Interrobang Film Festival
The Interrobang Film Festival, presented by Des Moines Arts Festival, is a three-day IMDb-verified Festival. It is a juried show, including public showings and talkbacks with Directors. Filmmaker submissions are accepted in nine categories and are juried by a panel of peers. This year, the Festival is pleased to be screening over 40 films from nine countries. Interrobang Film Fest is held at the east end of the Des Moines Arts Festival inside the (air-conditioned) Des Moines Central Library.
Special thanks to the Des Moines Area Community
College Video Production Students
2023 Award Winners
Best of Show: Confusion in the Afternoon
Best Documentary (Feature Length): A Trout in the Milk
Best Documentary (Short): Goats of Monesiglio
Best Feature Narrative: Critic
Best Short Narrative: Operation
Keep scrolling to see all the films selected for the
2023 Interrobang Film Festival!
Open Doors
Showtime: 11:00 AM, Friday
Director & Producer: Farshid Akhlaghi
Country of Origin: Australia
Running time: 20:00
Synopsis: One take. One night. One survivor of Australian institutional care. Sixty-five years after leaving the orphanage, Bill, a victim of forced child migration from Scotland, finds himself back where he started. He thought he’d left that world behind him, but he is now faced with a terrible reality.
Written In Ink
Showtime: 11:20 AM, Friday
Director: Cordelaine Kline
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 00:05:51
Synopsis: A man hangs a noose, feeds his cat, and starts writing his suicide note, but his pen runs out of ink.
The Goats of Monesiglio
Showtime: 11:25 AM, Friday
Director & Producer: Emily Graves
Country of Origin: Canada
Running time: 0:25:41
Synopsis: Observational short documentary about the lives of two families working together to manage a goat farm. One Punjabi family and one Italian family work side-by-side in the northern Piedmontese town of Monesiglio. Through brief observations of everyday moments, viewers gain fleeting insights into the characters' experiences as they care for a flock of over 300 goats and produce traditional artisanal goat cheese. With hundreds of thousands of Indian agricultural labourers working in the dairy production sector of Italy today (the vast majority Punjabi Sikhs), the film captures a microcosm of contemporary rural Italian life - while harkening back to a historical way of life. Themes of cultural belonging, our relationships with animals and our connection to food are explored.
Operation
Showtime: 11:50 AM, Friday
Director: Alyson O'Hara
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:06:30
Synopsis: Fred and Fran Mixter pick out things for date night.
Crank-In
Showtime: 12:00 PM, Friday
Director: Jae Hyun Park
Producer: Jong Chul Kim
Country of Origin: Republic of Korea
Running time: 1:35:00
Synopsis: "Woori-Choi" is a young girl suffering from the debilitating eye disease "Retinitis pigmentosa." Despite her condition, she passionately pursues her career as a YouTuber, specializing in reviewing "failed movies." However, as her symptoms worsen, her vision deteriorates rapidly. Determined to fulfill her dream, she enlists the help of her parents to create her own film.
Frame Fumble
Showtime: 1:40 PM, Friday
Director: Alexander Griffin
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:03:34
Synopsis: What if the video frame fought back? FRAME FUMBLE is a new and innovative slapstick/vintage comedy short film that explores the misadventures of a stressed computer worker and his troubles with the aspect ratio.
Motel
Showtime: 1:43 PM, Friday
Director: Carolin Harvey
Producer: Dylan Powers
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:07:22
Synopsis: Motel is the story of a young woman who, after traveling out of state to get an abortion, must spend the night at a motel and grapple with the decision that she’s made. Isla has made a choice, and the weight of that choice hits her as the pressure from family and society seem to close in. As strange occurrences start to haunt Isla, she must do all she can to get through the night.
