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45 DREAMS: A LOVE LETTER TO COMMUNITY
A portrait of the members, volunteers and staff who have made the Iowa City Senior Center what it is over the last 45 years, defining belonging in one small building on Linn Street.
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A LONG WINTER
Adapted from Colm Tóibín's short story of the same name, this introspective exploration of loss follows Mike, a young man on the precipice of coming into himself. With his brother going off to the warfront in Korea, he finds solace in the animals he tends to outside of his family's remote cabin. When his mother goes missing, he and his hardened father do their best to gather the community to help find her before it's too late.
Thu, Oct 22 7:00 PM Sat, Oct 24 11:30 AM
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ALL OF A SUDDEN
Marie-Lou runs a nursing home near Paris and strives for more humane elder care but is plagued by labor shortages and is butting heads with her staff. She develops a friendship with Mari, a Japanese theatre director facing terminal cancer, forming a strong bond that transforms each of their lives.
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ASHES
Eight years after their mother left for Madrid to chase a better future for her family, Lucila and her younger brother leave Mexico to reunite with her. Adapted from Eating Ashes by Brenda Navarro, Diego Luna directs this delicate exploration of familial relationships, migrant struggles, class dynamics, and grief with a gentle touch.
Fri, Oct 23 7:00 PM Sat, Oct 24 9:45 PM
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BLACK CHARIOT (1971)
Young Black man Tuck gets involved with a Black militant group in South Central L.A. after connecting with Syvlia, an outspoken recruiter who calls him on his machismo and convinces him to join the cause.
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BLANK CHECK PRESENTS: THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS MOVIE
Griffin Newman and Ben Hosley from the essential film podcast Blank Check join Refocus Film Festival to revisit and celebrate one of the great big screen abominations of all time: The Garbage Pail Kids Movie
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BLKNWS: TERMS & CONDITIONS
Adapted from Kahlil Joseph's renowned video art installation, BLKNWS weaves family history, contemporary cultural references and futurist fiction into an immersive cinematic experience.
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BLOW OUT
A movie sound recordist accidentally records the evidence that proves that a car accident was actually murder and consequently finds himself in danger.
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CANDYMAN (1992)
The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.
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CASTRATION MOVIE CHAPTER III: JUNIOR GHOSTS—PREMORPHIC DRIFT; A FRAGMENTARY PASSAGE
Izzy does everything in her power to stop her partner from transitioning.
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CHRONOVISOR
An armchair mystery in which the life of a reclusive academic collides with the story of a clandestine technology that can photograph the past.
Fri, Oct 23 4:00 PM Sat, Oct 24 10:15 PM Sun, Oct 25 2:15 PM
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CINEMA SAVANT: ANDREW HAIGH + 45 YEARS
Kate and her husband are excitedly planning a party to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. However, one week before the celebration, a letter arrives that will change everything. We revisit this Oscar-winning film from director Andrew Haigh on the occasion of awarding him with the 2026 Cinema Savant award.
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CLARISSA
Mrs. Dalloway is adapted to modern Lagos as we follow a society woman throwing a party with unexpected guests from her past.
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COMMON THREADS: STORIES FROM THE QUILT
A collection of profiles of people dead from AIDS who are remembered in the AIDS Memorial Quilt.
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DENOUEMENT "FRONT LAWN" HAPPY HOURS
Toast to the end of the fest. Take a break between films and enjoy a beverage at the John’s Grocery beverage tent, grab some food from Snacky Mini Mart, reflect on what you’ve seen and done all weekend and what your final night plans are!
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DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID (2026)
A young Romanian woman living in France works for a French family and joins a theatre company who are adapting Octave Mirbeau's The Diary of a Chambermaid.
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DO YOU LOVE ME
Through 70 years of found footage, home movies, and media archives, Beirut's vibrant soul emerges - revealing intimate moments of joy and loss that shaped Lebanon's cultural memory, despite the absence of official records.
Fri, Oct 23 1:30 PM Sat, Oct 24 7:45 PM Sun, Oct 25 5:45 PM
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EPIGRAPH COFFEE TALK: (EXTRA)ORDINARY!
Start your morning with a coffee from fix! and conversation with a worldly group of artists discussing the convergence of the personal and universal through big concepts and intimate stories.
