Ottumwa International Film Festival
Welcome to the Ottumwa International Film Festival, a vibrant celebration of cinema held at the stunning Bridge View Center theater on March 20 and 21, 2026. Over the course of two days, we will showcase an eclectic mix of short and feature films from a diverse array of categories, promising to captivate audiences with a rich tapestry of storytelling.
Our festival is dedicated to highlighting the creativity and passion of filmmakers from around the globe. We take pride in curating a program that includes thought-provoking dramas, riveting documentaries, heartwarming comedies, and groundbreaking experimental films. Each screening offers a unique glimpse into different cultures, perspectives, and artistic visions.
In addition to the screenings, we will host engaging Q&A sessions with filmmakers, providing an intimate platform for attendees to delve deeper into the creative processes behind the films.
To honor the outstanding achievements in filmmaking, we will present awards in various categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Audience Choice, and more. These accolades celebrate the innovation, talent, and dedication that drive the art of cinema forward.
Join us at the Ottumwa International Film Festival for two unforgettable days of cinematic discovery and community. Whether you're a filmmaker, a film lover, or simply curious, we invite you to immerse yourself in the magic of the movies and the spirit of storytelling.
SCHEDULE
Friday, March 20: 5:00 PM-10:00 PM
Saturday, March 21: 10:00 AM-8:00 PM
LOCATION
Bridge View Center
102 Church Street
Ottumwa, IA 52501
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OFFICIAL FILM SELECTIONS
Anatomy 101 - 0:11:30 - United States - Charlie Gandez. - Horror, Iowa Film
Late night fun takes a dark turn when a college boy and his adventurous crush stumble on a dark secret.
Art is Work - 0:23:00 - United States - Stacy Barton. - Documentary, Iowa Film
Summer 2025 commemorates 25-years of the Metro Arts Apprenticeship Program, who has hired over 1500 young artists over the years to create public art projects for 5-weeks each summer under the mentorship of professional lead artists. This year, three murals were created and a documentary film that explores the history, artwork, and artists produced by the program.
Cake in an Elevator - 0:08:35 - United States - Haydon Paul Bailey - Student, Iowa Film
When a man and a woman meet in an elevator, their ensuing discussion dramatically shifts their respective perspectives on... cake?
The Collins Story - The Internet Connection - 0:59:59 - United States - Annette Juergens Busbee - Documentary, Iowa Film
It's very likely that you are one of over five billion people using the internet on nearly 20 billion devices to shop, stream, research and communicate. But how many of us are aware of the technologies and people that made these connections possible? This film explores the stories of brilliant engineers and groundbreaking mobile technologies from Collins Radio, headquartered in Iowa, that helped shape the foundations of the modern internet. Through archival images and firsthand interviews, we trace the evolution of computing, networking, and radio communications through the mid to late 20th century. Ride along with the engineers on November 22, 1977, as the first internet message is sent using Collins technology-- breakthrough that paved the way for today's mobile networks. Pioneers including Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf, the ‚"fathers" of TCP/IP, join Collins and Stanford Research Institute engineers to recall how curiosity, collaboration, a beer garden, a bread truck, a little luck and lots of determination laid the foundation for global connectivity.
Ellie and Xavier - 1:20:46 - United States - Benjamin Schmidt - Drama, Iowa Film
On a quiet Friday night, college students Ellie and Xavier meet by chance at a party, and the only thing they have in common is they would rather be anywhere else. After the party gets busted, Ellie and Xavier end up on an adventure across their small college town.
As the night progresses, Ellie and Xavier try to figure out their feelings about college, the future, and how they feel about each other.
Eugene O'Neill's - The First Man - 2:28:00 - United States - Hardeep Giani - Drama
This is the first-ever film adaptation of The First Man - an early and rare story from the pen of Nobel laureate and Pulitzer prize winner, Eugene O'Neill.
This psychological romantic drama set in 1920s Connecticut, delves into themes of obsession, grief and betrayal. World renowned anthropologist Curtis is consumed by grief over his young daughters' deaths. He finds solace in immersing himself in preparations for his upcoming expedition to Asia, where he aims to unravel the mystery of ""The First Man."" However, he must confront an undercurrent of family conflict as he battles against his relatives' unsettling suspicions that his wife Martha is carrying his best friend Bigelow's child.