Flood
Showtime: 1:51 PM, Friday
Director: Almourad Aldeeb
Country of Origin: Germany
Running time: 0:11:25
Synopsis: On July 14, 2021, a natural catastrophe happened in the Ahr Valley in Rhineland-Germany: a flood took the lives of 136 people. The town of Ahrweiler looks like a ghost city - a dystopian sight. Abdo, a resident of the town, shares the pain of loss and re-lives the feeling of fear and helplessness. For Abdo, who was born and raised in Syria, it is not the first catastrophe.
A Letter to V
Showtime: 1:54 PM, Friday
Director: Ruixiang Xu
Country of Origin: China
Running time: 0:05:14
Synopsis: Escape or stay? A real memory or a confused dream? Danger always accompanies with love, making it difficult to choose. It is fate, it is the way back, and it is also a letter that has never been touched...
Last Memory of Spring
Showtime: 2 PM, Friday
Director: Samuel Mitchell
Country of Origin: Czech Republic
Running time: 0:12:56
Synopsis: Two old friends revisit the major venue of their childhood to honor a lost friend — though they soon realize that they, along with their friend, are trapped in the past.
Amount Due
Showtime: 2:13 PM, Friday
Director: Hernán Ballard
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:05:45
Synopsis: "Amount Due" is a semi-autobiographical film about a mother, her terminally-declining health, the injustices of the U.S. healthcare system, and the suffering it brings upon the loved ones of the deceased.
Getting Through
Showtime: 2:30 PM, Friday
Director: Mason Beck
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:12:26
Synopsis: Vee, a deaf woman, feels her life's mishaps and mistakes are due to her inability to hear. Her boyfriend Aiden does his best to communicate with her and show her the truth of how he feels
Black is Beautiful
Showtime: 3 PM, Friday
Director: Marco Ortega
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:32:49
Synopsis: When the "Black Lives Matter" movement grew in awareness, Marcus Baskerville head brewer of Weathered Souls Brewing Co. wanted to shed light on the growing problem of inequality and police brutality. This is where the "Black is Beautiful" project was born. We follow the impact of the initiative and where it is today.
Safe Place
Showtime: 3:45 PM, Friday
Director: Mirpoorian
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:19:20
Synopsis: A Southern Indiana man endures a fatal night of torture after being arrested for a routine traffic stop.
Into the Lions Den
Showtime: 4:05 PM, Friday
Director: Quinn Early
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:24:30
Synopsis: A Marine turned football coach creates a winning tradition wherever he goes. He builds character, and is a mentor to young men. His courage is tested in 1965 when he gives a scholarship to a high school football star who happens to be Black. Together, the two would help reshape the landscape of college football history in the south.
Intruder
Showtime: 11 AM, Saturday
Director: Peng Ziqi
Country of Origin: China
Running time: 0:02:03
Synopsis: In the future, a man found there was a female that cannot be eliminated at will in his private world, he was eliminated by her.
(Un)alarmed
Showtime: 11:02 AM, Saturday
Director: Logan Westin
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:05:00
Synopsis: Derek, a young man indebted to his sleep and schoolwork fractures his perception of reality as his association of alarm and anxiety is numbed by the repetition of his stresses.
Confusion of the Afternoon
Showtime: 11:07 AM, Saturday
Director: Yung Chieh
Country of Origin: Taiwan
Running time: 0:02:50
Synopsis: During the boring afternoon after class, two boys play poker. The inadvertent physical touch and eye contact touched one of the boys. In game after game, he has a beautiful imagination from this indescribable feeling, and feels that all subtle touches seem to be dancing. However, it’s just that in this game where gays obsess over heterosexual men, he finally has to face the moment when the dance ends...
LINT
Showtime: 11:10 AM, Saturday
Director: Jack Horrigan
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:08:59
Synopsis: A man embarks on a surreal journey to save a sock and ultimately finds the connection he's been searching for.
Reflection
Showtime: 11:19 AM, Saturday
Director: Alyssa Myers
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:03:13
Synopsis: A seemingly ordinary woman is unsatisfied with her mundane life and begins to experience dream-like flashbacks of another lifetime in a déjà vu fashion. In her visions, she is a golden-age starlet living a glamorous life of fortune and fame in 1930s Hollywood.
