Des Moines Arts Festival® Announces 2025 Interrobang Film Festival Winners

Canadian Student Short “Tortilla” Wins Best of Show

(Des Moines, IA) – Officials from the Des Moines Arts Festival® have released the winners of the 2025 Interrobang Film Festival. The Interrobang jury awarded 11 films with an award with Tortilla winning both Best of Show and Best Student Short. Details about each film, including when Festival guests can see them, are listed below. The Interrobang Film Festival is held in conjunction with the Des Moines Arts Festival, June 27 – 29, in Western Gateway Park. Admission to both Festivals is free.

Interrobang will feature 24 juried films from nine countries in the Central Library. Screens include feature, student, short, documentary, and web/TV films and two panel discussions. The Interrobang Film Festival is open Friday, June 27, 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, June 28, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday, June 29, 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

AWARD WINNERS
Additional details, including a film synopsis, can be found at desmoinesartsfestival.org/filmfestival

Best of Show & Best Student Short: Tortilla
Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m. | Run Time: 12:08
Country of Origin: Canada
Directed by: Farah Khalil

Best Documentary, Short: Light Painter
Saturday, June 28 at 2 p.m. | Run Time: 38:13 + Talkback
Country of Origin: United States
Directed: Eric Smidt

Honorable Mention: The North Star
Saturday, June 28 at 3:15 p.m. | Run Time: 31:24 + Talkback
Country of Origin: United States
Directed by: Tim Weed and Bryan Vanderpool

Best Documentary, Feature Length: Girls Don’t Cry
Friday, June 27 at 1 p.m. | Run Time: 1:29:00
Country of Origin: Germany
Directed by: Sigrid Klausmann, Lina Luzyte.

Best Found Footage: Reality Frictions
Friday, June 27 at 4:20 p.m. | Run Time: 1:10:00
Country of Origin: United States
Directed by: Steve Anderson

Best of Iowa: Tinker
Saturday, June 28 at 3:15 p.m. | Run Time: 7:00 + Talkback
Country of Origin: United States
Directed by: Ryan Adams

Best Music Video: Middle of Nowhere
Sunday, June 29 at 11:30 a.m. | Run Time: 4:04
Country of Origin: United States
Directed by: Travis Shields

Best Narrative, Feature Length: My Friend Miles
Sunday, June 29 at 2 p.m. | 1:32:00 + Talkback
Country of Origin: Belgium
Directed by: Pieter Solta

Best Narrative, Short: 3.400KG
Friday, June 27 at 3 p.m. | Run Time: 13:02
Country of Origin: Islamic Republic of Iran
Directed by: Atefeh Nafari and Samira Mokhtari

Best Web/TV Series Pilot: Sasha Counters!
Friday, June 27 at 3 p.m. | Run Time: 28:04
Country of Origin: Russian Federation
Directed by Anna Zaytseva
Interrobang Film Festival Producer Choice: The Entomologist’s Wife
Saturday, June 28 at 4:30 p.m. | Run Time: 12:09 + Talkback
Country of Origin: United States
Directed by: Shelby Hagerdon