The Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy “Just Like Heaven” made its U.S. release on the same day as the independent film “Thumbsucker.” Although both films made their debuts Sept. 16, Iowans were only able to see “Just Like Heaven” that day. “Thumbsucker,” like many independent movies, was delayed by almost a month.

Often independent films aren’t released in Iowa until much later than they are in other cities. Sometimes, they reach Des Moines and other cities within a few weeks, but other films take several months to debut in Iowa.

“It boils down to a couple basic reasons,” says Tom Wheeler, manager of the Iowa Film Office. “Viewing population and the history of success in our market when you compare Des Moines to Minneapolis.”

Since other cities have more potential viewers than Des Moines, they have a chance to make more money.

There are also fewer independent movies, says Nicole Reinertson, supervisor of the Fleur Cafe and Cinema, a movie theater in Des Moines that shows both independent and mainstream movies.

“They only make a limited number of prints, and they generally start out in New York, L.A. and Chicago,” she says. “There’s a limit on the exposure most of them get, so they tend to play smaller theaters but for longer time periods, so it generally takes a while for them to get anywhere.”

Wheeler says the reason why independent films aren’t more popular when they arrive is a million-dollar question.

“Now that there are greater opportunities and people are beginning to come out to theaters, it’s a case of folks around here become accustomed to opportunities,” he says. “I don’t think there was sufficient variety of opportunity in the past.”

Wheeler says Iowa’s demographics are different because people are more interested in major titles than lesser-known ones. He compares the independent film situation with the music scene because smaller bands play clubs rather than medium-sized locations.

“Name recognition doesn’t allow them to fill larger venues,” he says.

James Serpento, a freelance actor, director and writer, also says Iowa movie viewers are a unique audience.

“Iowa is so strange – we see what we want to see,” he says.

Both Serpento and Wheeler say Iowa’s movie preferences are influenced by conservatism. Serpento believes political conservatism affects film because conservative audiences are less likely to see independent films, but Wheeler says the nonpolitical conservatism is the factor that determines what audiences want to see.

“Iowans are commonly known for family values and education,” he says.

Since Iowans are more family oriented, it affects their amount of disposable income because they choose to raise families – that comes before moving to a larger city, where more film opportunities exist, Wheeler says.

Serpento says people are more willing to spend money on what they are comfortable with, so they gravitate toward what they know.

Iowa’s large rural population makes independent movies dependent on advertising and exposure, Reinertson says. Magazines and Web sites are two primary ways some films receive publicity.

“I think it’s definitely easier for bigger cities with bigger populations and more diversity to be accepting of those films,” she says. “It’s hard in the Midwest because even the bigger cities are surrounded by vast rural places. It’s a little more difficult to get the audiences. Especially at the Fleur, it’s hit and miss with the audiences.”

Reinertson says the Fleur tries to use co-op advertising, featuring actual movie poster ads in The Des Moines Register, Cityview and Juice, and providing a unique venue with its cafe. She says they depend on reviews with the Register because it’s the most popular newspaper in the area.

“If there’s a good review in the Register with a picture, it directly affects box office numbers,” she says.

Most independent films that do come to the Fleur otherwise don’t receive much recognition unless they were honored at the Academy Awards or at other film festivals, Reinertson says.

“If you track what we bring in, we have several films that have done very little business, and then Oscar nominations come out, and sometimes they re-release those movies, and we show them here, and it’s amazing how many people come out,” Reinertson says.

She also says local programs, such as the Wild Rose Film Festival, 48 Hour Film Project and events with the Iowa Scriptwriters’ Alliance and Iowa Motion Picture Association are raising awareness and interest in independent films.

This interest in the movies will help bring them to Iowa sooner, Wheeler says.

“As communities ask for projects to be shown in town, theater owners will be able to measure firsthand how much interest is and will also be able to gauge what type of independent films are wanted,” he says.

Just because Iowa isn’t considered a traditional entertainment capital, Serpento says, there isn’t a lack of movements in film happening in Iowa.

“To say Iowa isn’t a movie state isn’t true,” he says.