Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival 2026

Two venues. One ticket. A front row seat to Iowa’s cinematic future. 🎬✨

On Thursday, April 9, The Olympic and The Ideal join forces to roll out the red carpet for a special pre-screening of the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. Get exclusive sneak peeks at this year’s Iowa-connected entries, hear directly from the filmmakers in a live Q&A, and drift between both historic spaces with a single low ticket price.

Since its debut in 2001 at Mount Mercy University, CRIFF has championed bold, homegrown storytelling and built a launchpad for Iowa’s independent film community. This is your chance to see what’s next before the curtain officially rises.

Premium bar service. Creative collisions. Two iconic stages, lit for one night of cinematic discovery.