Thirty one feature, documentary, and student films have been selected, and arrangements are being made for guests from around the country... which can only mean that the 4th annual IIFF is poised for another great run.
Once again, festival founder Tanna Frederick will be returning with a film, this time a rough cut of Henry Jaglom’s latest…QUEEN OF THE LOT... which stars Frederick and Noah Wylie from ER. It will officially open the festival on Friday evening, July 16th…and the audience gets to weigh in with questions and suggestions.
Zack Norman is bringing his entertaining and romantic film, OVERNIGHT, which is a heavy favorite for the festival’s Best Feature Award. Norman, who has had a long acting career in such films as Romancing The Stone and Hollywood Dreams, took a behind-the-scene role for this film.
Other luminaries who have are committed to the festival are Oscar-nominated director Mark Rydell (ON GOLDEN POND, THE ROSE, FOR THE BOYS) who the festival will be honoring with a Life Time Achievement Award.
Director Julie Davis, recently on the cover of Forbe’s magazine, is bringing her new film, FINDING BLISS, which features Lee Sobieski, Denise Richards and Kristen Johnson among others. This will be the film’s first appearance at a festival.
Director Charlie Matthau, son of Hollywood icon Walter Matthau, is attending the festival with a preview of his film BABY O which features David Proval who will also be here. Proval was last year’s recipient of IIFF’s Life Time Achievement Award for his impressive body of work.
Also screening is award-winning, debut feature NOTHING SPECIAL, starring Karen Blackand Barbara Bain, a moving story about a young professional woman’s relationship with her bipolar mother (Black) and trailblazing boss (Bain). Julia Garcia Combs makes her debut in a leading role.
The film with perhaps the strongest Iowa connection is 16 TO LIFE which was written and directed by Iowan Becky Smith who now teaches at UCLA. It’s a coming-of-age story of girls working in a seasonal resort town... something like Clear Lake. The film also features the comeback performance of veteran actress Theresa Russell who is also attending the festival.
Among the festival’s sterling line-up of documentaries is GIDGET which chronicles the surfing life along the California coast in the 1950’s and ‘60s. Kathy Zuckerman, who was the inspiration for the Sandra Dee and Sally Field on-screen versions, will also be attending the festival.
Beginning with the first year, Tanna Frederick has brought a number of actors, writers, directors, and producers to the festival including Karen Black, David Proval, Randal Kleiser and Andre Gregory. This year she continues that tradition in bringing another entourage which includes Director Mark Rydell and Actor/Producer Zack Norman. These visits by prominent members of the film community have helped to publicize the festival and make it unique for Iowa.