Best Buddies
Showtime: 11:25 AM, Saturday
Director: Mckegg Collins
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:14:47
Synopsis: Two best friends grapple with their future after one eventful night.
Ella
Showtime: 11:40 AM, Saturday
Director: Hannah Wright
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:11:45
Synopsis: A young girl, Ella, struggles with the distance between her and her mother and her desire to be free.
The Family We Choose
Showtime: 11:52 AM, Saturday
Director: Justine & Kristin Schaack
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:08:00
Synopsis: Michael’s holiday tradition is avoiding his wife’s family by retreating to the basement. This year, his wife’s brother’s wife, Sarah, passively confronts him about his Grinch-level attitude towards the family. From childbearing expectations, politics, and convincing their mother in-law to downsize, the two in-laws build a connection over the dynamics of the family they married into.
Big Iron
Showtime: 12 PM, Saturday
Director: Caleb Stevens
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:15:58
Synopsis: An Arizona Ranger travels to the tiny town of Agua Fria to locate the deadly outlaw Texas Red. This western short film is inspired by the classic Marty Robbins song, “Big Iron.” Filmed entirely in Austin, Texas by Iowa, Illinois, Texas, and Tennessee filmmakers.
Soft Eyes
Showtime: 12:16 PM, Saturday
Director: Sam Fathallah
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:06:24
Synopsis: A short portrait of a nature photographer.
Hibernation
Showtime: 12:20 PM, Saturday
Director: Joel Benjamin
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:20:00
Synopsis: On a damaged and drifting interstellar science vessel, an aging mother watches over her cryogenically frozen son and husband as she waits and hopes for an improbable rescue.
Combined Efforts: Changing Perspectives of Disabilities Through Performance
Showtime: 1:50 PM, Saturday
Director: Jacob Daniels
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:52:44
Synopsis: Combined Efforts is a documentary about a community theater company called Combined Efforts in Iowa City, Iowa that seeks to include people with disabilities into the creative arts via stage performances. This documentary follows the cast and crew of Combined Efforts' production of The Beggar's Musical, as well as current and former members of Combined Efforts to highlight their history and mission in the artistic community. It also serves to inform the audience about the importance of inclusivity in all artistic endeavors.
Bombs Away
Showtime: 3:00 PM, Saturday
Director: Will Roberts
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:07:31
Synopsis: A workaholic faces the imminent nuclear apocalypse by taking his dog for a walk.
Critic
Showtime: 3:25 PM, Saturday
Director: Michael Hennesy
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 1:20:00
Synopsis: After savaging a reclusive Director’s new film, a disenchanted Film Critic is surprised to find himself invited to dinner with them, where their match of wits soon turns into something far more sinister.
Episode 3: Ghost
Showtime: 5 PM, Saturday
Director: John Gigrich
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:07:00
Synopsis: Join host Darrell Moistrouser and the Mysteries Investigations team as they try to make a tv show investigating the mystery of the ghosts that need investigating to solve the mystery.
For the Love of Dick
Showtime: 5:25 PM, Saturday
Director: Jesse Eastman
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:24:55
Synopsis: In this black and white silent short film, with influences of Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, The Odd Couple, and Buster Keaton: A recently retired Scientist tries to cure his loneliness by creating a new friend for himself, but fails to understand that it takes a lot more than brains to connect with others. With help from his neighbor, he opens up to love.
Frozen Out
Showtime: 11 AM, Sunday
Director: Hao Zhou
Country of Origin: China
Running time: 0:05:00
Synopsis: An émigré retreats to frozen prairies and forests, hoping to find a meaningful story and escape the anxieties of dislocation. Delivered as a film-letter to the protagonist’s sister in rural China, the film considers his queer self-exile and the vulnerable nature of home, relationships, and the self.
