Julien Film Fest Announces Official Selections and Nominees

Runde Auto Group is proud to be a driving force behind the Julien Film Fest. The seventh annual festival is set for April 26-29, 2018 in downtown Dubuque. All films are free on Runde Free Day, Thursday, April 26. See you at the fest!

The Julien Film Fest has announced 115 films were chosen as Official Selections and will be screened at the seventh annual festival, April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque.

More than 700 features, shorts, and documentaries were submitted from over 40 countries.

Susan Gorrell

“We have a large team of film reviewers who spend months watching submissions,” said Susan Gorrell, executive director of the film festival. “We are astounded at the quality of the films that are submitted to our festival and we can’t wait to share them with everyone.”

The four-day festival will include seven World Premieres and four U.S. Premieres. Filmmakers from all over the United States and countries including Czech Republic, Germany, France, Mexico, Australia, and more, will be in attendance.

All films on the opening day of the festival – Thursday, April 26 – are free, courtesy of Runde Auto Group! 

The Julien Film Fest will award more than $30,000 in cash and prizes to winning filmmakers this year. The winning films in each category, along with the winning student film, will be announced at JDIFF Awards Night, 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, at Five Flags Theater, 405 Main St.

Tickets to the event are $25 per person and will include admission to the after party in the Five Flags Arena featuring music by Ceili Rain. View festival events

This year’s nominees include:

• Best FeatureRobin (Germany)
  • Tatterdemalion (USA)
  • Touched (Canada)
• Best Documentary
  • Aldabra: Once Upon an Island (Czech Republic)
  • Liyana (USA)
  • Skid Row Marathon (USA)
• Best Short I (3-20 min)Dylan (USA)
  • Ernie (USA)
  • The Driver is Red (USA)
• Best Short II (21-49 min)
  • Bullies (USA)
  • Szamota’s Mistress (Poland)
  • The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler (Germany)

In addition to the festival’s official selections, some films will be shown as special screenings during the festival.

Special Screenings include:

• Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman, 7 p.m. Sunday, April 29, Phoenix Theatres 1
  • Synopsis: A small town tuxedo salesman thinks he is the next great daredevil. Comedy/94 min/USA
• Saving Brinton, 3 p.m., Thursday, April 26, Dubuque Museum of Art  FREE for Runde Free Day!
  • Synopsis: Iowa history teacher Michael Zahs uncovers century-old reels of America’s first motion picture and sets out to premiere the films at the world’s oldest continuously operating movie theater. Documentary/90 min/USA
• High & Outside: A Baseball Noir, JDIFF Closing Film, 6:30 p.m., Sunday, April 29, Phoenix Theatres 2
  • Synopsis: A minor league baseball player desperately tries to keep his big league dreams alive. Drama/98 min/USA
• Los Lecheros and Joy, films begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the Dubuque Museum of Art. Appetizers and cash bar precede the screenings at noon. A Q&A session will follow the screenings.
  • Sponsored by The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Inclusive Dubuque, and Humanities Iowa, this screening is free.
  • Los Lecheros synopsis: The fates of undocumented immigrant workers and Wisconsin’s $43 billion dairy industry are closely intertwined, and both are grappling with their options for survival as fears of ICE raids and deportations under the Trump administration grow. Documentary short/21 min/USA
  • Joy synopsis: The film deals with the distress of being an immigrant woman in America, contrasted against the courteousness one must always present. Drama short/3 min/USA
  • The Q&A panel will include:
    • Coburn Dukehart, digital and multimedia director for the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. Dukhart previously was a senior photo editor at National Geographic.
    • John Rosenow, lead subject and farmer in the documentary Los Lecheros
    • Lorena Lourenco, director of the film Joy
    • Joy Okon, actress from the film Joy
    • Sister Mary McCauley, BVM, is a member of the Sisters of Charity, BVM of Dubuque. She offered pastoral presence and support to over 400 people after the immigration raid in 2008 at Agriprocessors in Postville, Iowa. Now retired from active ministry, she educates and advocates for comprehensive immigration reform.
• Student Film Nominees, Curdled and Broken, 6 p.m., Saturday, April 28, Dubuque Museum of Art. The winning film will be announced at JDIFF Awards night.

The JDIFF Box Office at Hotel Julien opens on April 25, but you can purchase tickets online before then. Film tickets are $10 each (or $5 for students).

The Julien Film Fest is April 26-29 in downtown Dubuque. For updates and more information, visit julienfilmfest.com or download the Julien Dubuque Film Festival app.