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EPIGRAPH COFFEE TALK: PLAYING TELEPHONE
Start your morning with a coffee from fix! and conversation with our Refocus artists discussing how they remix and reimagine existing works in contemporary forms. Melding existing materials and inspired new work, these artists pay homage to artistic legacies through creative installations at the fest.
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EXTRA GEOGRAPHY
Set in an English girls’ boarding school, two teenage best friends grapple with the challenges of girlhood—friendship, romance, studies, and growing up—and embark on their summer project, falling in love. Based on the short story of the same name by Rose Tremain, this funny, authentic coming of age story is an intimate snapshot of the challenges and joys of teenage girlhood.
Fri, Oct 23 9:30 PM Sat, Oct 24 4:10 PM
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FARGO
An annual tradition, we close our Rooftop series with the Coen Brothers comic-crime classic.
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FATHERLAND (2026)
At the height of the Cold War, writer Thomas Mann and his daughter Erika—actress, writer and rally driver—embark on a road trip in a black Buick cruiser across a Germany in ruins.
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FAUST: LIVE SCORE
A colossal adaptation of Goethe's Faust, one of the greatest achievements of German silent cinema. Gösta Ekman stars as the titular alchemist who is offered the power to cure and the gift of youth... in exchange for his soul.
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FILMSPOTTING LIVE
Join hosts Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen and guest film critic Matt Singer for a special live taping of this beloved and long-running movie podcast!
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FINDING CHAUCER'S G-SPOT
Finding Chaucer's G-spot marks the 25th anniversary of G-Spots?, a cinematic deconstruction of Chaucer’s “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.” The program will also include a live reading and the 2026 short film Tea Spots.
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FJORD
An immigrant Romanian family living in Norway is subject to an investigation and faces the scrutiny of the local judicial system.
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FOUND FOOTAGE FEST: PORCELAIN VHS TREASURES
Found Footage Festival returns to FilmScene with live comedy and VHS tapes!
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GODZILLA MINUS ZERO
Set in 1949, the Shikishima family confronts a fresh catastrophe two years after surviving their previous ordeal with the legendary monster.
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GREGORIUS, THE CHOSEN ONE
Gregorius grows up an orphan, later accidentally marries his mother, and towards the end of his life becomes the Pope. An absurd comedy inspired by a Thomas Mann novel, itself a retelling of the medieval verse epic.
Sat, Oct 24 5:00 PM Sun, Oct 25 11:45 AM
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HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS
The only thing more terrifying than how it started... is how it ends!
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HANABI (FIRE FLOWER)
A savage adaptation of Yoko Hayasuke’s Journal of a Radioactive Brain, written in the wake of the tsunami and nuclear disaster that ensued the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, weaving diary with tales of survival and resistance.
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HOPPERS
A 19-year-old animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world.
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I PLAY ROCKY
Sylvester Stallone, then a failing actor, writes the ultimate underdog story and must fight for his chance to play the role of a lifetime—Rocky Balboa.
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I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING
Five childhood friends face adult struggles: Patrick and Shiv's relationship strains over a secret, Oli parties destructively, Conor awaits fatherhood with business dreams, and wealthy Rian can't escape his past despite moving away.
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I SHOT ANDY WARHOL
The story of Valerie Solanas, a '60s radical who preached misandry in her "Scum" manifesto. She wrote a screenplay for a film that she wanted Andy Warhol to produce, but after he repeatedly ignored her, she shot him.
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JANE SCHOENBRUN: PUBLIC ACCESS AFTERWORLD
Book reading, Q&A, and signing with Jane Scheonbrun for their profound, binge-all-night, headrush of a debut novel
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JERRY'S LAST MISSION
Jerry Yellin flew the last combat mission of World War II, returning with guilt and thoughts of suicide. Years later Yellin faced his enemy once again when his son married the daughter of a Kamikaze pilot.
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KEIRAN GODDARD: I SEE BUILDINGS FALL LIKE LIGHTNING
A free author reading, Q&A, and signing event with Keiran Goddard for I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning
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KEN RUSSELL'S THE DEVILS
In 17th-century France, Father Urbain Grandier's protection of the city of Loudun from the corrupt Cardinal Richelieu is undermined by a sexually repressed nun's accusation of witchcraft.
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KEY LARGO ON 35MM
A drifter visits the family hotel of a war buddy who was killed in action only to find that a Chicago mobster and his gang have taken over the place. As a hurricane approaches, tensions threaten to boil over.
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KPOP DEMON HUNTERS
A world-renowned K-Pop girl group balances their lives in the spotlight with their secret identities as demon hunters.