Shadows
Showtime: 11:05 AM, Sunday
Director: Oleksandra Vinnichuk
Country of Origin: Ukraine
Running time: 0:07:53
Synopsis: Pasha goes to the mountains to photograph the canyon and decides to spend the night in an abandoned house. He expects to meet someone there, but this meeting will change him
The End
Showtime: 11:13 AM, Sunday
Director: Grace Maddox
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:09:32
Synopsis: The End follows a couple, Alice and Evan, having one final night together before a meteor strikes the earth.
Brother
Showtime: 11:22 AM, Sunday
Director: Aleksei Borovikov
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:17:17
Synopsis: With his wedding to Carlos approaching, Tony, a young immigrant to the US, invites his conservative elder sister to the ceremony — a fateful decision that forces Tony to choose between his family and his happiness.
A Trout in the Milk
Showtime: 11:45 AM, Sunday
Director: Asato Sakamoto
Country of Origin: Japan
Running time: 1:06:00
Synopsis: 'What does it mean to protect species?’ Japan is a river country with more than 14,000 first-class rivers. The Charr, a fish that lives in the deep mountain valleys at the headwaters of these rivers, has been passed down through numerous folk tales, legends, and forbidden traditions. The researchers who have been investigating the hidden mysteries and way of life of the Charr once called the phantom fish, have been confronted with its dwindling endemism and diversity. What challenges face fish researchers, fisheries cooperatives, and anglers who love fish and are trying to protect them? What emerged from the interviews were old and new problems that the country has been facing since its period of rapid economic growth. This new science documentary explores how technology and the natural environment, science, and culture can happily go hand in hand, and invites the audience to take active action in this age of loud calls for sustainability.
To Memphis & Back
Showtime: 1:10 PM, Sunday
Director: Eric Smidt
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:27:00
Synopsis: When the Buckmiller/Schwager Band won the Iowa Blues Challenge, they had an opportunity to play on Beale Street in Memphis, TN at the International Blues Challenge and continue their mission to keep the blues alive. With the trip to Memphis serving as the backdrop, To Memphis and Back captures how this blues band uses their live shows to educate each crowd about the blues.
On board
Showtime: 1:37 PM, Sunday
Director: Sebastián Martínez Valdivia
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:15:49
Synopsis: In a boy-dominated sport, members of an all-girl skate crew carve their names into hometown history. Lauridsen Skate Park, located in Des Moines, Iowa, is the largest skate park in the nation and home to the Subsect Kids Skate Crew. On Board follows Luca, Mina, and Azra as they navigate adolescence while learning to skate.
FOREVER QUEER
Showtime: 1:52 PM, Sunday
Director: Candle Leung
Country of Origin: Hong Kong
Running time: 0:36:00
Synopsis: While many queer individuals from the Chinese diaspora often struggle with their gender and sexual identities, some found in Hong Kong a relatively friendlier haven to discover and grow — one in which they could live and thrive as their ‘true selves’. Here are some of their stories — in light of enormous challenges that remain ahead.
Greener Pastures
Showtime: 2:30 PM, Sunday
Director: Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 1:22:00
Synopsis: Greener Pastures captures the day-to-day lives of four small, multi-generational family farms over the course of four years. Through an intimate, observational lens we examine the various farm stressors, policies and politics farmers must maneuver to survive, connecting the dots between mental health, industrialization, food production and climate change. It is a story of perseverance, patience and determination that tackles nothing less than the future of farming in America.
“She Said”
by John DeNicola
Showtime: 3:55 PM, Sunday
Director: ANIMA Works
Country of Origin: United States
Running time: 0:04:25
Synopsis: ANIMA Works presents “She Said,” a moody and artistic visual approach to Academy award-winning songwriter and artist John DeNicola’s latest release.
Hafen von Genua
Showtime: 3:59 PM, Sunday
Director: Lucas Ackermann
Country of Origin: Italy
Running time: 0:3:55
Synopsis: The video for the musical encounter between Teilabschnitt A and Mare May. Two musicians from Berlin who explore themes such as longing, loneliness and the abysses of the human soul with their debut EP "Für all die dunklen Nächte".
