Refocus Film Festival opens four days of adaptation cinema in Iowa City

Iowa City’s Refocus Film Festival runs October 22–25, 2026, bringing its fifth edition to audiences interested in how stories move between artistic forms. The organiser lists thirty feature films, seven shorts, a live-score event, podcasts, filmmaker guests and art installations across four days.

Iowa City’s Refocus Film Festival runs October 22–25, 2026, bringing its fifth edition to audiences interested in how stories move between artistic forms. The organiser lists thirty feature films, seven shorts, a live-score event, podcasts, filmmaker guests and art installations across four days. Andrew Haigh joins

opening night with A Long Winter, adapted from Colm Tóibín’s novella. The festival also plans to present him with FilmScene’s Cinema Savant award. The programme ranges from Ryūsuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, based on published correspondence, to a live-scored presentation of F.W. Murnau’s Faust with ten thousand

lakes. Blank Check’s Griffin Newman and Ben Hosley appear for a closing-night presentation of The Garbage Pail Kids Movie at the Englert Theatre. Pass choices cover all-access admission, eight films or four films, with public prices listed at $225, $100 and $60 respectively. The official schedule remains essential for

screening times and availability. Refocus also coordinates filmmaker and author conversations with Iowa City Book Festival, making adaptation the thread connecting new cinema, repertory work and live events. Official festival programme, Dates and passes. Image credit: Refocus Film Festival / FilmScene; official A Long

Winter promotional still.

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