Actress, Activist, Icon Jean Seberg.
She was the toast of Paris and an international film star. She was part of the French New Wave and starred in the iconic film Breathless influencing film history and fashion with her short-cropped hairstyle and gamine beauty. To this day she makes the list of the most beautiful women in the world and inspires art, music and haute couture. All of these magical virtues that made Jean Seberg who she was are celebrated this year in her beloved hometown of Marshalltown, Iowa at the IVCCD Orpheum Theater Center, November 4th-5th at the Jean Seberg Festival of the Arts. The annual event draws fans, artists, film and fashion buffs, Hollywood history aficionados, family and friends from across the country and around the world.
“I think the new name of our festival reflects our commitment to honoring Jean’s legacy across many disciplines,” said Nancy Adams, curator of the Jean Seberg Collection at the Orpheum Theater Center. “Clearly, she first registered on the collective radar through her acting, but in her life she came to be known for her celebration of and influence in many other fields.”
The Jean Seberg Festival of the Arts opens November 4th with a free exhibition of student-produced films.
The Festival opens Friday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m. showcasing student-produced films and an award ceremony at the Orpheum where Seberg’s first film, Saint Joan, premiered in 1957. Jean Seberg championed first-time directors and filmmakers, often launching their film careers. Friday evening’s film screenings and award ceremony are free to the public.
Saturday, November 5th the festival will showcase the Seberg style with a fashion show presented by Iowa State University design students at 1:30 p.m. in the Orpheum’s Blackbox Theater. Admission is $6.
Sean Garrison and Jean Seberg starred in "Moment to Moment".
Two of Seberg’s films will screen at the Orpheum on Saturday: Moment to Moment at 11:00 a.m. and Who’s Got the Black Box? at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $6/pp per show.
A free art exhibit featuring Jean Seberg-inspired works from around the world will be on display during the festival, as well as other Seberg memorabilia from the Orpheum’s vast collection.
Visitors are also encouraged to take the self-guided Jean Seberg Legacy Tour to places that were part of her life growing up in Marshalltown, Iowa. Copies of the Legacy map are available in the lobby of the Orpheum Theatre Center.
Iowa Governor Branstad signs a proclamation honoring Jean Seberg.
The Festival follows the recent signing of a proclamation by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declaring October 21 Jean Seberg Day.
“So many years after her passing, one is as likely to read about her cinematic legacy as to see her referenced in a fashion magazine, or the subject of an art exhibition,” Adams said. “I’m excited about the number of participants this year, and the fact that we are seeing and highlighting the growing awareness of ‘the next generation’ to the magic that was, and is Jean Seberg.”
For more information about the Jean Seberg Festival of the Arts contact Tammy Losing, Festival Coordinator, at Orpheum Theater Center 641-844-5921 or find information online at the www.OrpheumCenter.com.