The aim of the Cedar River Film Festival is to promote and present films made in the American Heartland (a.k.a. "The Midwest").

We love how much creativity and diversity there is in Iowa (yes, we do have some patches of diversity) and the states whose borders we share (you know who you are): Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

We are currently looking for films by filmmakers in these seven states that capture the essence of "the American Heartland."

The Cedar River Film Festival will take place on October 31st and November 1st at the Historic Oster Regent Theatre in Cedar Falls, Iowa just a stone’s throw away from (you guessed it) the Cedar River.

Day 1: We will kick off our festival on October 31st with submitted films in the realm of horror, sci fi, adult animation and comedy to celebrate Halloween and all the things creepy and scary (heck, this year some political documentaries might quality). This will be a 17+ event.

Day 2: Enjoy a day of Shorts, Features, and Documentaries that celebrate stories about the American Heartland.

The Cedar River Film Festival is an annual event hosted by the Cedar Falls Community Theatre at the Historic Oster Regent Theatre in Cedar Falls Iowa.

Awards & Prizes

Critics' Choice Award
Audience Award
Most Frightening Film

Details to Follow

Rules & Terms

Your film must be made by, in or about "The Heartland" - Iowa and it's 5 neighboring states - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska. Please make sure to update your submission with the Iowa connection so we don't accidentally disqualify you.

We welcome films from students, amateurs and professional filmmakers to be taken into consideration.

Submit your digital links to greg@mycfct.org.

The program committee for the Cedar River Film Festival will screen and select films to be invited to participate in this year's event.

You do not have to be present for us to screen your film (but we'd love it if you were).

Submissions open April 1st.

Submissions are due August 30th.

We will notify filmmakers whose films have been accepted by September 15th, 2025.

3 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Luke Bell

    Great festival, I enjoyed my time there.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for sharing Moving On during our Fringe Festival. We hope you'll submit something next year.

  • Brian Nguyen

    Very small event, though this was only its second year, but the venue is absolutely gorgeous. The Oster-Regent is a proper single screen theater from the 1930's. It has the proper pill box balcony seats, plush seats, and wood and plaster decor; the only thing it lacks is a proper projector and screen, and an audience to down a movie in the blood of the masses.

    I really hope this festival grows as the people who run it are great and the venue is an absolute dream to screen a movie in for any film-lover. Not much way in networking, as it's a local/regional affair, and everyone almost knows everyone else and are after the same things.

    Hope to see this one grow with better movies, greater audience attendance, and more people to interact with. I'd submit something again just to get it screened at the Oster-Regent.

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thanks for the kind words. We are working on refining some of our practices for next year to increase networking opportunities and improving our projector and screen. We hope you'll submit again.

  • Paul Huenemann

    Good job and well done to all! Looking forward to next year!

    November 2024
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you for submitting, Martian Encounter was a delightful addition to our Short Film Program.