Why Iowa?

Iowa helped pioneer film studies—and today, you can hone your craft and find your voice in America’s best small city for the arts.

Turn creativity into storytelling

Advance your craft

Learn from experts

See yourself here

Experience the energy of Iowa City, where filmmakers, dreamers, and storytellers turn vision into art.

Write your story

Iowa’s cinematic arts programs prepare you to think critically, create boldly, and lead in a changing media world.

faculty helping student with VR

15

Full-time faculty
student in camera check out

229

Undergraduate cinema majors

Fall 2025 data

179

Undergraduate screenwriting majors

Fall 2025 data

screenwriting student in class workshopping

70 +

Courses taught
student in theatre discussing films

News and announcements

Cinema alumnus helping the next generation of Cinema students succeed

Tuesday, June 30, 2026
From crash-course lessons to project guidance and support, Kelvin Nucico, Instructional Services Coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is committed to helping students from start to finish.

Metamorphosis at Work: Students Shape ICDOCS from Vision to Festival

Friday, May 8, 2026
Organized entirely by University of Iowa students through CINE:2863, the 2025 Iowa City Documentary Film Festival (ICDOCS) showcased more than 60 documentary films alongside feature-length screenings, filmmaker talks, and community events. With a festival theme of “Metamorphosis,” students gained real-world experience in programming, marketing, outreach, and event planning, resulting in record audience engagement and significant social media growth. The festival highlighted the importance of experiential learning, collaboration, and expanded career pathways within documentary film and arts administration.

Shadow Play Across the Arts + Humanities: An Exhibition and Symposium on the Shadow Silhouette

Monday, April 20, 2026
Shadow Play Across the Arts and Humanities was an interdisciplinary symposium held on April 16th at the University of Iowa's Visual Arts Building. The event explored shadow as an interdisciplinary medium across art, film, and performance and through diverse presentations and collaborations, it highlighted shadow’s creative, cultural, and critical potential.

Events

There are currently no events to display.

View more events