Varsity Cinema Podcast

Host Keith Rich discusses the upcoming screening of Ai Wei Wei's 'Human Flow' in celebration of World Refugee Day with moderator of the event, Clayton Boeynik! Clayton is the Immigrant and Refugee Family Services Manager for Lutheran Services in Iowa at the Des Moines, IA hub. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all Varsity screenings...

Among discussing the year so far and what's to come with the Varsity, host Keith Rich and Varsity's Director of Development, Daniyel Turner, discuss their Top 5 Comfort Films. Keith's partner, Suzanne, also pays a little visit to the Varsity Cinema Podcast to piggyback on the conversation. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all Varsity...

Host Keith Rich switches it up as a treat for the new year, as friends, Matt Bledsoe of the Cult Movies podcast and Daniel Epler of the Cobwebs Channel on YouTube, join him for a discussion of their favorite Top 10 discoveries of 2025. As always, check out ⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠ to secure ticketing and screening information! Listen to previous Film Discovery episodes featuring Keith, Matt and Dani...

Host Keith Rich discusses the upcoming programming at the Varsity Cinema in Des Moines, IA for November. As always, check out varsitydesmoines.com to secure ticketing and screening information!

Host Keith Rich discusses the 10th anniversary of the nonprofit that heads the Varsity, Des Moines Film with Executive Director, Ben Godar. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all Varsity screenings!

Host Keith Rich discusses the documentary 'Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution' with the Director of Disability Policy for the Harkin Institute at Drake University, Daniel Van Sant. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠ for ticketing to all Varsity screenings!

Host Keith Rich discusses the upcoming screening of F.W. Murnau's 1926 silent film classic, Faust, with Mike from the LA-based band, The Silent Light, who will be live scoring the event. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠ for ticketing to all Varsity screenings!

Host Keith Rich chats with film critic and Fantastic Fest shorts programmer, Rocco Thompson about all things Pride for the month of June. Paris is Burning, Drop Dead Gorgeous and more - this one is not to be missed! As always, please be sure to head over to varsitydesmoines.com for ticketing to all Varsity screenings!

Host Keith Rich chats with newly minted director and frontman of Local H, Scott Lucas! Scott will be in-person at the Varsity on Tuesday, April 8th for a screening of Lifers and a post-screening Q&A. We chat about the new film, being a cinema buff and the importance of editing (as not everything can be 'Russian Ark' these days). As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com...

Host Keith Rich dishes once again about the upcoming 'Red Carpet Affair' live watch party that'll be taking place Sunday, March 2nd at the cinema. A conversation with Daniyel Turner, development manager at the Varsity and social media manager for the Varsity, Kasey Dunifer transpires. Let's get critical! This is a not-to-miss episode!  As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠va...

Listen as host, Keith Rich, chats with world renowned opera scholar and former tenured dramaturg of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Roger Pines, ahead of the screening of Maria on December 11th. Roger chats about his role in the opera world, his top 6 favorite opera / opera adjacent films and much, much more! As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to...

Host Keith Rich discusses the packed slate for November. Take a well needed trip to Nilbog for a little R&R or maybe you're more interested in a Texan getaway. Either way, we've got you covered on this episode of the Varsity Cinema Podcast! Head over to varsitydesmoines.com for ticketing information, showtimes, our blog and more!

Listen as host, Keith Rich, chats with nationally renowned silent film accompanist, Ben Model, ahead of his live event at the Varsity on September 29th. Ben talks about how he came to live score silent films, his method of playing, his boutique Blu-Ray label, Undercrank Productions, and more! Secure ticketing online or at our box office for the Buster Keaton double bill (One Week, followed by Sher...

Host Keith Rich has a discussion with another one of Varsity's own, Regen Kuker! Also in this episode, we talk special events around 1997's 'Selena', documentaries like 'Join or Die' and 'Art Dealers', a 'Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight' tease and more! As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all of the Va...

Enjoy a live Q&A from the 'The Last American Gay Bar' screening that took place at the Varsity in June. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all of the Varsity's screenings! 

Host Keith Rich has a discussion with filmmaker Kristian Day about his upcoming series, 'The Last American Gay Bar', which will be showing its first three episodes at the Varsity. As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all of the Varsity's screenings! 

Host Keith Rich has a discussion with the Varsity's Development Manager, Daniyel Turner, gives a preview of what's to come for the latter half of the month at the Cinema and what his son, Simon, thinks of 'My Neighbor Totoro.' As always, please be sure to head over to ⁠⁠⁠varsitydesmoines.com⁠⁠⁠ for ticketing to all of the Varsity's screenings! 

Host Keith Rich has a conversation with one of the co-hosts of Des Moines, Iowa-based horror film podcast, Nate of the Fright Zone, about the George A. Romero 'Dead' trilogy. In addition, we discuss the new Varsity Relays kick off event, the return of Science on Screen, live director Q&A of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and Happily, BenDavid Grabinski and more special events! As always, plea...

THE awards ceremony for film is upon us once more! Host Keith Rich dishes about the upcoming 'Red Carpet Affair' live watch party that'll be taking place Sunday, March 10th at the cinema. A conversation with Ben Godar, executive director of Des Moines Film and film enthusiast and marketing manager for the Des Moines Symphony, Olivia Guns transpires. Be on the look out for hot takes! Th...

Host Keith Rich discusses the packed slate for February. From Jonathan Glazer to John Carpenter, we've got a large swath of all types of cinema for you here at the Varsity! Head over to varsitydesmoines.com for ticketing information, showtimes, our blog and more!

Host Keith Rich discusses the latter half of the January slate at the Varsity Cinema, while getting his bearings as a new father of two. Head over to varsitydesmoines.com to secure ticketing & find out more information on films and events!

Host Keith Rich has a discussion with LA-based, Iowa native writer/ director Marissa Vonn about her debut feature length film, Knee High, which opens at the Varsity on Sunday, December 10th. Head over to varsitydesmoines.com to secure ticketing & find out more information on films and events!

Host Keith Rich has a discussion about the New York and Telluride film festivals with executive director of Des Moines Film, Ben Godar, and members Clinton Olsasky and Nicole Baxter. Listen here to find out what was on the festival circuit, what's coming to the Varsity and what's currently playing! Head over to varsitydesmoines.com to secure ticketing & find out more information on fil...

Host Keith Rich has a discussion with Film Feast host, Matt Bledsoe, about the Midnights at Ten programming for October, alongside new releases and classic horror rep screening fare. Dracula! Frankenstein! Taylor Swift! It's all here!

Host Keith Rich has a discussion about the Varsity Cinema Book Club with adult services librarian, Dennis Cooper, of the Des Moines Public Library. Listen here to find out all about this month's screenings!  Head over to varsitydesmoines.com to secure ticketing & find out more information on films and events!