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LA BOLA NEGRA
A bold tapestry spanning nearly a century of Spanish history, La Bola Negra tells the story of three generations of men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain, and love.
Sat, Oct 24 6:30 PM Sun, Oct 25 11:30 AM
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LA BOLA NEGRA
La Bola Negra explores the experiences of gay men in Spain throughout different eras, following three storylines connected through themes of sexuality, desire, pain, and inheritance.
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LA GRADIVA
A group of high school students sets off on a school trip to discover the ruins of Pompeii. They are seized by a sense of vertigo. They allow themselves to be overwhelmed by desire and anger, until they surrender completely.
Sat, Oct 24 4:45 PM Sun, Oct 25 11:00 AM
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LA PERRA
A middle-aged woman living alone on a Chilean island finds an abandoned puppy, naming it Yuri - her chosen name for a daughter she never had. Through bonding with the dog, she seeks healing from her past.
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LEILA AND THE WOLVES
Drawing on the Arab heritage of the Arabian Nights, Leila and the Wolves combines fictional drama, archival footage, fantasy sequences, mosaic pattern, to refute the colonial and male dominated version of history.
Fri, Oct 23 7:00 PM Sat, Oct 24 2:15 PM Sun, Oct 25 5:15 PM
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LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES (2026)
In elite society where patriarchy rules and reputation matters most, one mistake can ruin a woman. Marquise de Merteuil survives through cunning control. With Vicomte de Valmont, they weaponize seduction until alliance turns to rivalry.
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LOOK BACK (2026)
Fujino is a young girl with complete confidence in her talent for drawing manga who is united with Kyomoto, a reclusive classmate whose artistic ability far surpasses her own, through their passionate love of manga.
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MANHUNTER: THE FINAL CUT
Former FBI profiler Will Graham returns to service to pursue a deranged serial killer dubbed "the Tooth Fairy" by the media.
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MATT SINGER: FUNNY BUSINESS
A free author reading, Q&A, and signing event with Matt Signer for Funny Business
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MINIONS & MONSTERS
It’s 1920s Hollywood and the Minions are scouting for a monster movie. Assisted by a small green creature, they must save the planet after unleashing monsters.
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MINOTAUR
A high-powered executive's meticulously controlled existence unravels when professional crises, global chaos, and marital betrayal converge, pushing him toward a dangerous breaking point.
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MONOGRAPH SHORTS 2026
A Refocus Film Festival shorts block, featuring six selections that expand our understanding of art and adaptation—from narratively confrontational animation to intimate family stories, formally innovative historical documentaries and experimental work.
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MOUSE (2026)
In 2002, best friends Minnie and Callie's relationship is upended on the eve of their senior year.
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MYSTERIOUS SKIN
Two pre-adolescent boys both experienced a strange event and later it affects their lives in different ways. One becomes a reckless, sexually adventurous prostitute, while the other retreats into a reclusive fantasy of alien abduction.
Sat, Oct 24 2:00 PM Sun, Oct 25 2:45 PM
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NAZA
In secret conversations on the rooftops of Tel Aviv at night, the systems behind Israel’s calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza are revealed by the people who designed and operated them.
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OM SHANTI OM
A struggling junior artist dies trying to save his dream girl, only to be reborn as a superstar. 30 years later, he returns with style, stardom, and revenge to expose the killer.
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN HARLEM
A decade post-death, filmmaker William Greaves reveals his final work: footage of a 1972 gathering he arranged with Harlem Renaissance legends, which he deemed his most significant capture.
Fri, Oct 23 1:00 PM Sat, Oct 24 11:30 AM Sun, Oct 25 2:30 PM
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POSTSCRIPT OPENING NIGHT AFTER PARTY
Mingle with fellow festival goers to celebrate opening night!
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PRIMETIME
In 2006, To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) sets out to make television history.
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REFOCUS REVISION: TRANSCENDENCE
Transcendence transforms audio and visual material from Iowa City’s Ped Mall, featured in previous Revision iterations, into a generative video and soundscape.
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REHEARSALS FOR A REVOLUTION
Pegah Ahangarani traces her life through five portraits of relatives and mentors. Using personal archives, home videos, protests, and newspapers, she chronicles over 40 years of Iranian history from 1979 to 2026.
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REMAINING NATIVE
Ku Stevens wants to be an elite runner, but when the remains of Native children are found, Ku must face his family's past while attempting to run towards his future.
