We all have a favorite tale to tell at parties. Join us for a night of storytelling with guests of Refocus Film Festival and Iowa City Book Festival to hear their own war stories about creating art and getting it out into the world while sipping free samples of Cedar Ridge whiskey!
Hosted by Kathleen Johnson of Riverside Theatre, with guests Camille DeAngelis (Author, Bones and All), Elizabeth Crane (author, This Story Will Change), and Lizzy Goodman (Author, Meet Me in the Bathroom)
*Reservations for Omnibus passholders only. Rush line free and public.
Grab a drink and check in with your fellow festival goers. Take a break between films to enjoy a beverage and chat about what you’ve seen so far and what’s still to come!
*Open to the public. Free drinks for passholders.
The original Refocus was established at the University of Iowa in 1965 as a collaboration between students, faculty, and staff. It was a popular annual cinema and photography festival held on campus each spring through 1978. In recognition of this event’s history while also celebrating FilmScene’s fresh new take on the festival, this pop-up exhibit includes a selection of nostalgic Refocus artifacts, ephemera, and facsimiles from the University of Iowa Libraries Special Collections & Archives.
*Free and open to the public.
Mingle with fellow festival goers to celebrate opening night of the fest! Chat about the opening night film and compare plans for the rest of the fest. Sip on a cocktail. Dance to some tunes from DJ Roach. Relax in the Ulysses Modern Lounge created just for fest weekend.
Guest bartenders Krista Burich and Ian Ely-Cate will be mixing Bones And All inspired cocktails at our main floor concession stand with wine also available at our second floor bar. Appetizers and small bites food stations will be set up around the event for late night snacking.
*Open to all Refocus passholders and Opening Night ticket holders.
Join us before the first film of the festival for drinks, small bites and mingling with festival guests, sponsors, passholders and staff as we raise a glass and celebrate the start of a cinematic weekend. Hosted by James Investment Group.
*Invite Only+Omnibus Passholders
Start your morning with a coffee at fix! and a conversation about how we tell stories that involve real people. What does collaboration look like? How does authorship factor into storytelling decisions? What ethical responsibility do filmmakers bear when they decide to tell real stories? Our expert panel offers insight into the challenging world of documentary filmmaking.
Hosted by Andrew Sherburne (documentarian, FilmScene Cofounder) with Rodrigo Reyes (Director, Sansón and Me) and Margie Ratliff (Co-producer & Collaborator, Subject)
*Open to the public. Free drip coffee for passholders.
Listen to a multitude of artists, working in different disciplines, address the lasting social impacts of art. Can words, images, and stories move the world towards real change? Our speakers will endeavor to find the answer to the question or maybe just end up with more questions of their own to this thorny and thought-provoking prompt. Free appetizers. Presented in Partnership with Stanley Center for Peace and Security.
Hosted by Maya Davis (Stanley Center for Peace and Security) with guests Cynthia Lazaroff (Impact Fellow, Games for Change), Rodrigo Reyes (Director, Sansón and Me), and Jennifer L. Knox (Author, Crushing It, Copper Canyon Press)
*Open to the public. Free drinks for passholders.
Start your morning with a coffee at fix! for some rock talk. Authors McLeod, McLeese and Goodman talk about the process of documenting music on the page and on screen and share stories from backstage to the audience floor. Get an inside look at capturing the moments that define a genre from a panel with decades of experience in the music industry.
Hosted by Kembrew McLeod (author and filmmaker) with authors Don McLeese (Author, Slippery Steps, Writer, Rolling Stone), Lizzy Goodman (author, Meet Me in the Bathroom)
*Open to the public. Free drip coffee for passholders.
Had a big first day at Refocus? Go wind down at the Green House Unfocus After Party from 10pm to 12am. Have a nightcap and recap day one of Refocus! $1 off drinks for festival passholders plus complimentary desserts!
Refocus Passholders can visit The Green House all weekend and show their pass for $1 off any drink! Plus, Omnibus passholders get a voucher for one free drink. Valid Friday, October 6 through Sunday, October 9.
*Must present Refocus pass or ticket for entry. All party goers must be 21 or older.
