Movie theaters have always been a place where people come together to share the experience of watching a movie and connecting through the art of cinema. People can share this exact experience locally during the annual Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. CRIFF aims to shine a light on local filmmakers and helps connect Iowa’s most creative minds. It spans three days and showcases a total of 57 films, ranging anywhere from two minutes to two hours in length, featuring various genres. This year, the festival was held from April 5-7 at Collins Road Theatres.
Eric Freese is the festival director and has been with the event since the second year it was held in 2002. He has been interested in filmmaking since he was six years old and has never wanted any other career. He started as a marketer for CRIFF and became director in 2023. Freese believes that movies are important to bring diverse groups of people together to shed light on various topics through film. This approach often allows for a perspective that cannot be achieved any other way. Freese said, “Film brings people together from all demographics. No matter the age, race, religion, gender, identity, and so on; people love a good story.”
To participate in the event, someone who is part of the film must have an Iowa connection. This can be current, former, real, or fictional. The number of entries usually ranges around 100 per year, however, this year there were 102 entries, which adds up to over 45 hours of video content for the judges to review. CRIFF has a distinguished panel of judges who watch every entry and try their best to narrow it down. Whether their entries are selected or not, every group that enters the festival has the opportunity to schedule a personal conversation with the judges. This is considered to be a highly beneficial opportunity as it allows for one-on-one feedback between the judges and the contestants. This advice is aimed at helping the contestants improve their work and better understand the judges’ perspective.
Inside CRIFF, directors and writers can win a vast amount of awards. The Eddy Awards are named after Thomas Edison, who is known for being a pioneer in motion picture technology. The term “eddy” means “a current moving contrary to the direction of the main current,” also making it a fitting description since many filmmakers go against mainstream cinema and current trends. There are several categories for which movies can earn Gold and Silver Eddy Awards. In addition to those, there are also crowd favorites with an Audience Choice award and a Student Choice award. Collins Road Theater also gives out its award which is a $1,000 scholarship to one student filmmaker to further the recipient’s education and career. Lastly, the Iowa Connection Eddy is awarded to a video that best represents Iowa’s filmmaking community. The awards are presented in a special ceremony open to all ticket holders on Saturday evening during the festival.
Students from the high school’s speech team and filmmaking class were able to experience the event at no cost through the generous offering of Scott Chrisman, founder and president of CRIFF. The festival aims to connect creative minds, promote diverse stories, and provide a platform for emerging talent. From thought-provoking documentaries to heartwarming dramas and thrilling action films, it features a wide range of genres and styles that cater to all tastes and preferences. Attendees can expect to be captivated by the creativity of the films showcased and to have the opportunity to engage in discussions and Q&A sessions with the filmmakers themselves. Whether one is a filmmaker, a cinema lover, or simply looking for a new experience, the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival is open to the public and definitely worth checking out.
