award
Detour
Student Audience Choice Award
Waverly 217
Iowa Connection Award
Jury of Her Peers
$1000 Collins Road Theatres Student Scholarship
FREADOM on Trial: Rights and Responsibilities in Island Trees Board of Education v. Pico
Inspired films. Talented filmmakers. Iowa connections.
The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival held its 23rd edition April 9-12, 2026. Friday-Sunday screenings were at Collins Road Theatres, 1462 Twixt Town Road, Marion, Iowa.
NEW for 2026: Thursday Night Screenings happened at the Olympic South Side Theater – 1202 3rd St SE #200, and Ideal Theater & Bar – 213 16th Ave SE, both in Cedar Rapids’ NewBo District.
We also hosted 2 forums: A.I. – Evolution & Ethics in Filmmaking and the student discussion: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
Congratulations to all Official Selections and Eddy Award Winners!
2026 Official Selections
ACORN, IOWA
Student Narrative Short-Form
Madison Taylor Wolfe – Writer/Producer/Director
Loyola University
New Orleans, Louisiana
Alien: Lost Transmission Fan Film
Professional Narrative Short
Connor Andrew Botts, Ben Mayer, Kevin Shepherd – Directors
Ben Mayer, Malcom Bodon, Jake Daniels, Jared Kellar – Producers
Mediaverse Studios
Marengo
Buried Treasure
Student Narrative Short-Form
Jacob C McCauley – Writer/Producer/Director
Wayne State College
Wayne, Nebraska
The Butterfly Effect
Professional Documentary
Deb Wallwork, Janet Bayliss – Directors
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cake in an Elevator
Hobbyist Short
Haydon Paul Bailey – Director
Jorey Kent Bailey, Lauren Wilson Bailey – Producers
Kalona
A Civil Civil Servant
Professional Narrative Short
Jonah Manibusan – Director
Emilee Hayward – Producer
Elliott Bales – Writer
Arlington
The Collins Story – The Internet Connection
Professional Documentary
Annette Juergens Busbee – Writer/Producer/Director
Cedar Rapids
CON
Hobbyist Short
Brandon Lynch – Writer/Producer/Director
Ben Neessen – Writer/Producer
Des Moines
Cornered
Professional Freestyle
Kristopher J. Gathercoal – Writer/Director
Caleb Brinsfield – Writer/Producer
Tyler Gene Gathercoal – Producer
Grand Junction
Detour
Professional Narrative Short
Beth Ann Hinde – Writer/Producer
Demian Alan Mancino – Director
Cedar Rapids
Do Androids Dream?
Professional Freestyle
Scott Marczewski – Writer/Producer/Director
Do You Understand Me?
Student Documentary
Paige Guthrie – Writer/Producer/Director
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls
D.P.O.S.
Student Narrative Short-Form
Edison Geiler – Writer/Producer/Director
Marley Hewitt – Producer
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The Dream Catcher
Professional Narrative Short
Ethan Marth – Writer/Producer/Director
Bobbie Marth – Writer/Director
Wallingford
Dress Like A Lady
Student Narrative Short-Form
Daniela Bernal, Patrick Louscher – Writers/Producers/Directors
Loras College Creative Media
Loras College
Dubuque
Dryland
Professional Narrative Short
Marissa Vonn – Writer/Director
Kalena Clarkson, Aaron Bandy – Producers
Des Moines
Ellie and Xavier
Hobbyist Feature
Benjamin Schmidt – Writer/Producer/Director
Matty Weiland – Producer
Iowa City
The Ex-Boxer
Student Narrative Short-Form
Joshua William Fiser – Writer/Producer/Director
Ryder Bates – Director of Photography
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls
Fly Over
Professional Narrative Short
Max Ward – Writer/Director
Hannah Rosalie Wright, Ben Mayer, Will Butters – Producers
FREADOM on Trial: Rights and Responsibilities in Island Trees Board of Education v. Pico
Student Documentary
Adrian Gillette – Writer/Producer/Director
Bettendorf Middle School
Bettendorf
From Iowa and Back – The Vietnam Era
Professional Documentary
Jeremy Glazier – Producer/Director
Gerard Estella, Megan Turner – Writers
Cedar Rapids
Garden of Des Moines: ONE YEAR LATER
Hobbyist Documentary
Teri Underhill – Producer/Director
Des Moines
Healing Through Hope
Student Documentary
Anna Tallman, Hunter Jones, Emily Delamora – Producers/Directors
Loras College
Dubuque
Hell’s Hollow
Professional Narrative Short
Connor A Botts – Writer/Director
Jake Daniels – Writer/Producer
Mediaverse Studios
Marengo
Hey, Lucy?
