Iowa PBS presents The Film Lounge Season 6

Iowa’s only broadcast film festival returns with 10 films produced by Iowa filmmakers, showcasing stirring documentaries, wistful art films and thrilling dramas. Season 6 of Iowa PBS’s The Film Lounge features two brand-new episodes, sharing the work of talented storytellers and taking Iowa film fans behind the scenes. Film buffs are invited to join Iowa PBS for episode premieres on Facebook to watch alongside other fans and chat live with many of the Iowa-based filmmakers featured in the latest season.

“This has undoubtedly been my favorite batch of short films in The Film Lounge,” said Iowa PBS Producer and Director Patrick Boberg. “Every film comes with specific artistic intention and asks the viewer to consider something more than the visuals or the narrative. We’re so excited for our audience to enjoy this season — and to hear their reactions!”

In The Film Lounge: Episode 601, five Iowa filmmaker projects are showcased with a behind-the-scenes look at how the visual-effects-heavy and thematically challenging “The Last Minute until Midnight” was produced by filmmakers Beau Batterson and Adam Orton of Cedar Rapids. This episode premieres Monday, January 31 at 9 p.m. and will include the following films:

  • “Frozen Out” by Hao Zhou and Tyler Hill of Iowa City — A student Academy Award winning experimental short film about the anxieties of dislocation and the desire to move forward from a complicated past.
  • “Doubt” by Fred Ebong of Cedar Rapids — This film asks how we rise up when the world has knocked you down, a universal conflict to which everyone can relate.
  • “Lo/ve” by Tempest Montgomery of Iowa City — A dramatic study of where true joy and fulfillment lie.
  • “Ghost Creek” by Benjamin Handler of Iowa City — A narrative reflection of the anxiety, hope and understanding we achieve when our city loses the art, culture and community that make it unique.
  • “Birdsong” by Paul Huenemann of Cedar Rapids — An animated contemplation on what it would be like to retire.

In addition to showcasing five Iowa filmmaker projects, The Film Lounge: Episode 602 also provides an all access pass to the Southern Iowa Snake Alley Festival of Film. This episode will premiere Monday, February 7 at 9 p.m. and will include the following films:

  • “Earth FM” by Philip Rabalais of Fairfield — A minimalist, experimental sci-fi film about imaginary science and sonic symbiosis.
  • “A Seussian Trip” by Cynthia O’Hern, Katie Jensen and Bruce James Bales of Des Moines — An art film, more specifically a fashion art film, inspired by the painterly colors of a whimsical garment and the environment that inspired it.
  • “Green Witch” by Antoinette Lavalle of Des Moines — An eerie short film that allows us time to rethink our connection with the natural world.
  • “Debut” by Connor Hopkins of Decorah — A documentary illustrating the hard work of a young man working for years to fulfill a lifetime dream of becoming a professional wrestler.
  • “The Atmosphere” by Amenda Tate of Des Moines — An experimental new media performance work exploring movement, gesture and presence.

Fans can get a sneak peek of The Film Lounge during a watch party at FilmScene at The Chauncey, 404 E. College St. in Iowa City Saturday, January 29 at 12:30 p.m. The event will include screenings of both one-hour episodes from the new season, featuring a mix of 2- to 20-minute films in a variety of artistic forms. A reception with the filmmakers will follow.

The Film Lounge is produced by Iowa PBS in partnership with the Iowa Arts Council and Produce Iowa, both divisions of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. The organizations select entries based on technical and artistic merit, and all featured filmmakers are required to be living and working in Iowa to be selected for broadcast. Each one-hour episode includes a collection of films 2-20 minutes in length representing a range of artistic forms, filmmakers discussing their work as an introduction to each film, and a spotlight feature highlighting active filmmaking projects.

In addition to its statewide broadcast, Iowa PBS .1 is available to livestream on iowapbs.org/watch, pbs.org/livestream, the PBS Video App and YouTube TV. Iowa PBS programs, behind-the-scenes extras and more can be enjoyed on iowapbs.org, Facebook and YouTube. Viewers can also stream their favorite shows on demand using the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android and many streaming devices.