Zeitgeist Films

BORN:1972

AFFILIATION: Student-run non-profit at The University of Iowa 

SPECIAL SKILLS: The only independent art house for who-knows-how-many miles around shows many different formats (see below), and is entirely student run, which is super cool.

DCP ?: Yes, but can also show 35mm, 16mm and even 8mm (bring those home movies)

FIRST ZEITGEIST MOVIE: Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 2003

PRICE OF A SMALL POPCORN: $1 — all concessions are $1! Except large popcorn: that’s a whopping two bucks. 

Don’t let anybody tell you that art house movie theaters only live in big cities on the coasts. The Bijou Theatre, run by students at the University of Iowa, has been projecting independent and international cinema in Iowa City since 1974. When it comes to programming for such a large community and campus (the university has over 30,000 students), the Bijou aims to be an “educational cinema,” but always takes audience suggestions, favoring auteur driven material like Elena, which opens there on Friday. 

Like independent cinemas everywhere, The Bijou is trying to keep up with the need to convert to DCP. Thanks in part to support from student government, they have recently completed the conversion process, but plan to maintain their 35mm reel to reel as well. The student-run theater is doing so well, they’re looking to move to a larger space in downtown Iowa City. “This is very exciting,” current executive director Jesse Damazo told us, “but also long term & challenging.” The student staffers are pictured here in lovely Polaroids—below are executive director Jesse and programming director Charles.  

If you find yourself in Iowa City this weekend, shell out a dollar for a popcorn and catch Elena at The Bijou!  

By now you may have seen our fabulous poster for ELENA and read about the signed, limited edition screenprint by designer Sam Smith. We are offering two of these screenprints signed by director Andrey Zvyagintsev for two lucky winners of our Film Forum raffle.

If you see ELENA at Film Forum in its opening weekend (*Wednesday 16th through Sunday 20th May), save your ticket stub and we will enter you in a raffle to win one of these posters. 

To qualify simply take a photo of your ticket stub (with your name written on it) and email the photo to us at mail@zeitgeistfilms.com (subject line ELENA POSTER). Or, if you’re feeling old fashioned, mail the ticket stub to us along with your name and email address, to: Zeitgeist Films, attn: ELENA POSTER, 247 Centre St, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013.

The raffle will be drawn on May 29th and winners will be notified by email.

[As previously announced two signed screenprints will also be raffled at BAM Cinematek at the screening of THE RETURN on Tuesday 15th at 6:50pm] 

I hate to brag (false) but we’ve had a very exciting 24 hours at Zeitgeist. 

First, Paul Goodman Changed My Life opened at the Film Forum last night to a sold out crowd (and fabulous reviews) at the 6:30 show, which was followed by a great Q and A with director Jonathan Lee and producer/editor Kimberly Reed (there’s another Q and A tonight after the 8:30 show, if you can make it!).

Just as the Q and A was starting, we got the word that Elena had won the Grand Prix for Best Film at the Ghent Film Festival! I had a glass of champagne for each joyous event at the after party (it’s not that many, mom! Yes, I know it’s a Wednesday). 

THEN, this morning, we woke up to the fantastic news (unexpected to some) that Bill Cunningham New York is nominated for Best Documentary at the Gotham Awards! 

Congrats to all our filmmakers! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Fun Friday, where I very much hope to somehow incorporate Ellen Barkin’s Twitter. 

—Molly