A five-day festival of films opens tonight (Wednesday) at two locations in Des Moines. Kimberly Busbee is organizing the Wild Rose Independent Film and Video Festival, which is drawing producers, directors and actors from all across the country. Max Alan Collins will be among the attendees — a Muscatine native and crime novelist who won acclaim with the 2002 Dreamworks production of his graphic novel “Road to Perdition” starring Tom Hanks and directed by Oscar-winner Sam Mendes. Busbee says dozens of films will be showing at the two venues every night and several afternoons through Sunday, including”Quick Stop,” considered by Roger Ebert as one of the “most overlooked” films of 2002. A man who directed several cult favorites including “The Toxic Avenger,” Lloyd Kaufman, will be delivering a filmmaking seminar this weekend. During the festival itself, Busbee says filmmakers from Iowa will be featured, along with those from elsewhere in the U.S. and several international moviemakers. For more information, surf to “www.vaudevillemews.com” or call 515-244-1231.
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