Welcome! Founded and directed by University of Iowa Professor, choreographer, ScreenDance maker, and teacher, Eloy Barragan, The International ScreenDance Festival's mission is to expand access to the arts, advance education, engage with Iowa City Community, and embrace artistic films from all over the world creating an equitable and inclusive Global community.

Screendance increases the possibilities of movement expression through the intersection of movement and cinema resulting in a distinctive, hybrid form of performance art that creates a magical viewing experience.

The International ScreenDance Festival 2026 has two submission categories:

· Students of dance, choreography, film from any University.
· Professionals from around the world.

By creating a welcoming environment and fairness in the curative process, we believe that these categories demonstrate equity to filmmakers in any stage of their career.

After submission review, the selected films will screen at the Chauncey location of FilmScene in Iowa City.

Fees:

UI Students and Alumni FREE
Students $15.00 US
Professionals $25.00 US

The ISDF season 11 will premiere at Filmscene Downtown Iowa City on August 29th. Viewers are encouraged to vote for their favorite films so the People’s Choice Award can be announced the week following these screenings.

The International ScreenDance Festival is a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions may be made payable to International ScreenDance Festival and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Awards & Prizes

Category Awards:

Preprofessional Artists Award for Outstanding Screendance
Professional Film Artists Award for Outstanding Screendance

People's Choice Preprofessional Artists Award for Screendance
People's Choice Professional Film Artists Award for Screendance

Curatorial Team:

Michael Judge

Kevin Kelley

Marie Wilkes

Miriam Martinic

More curators for the festival are in the process of being solidified.

Rules & Terms

• Maximum time for each submission is eight minutes
• Only two submissions are allowed per artist
• Date of completion of the submitted works, not older than 2023
• There are no limitations on submissions for films that have been presented at other festivals and/or online
• Films have to be connected with movement, choreography, dance, or clear kinetic expression

All International ScreenDance Festival submissions must comply with music copyright regulations before submitting their films. The International ScreenDance Festival is not liable for any copyright violations.

The ISDF reserves the right to use the submission materials for promotional purposes. The ISDF may be invited to screen the festival at a venue other than Film Scene; film directors will be notified and provided with details.

Selected films must provide the following;
• High-resolution still images (jpg, 300dpi)
• Description of the film or artistic statement (no longer than 150 words)
• An exhibition file for your film. We prefer 1920x1080 AppleProRes or H264 files
(.mov or .mp4)

Selection criteria:
• Innovation
• Composition
• Editing
• Overall Message
• Dance/Movement concept and execution
8 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Joeley Gibson

    Thank you for having us International Screendance Festival!

    Means a lot to be selected for dance on film festivals in particular!

    @beyondtheplaques_thefilm

    September 2025
    Helpful
  • Nejla Yatkin

    International Screen Dance Festival: A Celebration of Dance on Film

    Although I couldn’t attend the International Screen Dance Festival in person this year, I was deeply grateful to have my film shared with a new audience. The festival once again provided a platform for artists from around the world to showcase the intersection of dance and film in both virtual and live screenings, fostering a unique experience for viewers.

    What truly stood out was the sheer variety of works, each piece offering its own window into movement, story, and the human condition. The films exhibited a powerful synergy between choreography and cinematography, pushing the boundaries of screen dance as an evolving art form. It was a joy to see such creativity and innovation brought to life on screen.

    Being part of this festival was an honor, and even though I couldn’t be there physically, knowing my film reached new audiences made the experience deeply rewarding. The International Screen Dance Festival continues to elevate the art of dance on film, and I am proud to have contributed to this year’s celebration.

    October 2024
    Helpful
  • Kari Hoaas

    Great experience with this festival. Thank you

    September 2023
    Helpful
  • Carl Flink

    Great communication and opportunity to share our film with a new audience! Thank you to everyone at ISDF for the opportunity to be apart of this year's roster!

    Black Label Movement

    December 2021
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Dear Carl,
    We are so happy and honored to have "A Dream of Touch When Touch is Gone" as part of the ISDF 2021. Thank you!! for sending us your beautiful work. We are looking forward to see you work in the future. As ever, Eloy Barragán

  • Elijah Richardson

    Persevering through these challenging times. I participated as a filmmaker from Chicago and was honored to be a part of this festival once again. Great variety of films presented. Until next time! Gracias Eloy & Nora + University of Iowa!

    November 2020
    Helpful