Donna Reed Film Festival | Arts & Culture

The Orpheum Theater Center in Marshalltown will be hosting their First Annual Donna Reed Film Festival on April 27th through 29th.

The three-day festival will celebrate Iowa native who made an international impact including her participation in the USO during WWII. A special segment during the festival will be readings of letters sent to Reed from WWII soldiers. Reed’s daughter, Mary Owen, will also be at the festival to honor her mother. Owen will also be answering questions from participants at the festival and will be introducing the films her mother starred in.

“I am so excited about the Donna Reed Film Festival, it's been something I've wanted to have happen in Iowa for many years,” says daughter Mary Owen.

The festival will start at 2 p.m. Friday with the WWII letters segment titled, “Dear Donna.” A screening of the film From Here to Eternity will follow the letter readings, the 1953 film Reed won an Academy Award in. Other films that will be shown throughout the three-days will include “The Human Comedy”, “Faithful in my Fashion”, “See Here, Private Hargrove”, and “They Were Expendable.”

Seating is limited. Tickets are $5 for movie screenings and $10 for the “Dear Donna” segment. For tickets please call (641) 844-5919. For more information on the festival please visit the Orpheum Center website.