Most movie theatres in Ames and Des Moines are known for presenting mainstream, corporately produced, expensively packaged, Hollywood blockbusters. But Shirley Long is trying to change that.

“We want Iowans to have a chance to watch all the [independent] films that are seen in all the other parts of the country,” Long, co-founder of the Iowa Motion Picture Association, said.

Long began her quest to spread indie film interest in Iowa last October, when the Iowa Motion Picture Association presented “Pi” to an Ankeny audience.

“Pi’ was a great success,” Long remembered. “A lot of people came down from Iowa State for that.”

After such a favorable response, Long decided to bring in two other popular independent films, “Percent,” and “Ouvre la Feneire,” which both drew considerable crowds.

This Saturday, Long hopes the trend will continue when she presents three more films at Springwood Theatres in Ankeny.

“It will be an ongoing series if we can really pack the house,” she said hopefully. “These are films that New Yorkers or Californians would see, but we wouldn’t get a chance to see in Iowa.”

The three films scheduled for the “mini film festival” are “Woe is Me,” a film by renowned French film director Jean Luc Godard, “The Cow,” a romance by Karel Kachyna, and “Inside/Out,” a drama written and directed by Rob Tregenza.

Long said if enough people come to the festival, Bob Fridley, owner of Springwood Theatres, might show the three films at his theatre from Sept. 24 to Oct. 2.

But if the films don’t attract a large enough audience, the only place to see these films in Iowa will be at Springwood on Saturday afternoon.

The festival will kick off at 12:45 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. However, the entire time won’t be spent just watching movies.

In addition to sponsoring the films, the Iowa Motion Picture Association is also bringing in Tregenza to lead a discussion on the film for the audience members.

“When you see films like these, you want to discuss them,” Long said.

She added that Tregenza, who is known all over the country for his film writing skills, is the perfect person to lead the discussion because of his renown within the indie film industry.

“[Tregenza] has a Ph.D. in film, but he also writes, produces and directs his own films,” Long noted. “He lives out in the country and raises hay, and he’s also an independent film writer and producer who gets flown to Atlanta and Paris.”

As Iowans continue to show interest in indie films, Long plans to continue to make Iowa more of a film mecca.

“Any film buffs who want future films to play should come and bring all of their film friends,” she said. “I’d like to see us really build an audience for these films.”