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REVOLUTIONARIES NEVER DIE
Seeking to decode a final, unanswered invitation, a filmmaker explores why the renowned Lebanese director Jocelyne Saab reached out for a collaboration just two months before her passing. Since his reply can never reach her, the film transforms into a lyrical expedition through the life, political commitments, and artistic vision of a singular voice from the era of revolution.
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SCOTT HEIM: MYSTERIOUS SKIN
A free author reading, Q&A, and signing event with Scott Heim for Mysterious Skin
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SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (2026)
An irresistible new take on Jane Austen's classic, a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles.
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SOUL PATROL
Vietnam War's first Black special ops team reunites to share their untold story, revealing hidden military history and exploring whether confronting the past can heal old wounds.
Fri, Oct 23 3:30 PM Sun, Oct 25 4:45 PM
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SUBTEXT
Raise a glass and mingle with the artists of Refocus and Iowa City Book Festival, as well as community VIPs. Take a peek at this year's Revision installation, sip on a beverage and savor some delicious appetizers from Plated Table.
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THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE
A filmmaker applies lessons from a Hallmark movie writing workshop to pitch a documentary about concrete.
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THE KID + A DOG'S LIFE
The Kid: The Tramp cares for an abandoned child, but events put their relationship in jeopardy. A Dog’s Life: The Little Tramp and his dog companion struggle to survive in the inner city.
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THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD
Pegeen Flaherty's world shifts when Christy Mahon enters her pub claiming he killed his father. Rather than being rejected, he becomes a hero, winning hearts and races-until another man unexpectedly appears.
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THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
A waitress desperate to fulfill her dreams as a restaurant owner is set on a journey to turn a frog prince back into a human, but she has to face the same problem after she kisses him.
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THE RESCUERS
Two mice of the Rescue Aid Society search for a little girl kidnapped by unscrupulous treasure hunters.
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THE SCOUT (2025)
A location scout photographs the homes of strangers in New York City for a TV pilot, stepping into their private lives while trying to satisfy her erratic employers.
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THE THING IN THE COFFIN
An abstract experimental reinterpretation of Dracula, this film fuses analog and digital decay-from Super 8 to 35mm-into a glitch-infused vision that transforms the novel's ghotic eroticism into a haunting new audiovisual experience.
Sat, Oct 24 8:00 PM Sun, Oct 25 11:00 AM
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THE WORK IN PROGRESS
Follows Americans engaging in face-to-face conversations about cultural, political, economic, and generational divisions across seven states.
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UNFOCUS AFTER PARTY AT THE GREEN HOUSE
Wind down at the Green House Unfocus After Party with music provided by Ayron Messerschmitt, plus $1 off drinks for festival goers and complimentary desserts!
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VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST
In a dark and distant future, where the undead have arisen from apocalyptic ashes, Vampire hunters now threaten the vampires with extinction. D, the son of a vampire and a mortal who has dedicated his life to exterminating vampires, is hired to rescue Charlotte Elbourne from the vampire nobleman Meier Link.
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VIVA CARMEN
Teenage Salvador, assistant to the gifted knife grinder Antonio, encounters a captivating young gypsy woman, Carmen. Her stunning beauty and independent spirit set the town abuzz, but Antonio’s mystical ability to glimpse the future in sharpened blades foretells a tragic fate for Carmen.
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WEALTH OF [&&&] NATION
Join s.j.a, founder & steward of the AMPERS&ND archive, as they (re)focus an intimate lens on the creative praxis of william greaves (1926-2014), the prolific experimental documentarian known to meld narrative across time, space, & cosmic threshold.
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WHISKEY TANGO FILMSCENE
Join us for a night of storytelling with guests of Refocus Film Festival to hear their war stories about creating art and getting it out into the world while sipping some whiskey from John’s Grocery.
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WICKER
An ostracized fisherwoman commissions the local basketmaker to weave her a husband, but when her wicker creation proves unexpectedly extraordinary, his presence ignites jealousy and upheaval that threatens their quiet village.
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WILD HORSE NINE
CIA agents Chris and Lee face a trust-testing mission from Santiago to Easter Island during 1973 in Chile.
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WILDWOOD
The adventures of Prue McKeel as she sets off to the forests outside Portland to find her kidnapped brother.
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YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING
Thirty-four days before she's sent to prison, notorious Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move.
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