Following last year’s record attendance, Iowa City’s Refocus Film Festival continues to bring world-class cinema to Southeast Iowa October 22–25, running concurrently with the esteemed Iowa City Book Festival, October 18–25. Refocus centers on the art of adaptation, showcasing films that have been transformed into cinema from books, other films, manga, and more art forms.
Executive Director and cofounder Andrew Sherburne says attendance has grown every year, leading festival organizers “to expand the footprint to accommodate even more people.” In addition to the Englert Theater and FilmScene’s five theaters at the Chauncey and the Ped Mall, programming will be held at various venues in Iowa City’s downtown district.
With an exciting roster of dozens of films from all over the world as well as filmmaker and author dialogues, live music, performance art, after-parties, and other special events, the 5th annual Refocus Film Festival promises to be filled with must-see events. The festival opens Thursday night with a screening of A Long Winter, a new adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s short story of the same name. Director Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers) will join in person for a post-screening Q&A. Sherburne calls Haigh a terrific filmmaker, “someone who has made such a firm, loving commitment to storytelling on a human level.” Haigh will be honored with FilmScene’s 2026 Cinema Savant award for his body of work on Friday night.
Aside from watching amazing movies ranging from historic biopics and fantasy adventures to gritty survival stories and poignant meditations on humanity, festival goers can join nightly parties, start their weekend mornings with Epigraph Coffee Sessions at !fix in the Chauncey, admire the third annual Revision video installation created by artist Jason Snell, and enjoy the live music or multi-media art preceding each screening. “We’ve got a terrific roster of local musicians with an incredibly diverse array of musical styles and skills,” he says. He encourages people “to sit down a few minutes early for every film during the festival to engage in this broad conversation that we’re having about the relationship between art forms.” He feels that the live music not only helps “keep the energy high throughout the weekend, it also helps us to connect the artists living and working and creating here in our area with these internationally acclaimed films.”
Among the highlights during the four days festivities are the Postscript Opening Night after-party on Thursday night. On the following afternoon, the Filmspotting team—Adam Kempenaar, Josh Larson, and Matt Singer—will hold court during a live recording. Singer will also be doing a reading on Saturday, while director Jane Schoenbrun (Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma) will be available for a reading and conversation around Public Access Afterworld, their first novel. Sherburne feels Schoenbrun is “one of the most exciting emerging film makers out there. Their work to date reveals someone with an incredibly well-formed voice.” Sherburne is excited that the festival event will be among the first in the world to have a conversation about Schoenbrun’s new book, an event which is bound to be standing room only.
Refocus is also offering an extraordinary opportunity to see the critically acclaimed 1926-era silent film adaptation of Goethe’s Faust on its 100th anniversary, with a live music score by the ambient music group ten thousand lakes. Praised for its special effects, Faust is ranked alongside Fritz Lang’s Metropolis as one of the greatest achievements of German Expressionist film.
The festival winds down with Sunday afternoon’s Denouement happy hour, and a live event by popular filmography podcast Blank Check, featuring The Garbage Pail Kids Movie. Hosts Griffin Newman and David Sims will delve into the beloved 1987 trash comedy with an enduring fan base. “It’s going to be a fun way to close,” says Sherburne, “a lighthearted end to a weekend full of terrific cinema.”
Ticket options include single tickets, four-film and eight-film passes, and all-access passes. Early ticket purchases are encouraged, as some showings will sell out. For more information, visit Refocus FilmFestival.org.