From Cannes to Iowa City, how Refocus Film Festival brings global cinema to the Midwest

During the Cannes Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, Ben Delgado sees nearly 30 films in a five-day stretch. The workday begins sometime between 8 and 9 a.m. and goes past midnight, all to curate the lineup for the Refocus Film Festival.

As FilmScene’s programming director, Delgado watches more than 400 films a year, some amid the grandeur of the festival circuit, but primarily through exclusive screeners. From scouting titles and rising talent to negotiating with distributors to assemble the final lineup, his work begins far in advance of the festival lineup announcement.

Presented by FilmScene, the fourth annual Refocus Film Festival returns on Thursday, Oct. 9, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 12. This year’s festival features more than 20 film screenings and events, primarily in Filmscene’s five theaters at The Chauncey and on The Ped Mall. The four-day festival revolves around the central theme of “adaptation,” inspired by Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature.

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While Refocus highlights literary connections to cinema, it also explores other mediums and how they can be adapted for the screen.

“Refocus’ definition of (adaptation) is about the interplay of art forms,” Delagado said. “So an existing piece of art is used as either the primary source or a major part of what the film is. Now, a new thing has been created from it.”

Festivalgoers can experience films that embrace the traditional literary adaptations, including the opening night feature, “Train Dreams,” adapted from Iowa Writers’ Workshop alumnus Denis Johnson’s acclaimed novella of the same name.

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Refocus also encourages audiences to challenge their understanding of adaptation, with screenings paired with live musicians or post-film artist talks, allowing Refocus to accessibly recreate the grandeur of festivals while also offering new experiences.

“The point of a film festival is to take a chance. Close your eyes, go to the website, and just point and pick a film you have no idea about and go in blind,” Delgado said. “Going into a movie as blind as possible, I think, is a fun experience. We’ve worked for a while to curate this lineup; none of the films are going to disappoint.”

Growing the Midwest film scene

Now in its fourth year, Refocus continues to grow not only in the Midwest film festival scene but also as the place to be for directors and writers. Returning programming includes “Filmspotting Live,” a fan favorite since year one of the festival. The live podcast from Adam Kempenaar and longtime Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips will discuss the University of Iowa and the state of Iowa’s influence on literature and cinema by sharing their top movies adapted from Iowa writers.

“When filmmakers come, they’re our biggest advocates for the festival out in the world later,” Delgado said.

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Refocus’ growth is likely due to word-of-mouth from directors encouraging other directors to attend, based on their positive experiences, as well as Delgado’s persistence. That persistence allowed for Refocus to secure the U.S. premiere of “Ariel,” a film that Refocus had been chasing since last year, and a film that encapsulates what Refocus is all about.

“Ariel” follows the story of Agustina Muñoz traveling across the Azores islands to perform in a production of “The Tempest.” She soon meets Ariel, who serves as her tour guide on the islands where the real and imaginary blend. The story itself incorporates a variety of characters from Shakespeare’s work, exploring the depths of the text.

Three films to take a chance on at Refocus

With more than 20 diverse films from over a dozen countries screening across four days, it can be challenging to pick where to start at the Refocus Film Festival. Delgado has some suggestions for films that embody what Refocus is all about.

‘WTO/99’

“WTO/99” follows the 1999 protests that brought together 40,000 protesters in a historic demonstration against the World Trade Organization, warning of a multitude of issues from environmental collapse to rising authoritarianism, all through never-before-seen archival footage.

“It fills you with rage, but also, like the collective action, the spirit that all those 40,000 people who are fighting against injustice, it is a reinvigorating movie,” Delgado.

As part of Refocus, Ian Bell, director of “WTO/99,” will be in attendance at the festival for both screenings, taking place at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11 and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12.

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‘The Hips of J.W.’

“The Hips of J.W.,” directed by João César Monteiro, is a surreal vignette inspired by a postcard that French critic Serge Daney sent to the director, recounting a dream Daney had about John Wayne. The film is a layered adaptation of “Inferno” and is a meditation on art and performance.

“I hope people aren’t too disappointed by the lack of John Wayne in this movie,” Delgado said. “It’s very abstract. There are six different credited writers from texts spanning across decades and centuries. It’s a wacky, insane, and out there movie. I’m hoping people take a chance on it.”

Guests can see “The Hips of J.W.” at 9:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10 or at 3:20 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12.

‘Saïd Effendi’

Adapted from the short story “Fight” by writer Edmond Sabri, “Saïd Effendi” blends neorealist influences to tell the story of a displaced teacher and his family as they strive to maintain dignity and unity in 1950s Baghdad, painting a profound portrait of family and community tensions.

The film, newly restored by the Iraqi Cinematheque Project, will premiere in North America for the first time in 70 years after its initial release, with screenings happening at 9:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, and at 3:20 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12.

“The Iraqi Cinematheque has been restoring films for a few years now, and this is the first one in their project that’s coming out,” Delgado said. “‘Saïd Effendi’ is the tip of the iceberg for Iraqi films; it is a blind spot for me in terms of knowing their cinema, and probably the case for a lot of folks, because they haven’t had the opportunity to showcase their films internationally.”

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How to score tickets to the Refocus Film Festival

While early-bird festival passes went on sale in September, ticket packages are still available for purchase.

The Omnibus package grants full access to the four-day programming and costs $225 for non-members. The Avid Ticket package costs $100 for non-members and grants access to eight film screenings and events, while the Debut package costs $60 and allows guests to see four films.

Tickets for single-film screenings are also available. To ensure the best possible movie-going experience, tickets should be purchased before the day of the screening.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: How Refocus Film Festival is turning Iowa City into a hub for cinema