Des Moines Film

Summer Series coming to Fleur Cinema

Posted on June 9, 2016

The Fleur Cinema is kicking off a three-headed monster of a Summer Series tonight with a special screening of the so-bad-it's-good classic, The Room. The summer series is divided into three series, with three films in each series: So Bad it's Rad, Summer Lovin' and Noir Nights. Tickets are available to individual films, in a three-film pass or as an overall series pass. The Opening Night screening of The Room will also feature a grilled cheese stand,...

End of Fall World Premiere Tonight

Posted on May 13, 2016

by Ben Godar

Ames/Des Moines native Nicolaas Bertelsen was here a few months ago for a special screening of Yosemite, one of the films he has produced along with James Franco. Tonight, he returns to present the World Premiere of another film he produced, End of Fall. The film is the first release from Go Man Go!, the production company Bertelsen co-founded with the film's writer/director, Wisconsin native Joselito Seldera. It is a rural thriller which follows a widower's...

13th Wild Rose Film Festival set to launch

Posted on May 11, 2016

by Ben Godar

Film festivals are often labors of love which tend to come-and-go, but this year marks the 13th edition of the Wild Rose Film Festival in Des Moines. Festival Director and Co-Founder Kimberly Busbee says the Wild Rose has grown each year, along the way gaining a reputation as a very filmmaker-friendly event. One way the Wild Rose has done that is by presenting awards in a variety of categories, including such technical areas as makeup and...

Chimes at Midnight

Posted on April 19, 2016

by Nick Renkoski

Like Falstaff, Orson Welles burst onto the cinematic scene seemingly fully formed. 1941’s Citizen Kane, frequently thought of as the greatest film ever made, has everything we think of as Wellesian--brilliant audio, dramatic filmmaking, emotional heft underpinned by an element of tongue-in-cheek camp. Welles, who was 26 when the film was made, had been a dramatic force since at least his teens and gives an utterly convincing performance in which is character spans decades. When...

Talking DMFS with IMPA

Posted on April 14, 2016

by Ben Godar

A few months back, DMFS co-founder Ben Godar spoke about the organization with representatives of the Iowa Motion Picture Association outside their Golden Globes event at Fleur Cinema. If you're new to DMFS or would like to hear more on what the organization is all about, this interview covers the basics. Thanks, IMPA....

What does the Des Moines film scene need?

Posted on March 10, 2016

by Ben Godar

Our mission is to grow the Des Moines film scene, so we need YOU to tell us what the state of that scene is. What do you like? What could be improved? What kind of things have you seen in other places that you'd like to see in Des Moines? Please take just a few moments to complete this survey and share your thoughts with us. The information will help guide DMFS as we strive to...

And the winner (of our Oscar Pool) is…

Posted on February 29, 2016

by Ben Godar

Congratulations to Jessica Taylor Erwin, winner of our first-ever Des Moines Film Society Oscar Pool. Jessica correctly picked 18 of the 24 categories from last night's Academy Awards, and is the winner of a pair of tickets to both the Fleur Cinema and Varsity Theater. Among the picks that put Jessica's ballot over the top, she was one of the few to correctly pick Spotlight as the Best Picture winner, and also correctly guessed one of...

Open Screen Filmmakers Announced

Posted on February 18, 2016

by Ben Godar

We were thrilled at the outpouring of submissions we received for our first Open Screen Night, both in terms of quantity and quality. The program will feature a diverse blend of drama and comedy, animation, documentary and more. The program will include: Emily Harmon Growing up Black in Iowa Wes Worthing Safe Place Patrick Gannon Black Spade / Nobody's Fool Alex Holland Bird for Thought Dan Welk Gloom Balloon / You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Disaster Bruce James Bales Night Shine Greg Best Teen Cop 3: The Ninja...

2016 DMFS Oscar Pool

Posted on February 12, 2016

by Ben Godar

Think you know who will win at the 2016 Academy Awards? Compete in the Des Moines Film Society Oscar Pool and you can win fabulous prizes. What will those fabulous prizes be? Why, free movie tickets of course. The winner will receive two free passes to Fleur Cinema and two free passes to Varsity Theater. Simply (and clearly) mark your ballot, predicting the winner in each category. The entrant who selects the most correct winners will be...

Goodnight Mommy: DMFS Best of 2015

Posted on February 9, 2016

by Christian Powell

Des Moines Film Society asked some of our favorite local writers and film fanatics to pick their favorite film of 2015. You can read them all at DMFS: Best of 2015. Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s Goodnight Mommy is a film that came out of, seemingly, nowhere. I went into it cold. Hadn’t heard a thing about it, hadn’t seen a trailer. I knew it existed and, for some reason, that I had to see it....