Hobbyist Narrative Short
Serena Fath – Writer/Producer/Director
Amy Wonderlin – Writer/Producer
Lizzie White, Cece Gray, Victoria Jackson – Writers/Producers
Ashley Long – Producer/Director of Photography
Des Moines
Hit It Off
Hobbyist Short
Chris Veninga – Writer/Producer/Director
Mithi Sivaprakash – Director/Cinematographer
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
How I Became a Goose
Student Narrative Short-Form
Sam Madson – Writer/Producer/Director
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo
Inner Child
Student Narrative Short-Form
Carly Liggett – Director
Grace Birkland – Writer/Producer
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE / Los Angeles, CA
Iron Dad
Student Narrative Short-Form
Sam Madson – Writer/Director/Cinematographer
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo
Jury of Her Peers
Professional Narrative Feature
William Rock – Writer/Producer/Director
Amy Nigg – Producer
John Hansen – Cinematographer
Des Moines
Life After Life
Student Narrative Long-Form
Ava Bertram, Tyler Dintaman, Jacob Olmstead – Writers
Daniel Nierling – Producer
Josian Turner, Noah Elgatian, JP Smith, Brenda Severson – Directors
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo
Littles
Hobbyist Short
Tiffany Ketcham – Writer/Director
Cody McKinney – Producer
Newton
Meat Printer
Professional Narrative Short
Jake Daniels – Writer/Director
Mediaverse Studios
Marengo
Midnight Metro: A Fashion Story
Student Documentary
Madeline Carlton – Writer/Producer/Director
Hannah Carlton – Writer
Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines
Moshe’s Song (Prelude)
Student Narrative Short-Form
Charles Matthew Chezum – Writer/Producer/Director
Jackie McGinnis – Producer
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois
The Mouse
Student Freestyle
Lucas John Gregory – Director
University of Iowa
Iowa City
My Adoring Husband
Hobbyist Short
Tyson Stock – Writer/Director
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mystery Cave Underground: Mapping for the Future
Student Documentary
Ryder Bates – Director
Francesca Soans, Joshua Sebree – Producers
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls
NO CANS
Student Documentary
Abbie McLaren – Writer/Producer/Director
University of Iowa
Iowa City
The Oldest
Professional Narrative Short
Cathlin McCullough – Writer/Producer/Director
Kristian Day, Allison Wallace, Chris Maddox, Yasmeen Magar – Producers
Austin, Texas
On Our Way
Hobbyist Feature
Dillon Jacobson – Writer/Producer/Director
Lucas Halverson, Cole Scafferi – Producers
Grant Gale – Director of Photography
OUTRO
Hobbyist Short
Wes Worthing – Director/Writer
Mike Pace – Writer
Gary DeSomber – Producer
Grimes
Paw Paw & Dayja
Professional Narrative Feature
Gregory Alan Williams – Writer/Director
Richard Tavernaro, Dawson Williams – Producers
Stockbridge, Georgia
Projection
Hobbyist Short
Bauston Van Sickle – Writer/Producer/Director/Director of Photography
Jobe Fee – Writer/Producer/Director
Wayne D. Barrett – Producer
Newton
PSYCLE
Student Freestyle
Than San – Writer/Producer/Director
Loras Creative Media
Loras College
Dubuque
Quantum Flux
Professional Narrative Feature
Joshua Bishop Hall – Writer/Producer/Director
Ryan Brown – Executive Producer
Will Perls, Aaron Klisman, Adam Bussell – Producers
Eagle Mountain, Utah
The Red String
Student Freestyle
Carter Soyer – Writer/Producer/Director
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake
Relax
Hobbyist Short
Alannah Swenka – Writer/Producer/Director
Benjamin Schmidt – Producer
Coralville
Ride On: The Story of Gwen Maiers
Student Documentary
Ryan Haywood, Lucas Schoaf – Producers/Directors
Loras Creative Media
Loras College
Dubuque
Saving Silhouettes
Professional Freestyle
Kristopher J. Gathercoal – Writer/Producer/Director
Tyler Gene Gathercoal, Tollef Sorenson – Producers
Grand Junction
Secret Ingredient
Hobbyist Short
Lewayne L White – Director/Writer
Butter Cow Writing Team – Producers
Grimes
Seeds of Sovereignty
Professional Documentary
Stuart J Tanner – Producer/Director
Cody Olivas – Director of Photography
Amine Kouider – Audio
Fairfield/Mexico
Self-Portrait (Mirroring)
Student Freestyle
Negar Soufi – Writer/Producer/Director/Editor
Timothy Ryssemus – Sound Designer
The University of Iowa
Iowa City
Si Raya at Ang Himpapawid (Raya Among the Clouds)
Hobbyist Short
Iane Nicole Artillaga – Writer/Producer/Director
Victoria Nicole “Vinnie” Japlit – Producer/Editor
Justine Dominado – Producer, Director of Photography
Sioux City / Philippines
Silent Riff
Student Narrative Short-Form
Maya Pierce, Patrick Louscher – Writers
Ryan Haywood – Director
Nora Bruxvoort – Assistant Director/Cinematographer
Loras College
Dubuque
Song & Dance
Professional Documentary
Kristofer J Keltgen – Writer/Producer/Director
Zak Rivers – Director of Photography
Justin Bruellman – Cinematographer
Madison Lake, Minnesota
Still Life
Professional Narrative Short
Hannah Rosalie Wright – Writer/Producer/Director
Joe Olson – Producer
Des Moines
Tenderloin
Student Narrative Short-Form
Andrew Sloth – Writer/Director
Amber Combs – Producer
University of Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Track Guy Movie
Professional Documentary
Andrew Snyder – Writer/Producer/Director
Nichole Wandrey – Writer
Iowa City
The Turkey Kings
Professional Documentary
Adam Rich – Writer/Producer/Director
Mark Mostad – Cinematographer
Jennifer Losch – Editor
Los Angeles, California
An Untitled Love Story
Student Narrative Short-Form
Devesh Desai – Writer/Producer/Director
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Osceola
The Valley of the Devil
Professional Narrative Short
Chase Stine – Writer/Producer/Director
Jacob Daniels – Producer
Bruce Bales – Director of Photography
Des Moines
Waverly 217
Student Freestyle
Grace Potratz – Director
The University of Iowa
Iowa City
Whale Math
Professional Narrative Short
Andrew Hartfield – Writer/Producer/Director
Tillie Hartfield – Writer
Laura Benjamin – Producer
Your Lips Never Left Mine
Professional Narrative Feature
Matthew Kozlark – Director/Writer
Felicia Ricci – Producer
Ridgefield, Connecticut