The Good Neighbor - 0:15:14 - United States - Kate Stapleton - Documentary
A cowboy doctor has spent a lifetime paying house calls to the Old Order Amish community in Southwestern Wisconsin- but what will they do when he dies? His solution to the problem is an inventive use of R.N. nurses to serve a unique rural population with a need for medical care.
Ideas 2: Orange Uses AI - 0:07:30 - United States - Andrew W Paulson - Animation, Comedy, Iowa Film
A nerdy citrus fruit tries to utilize AI for his upcoming comic for the local comic festival.
Love Less Likely - 0:16:21 - United States - David Liban - Comedy
Miranda suffers from a devastating curse: every man she's loved has met a tragic end. Haunted by her latest loss, she considers her next move when she meets Bruno, a lonely boy coping with an abusive home. Miranda is determined to help him.
Meat - 0:31:49 - United States - Marian Thompson-McLain - LGBTQIA+, Iowa Film
Edith can't stop watching "Meat", a TV show she obsessively collects on VHS tapes. Despite each viewing causing more pain, she can't seem to stop hitting rewind.
Midnight Metro: A Fashion Story - 1:08:28 - United States - Madeline Carlton - Documentary, Student, Iowa Film
In a place better known for cornfields than catwalks, a determined group of students redefines what fashion looks like in the heart of the Midwest. Midnight Metro: A Fashion Story goes behind the scenes of the tenth annual fashion show at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, spotlighting the passion, pressure, and purpose that drive the students and faculty of the DMACC Fashion Institute (DFI). The documentary follows the journey and preparation for the 2024 fashion show, from the first sketch to the final runway walk. Fueled by ambition and heart, Midnight Metro: A Fashion Story is a celebration of ten years of transformation-- garments, of lives, and of what's possible when artistry meets opportunity in unexpected places.
Never Too Late - 1:28:43 - United States - Jacquelyn Lucille Hire - Documentary, Comedy
A spirited 75-year-old Costa Rican woman embarks on her first ever road trip across the U.S.A to fulfill her lifelong dream of seeing the Grand Canyon, gifted by a former study abroad student who's determined to give Nelly the ultimate adventure, proving it's never too late to play, hope, and to chase long lost dreams. Nelly Vargas has spent her life caring for others, raising children, surviving heartbreak, and opening her home to students from Northern Arizona University. Now it's her turn to be taken care of. Never Too Late is a heart-forward, poetically comedic, and playful experimental documentary that follows a 75 year old golden soul from San José, Costa Rica as she finally says yes to adventure. Guided by the filmmaker, a former study abroad student who met Nelly in 2019. Her soul twin captures the 35-day van trip across the U.S.A blending cinema vérité with dreamlike skits and surprise detours that turns the journey into a worthwhile experience.
Outro - 0:16:50 - United States - Wes Worthing - Drama, Iowa Film
Just minutes before going on-air, a retiring radio DJ has an unexpected conversation that will inspire the tone of his last show.
Romance Cleanup on Aisle Five - 0:16:34 - United States - Richard Morell - Drama, LGBTQIA+, Iowa Film
Two men, mystically connected since junior high school, reconnect on a grocery date.
Self-Portrait (Mirroring) - 0:05:35 - United States - Negar Soufi - Iowa Film
A woman traces her life across shifting images—phone clips, hand-drawn frames, fleeting shadows. In these fragments, she gathers memories of migration and belonging, shaping a self-portrait that is both fragile and whole.
They Just Fade Away - 0:25:28 - China, United States - Carolyn (Xiange) Liu - Drama
Amid her husband's funeral, elderly Yunqiu seizes a fleeting chance to reconnect with her estranged family, hoping to gather funds for her orphaned grandson's wedding. However, she soon faces the harsh reality of her own helplessness and the growing distance between them.
When Maharishi Came to Town - 1:15:00 - United States - Dick DeAngelis - Documentary, Iowa Film
"When Maharishi Came to Town" tells the story of how Maharishi International University came from California to Fairfield, Iowa. Even though some local residents saw it as a novel stopgap measure, today over 50 years later, Maharishi International University, the "TM University”, is now an integral part of this traditional Iowa town. But it's been a heck of a ride.
Youth's Perspective - 0:05:06 - United States - Hayley Miller - Student, Iowa Film
An interview based documentary covering use perspectives on Ottumwa.
