PIEOWA: A Piece of America

 

A soulful slice of Americana.”      – Los Angeles Times

 

PIEOWA: A PIECE OF AMERICA, an award-winning feature documentary, celebrates the myriad ways pie is woven into Iowa’s (and America’s) culture, the lengths people will go to for a slice, and how this humble pastry can bake the world a better place. Audiences and critics agree that “it’s a tonic for what ails us.” The film features comedian Tom Arnold, NPR economics correspondent Scott Horsley (NPR = No Pie Refused), Better Homes & Gardens food editor Jan Miller, among other notable names, alongside everyday people — church ladies, farmers, pie shop owners, State Fair pie competitors, chefs, food historians, RAGBRAI bike riders, and humanitarians of all ages. Wholesome and humorous, it will leave you feeling more hopeful about the world — and hungry for pie. (Run time: 76 minutes)

Producer/director of PIEOWA Beth M. Howard is the author of three pie-themed books and the former (and final) resident of the American Gothic House where she ran the Pitchfork Pie Stand. Howard experienced Iowa’s far-reaching influence of pie when she once got hired as a pie baker in Malibu, California. When asked what her qualifications were, she answered “I’m from Iowa” and got the job! Her film expands on the themes of her TEDx Talk, in which she espouses pie’s healing powers. how pie can build community and be used as a tool for social good.

WATCH THE PREVIEW.

WHERE TO SEE THE FILM 

PIEOWA is now showing beyond Iowa. More dates and locations are being added so keep checking back for updates. If you would like to host a community screening (church, school, senior center, civic organization, or for a fundraiser), please get in touch. If you’d like your local theater to show PIEOWA, ask them to contact me or send me their contact info.  

2026   

May 30 (10AM) – Mendocino Film Festival, Mendocino, California. Q&A with film editor, Ryan Shake. Pie will be served.
 
May 30 (2 PM) – Bettendorf Public Library, Bettendorf, Iowa, Q&A with Beth. There will be pie!  (We’ve ordered pies but moviegoers are encouraged to bring one to share to ensure we have enough.) Free event.
 
June 5  (4 PM and 6 PM) – Aledo Rhubarb Festival, Aledo Opera House, Aledo, Illinois. Followed by Q&A with Beth. Tickets here
 
June 6  (4 PM and 6 PM) – Aledo Rhubarb Festival, Aledo Opera House, Aledo, Illinois Tickets here
 
June 7  (6 PM) – Aledo Rhubarb Festival, Aledo Opera House, Aledo, Illinois Tickets here
 
June 16 (7 PM) – DeWitt Opera House, DeWitt, Iowa. Special guest: Mark “Dr. Pie” Hilton who appears in the film. Tickets $5. Pie will be served.
 
July 18 (time TBA) – Corning Opera House, Corning, Iowa. Pie will be served.
 
July 22 (2 showings: 3:30 PM & 6:30 PM) – Plaza Theater, Marshalltown, Iowa. Special screenings for RAGBRAI (bike ride across Iowa) overnight stop. Tickets now on sale.
 
We are looking to add more showings during RAGBRAI so please check back. Also, you may note that the Emeryville, CA and Washington DC events that were previously on the schedule are no longer listed. They fell off the calendar for a variety of reasons, but we are still hoping to show PIEOWA in those areas and others in the future. Please contact me if you have a film venue or event in your town.
 

Want to visit all the pie places in the film?

Go to our new Pie Passport page for the guide.

Four slogans and colors to choose from in soft fabric. Made by RAYGUN. Ten dollars from each item goes toward funding the film.

Thanks for following along on this crazy but fulfilling adventure! For more regular updates, please sign up for my newsletter, and follow me on Facebook and Instagram at The World Needs More Pie.

 

Check out this music video of The Pie Song by Weary Ramblers, written for PIEOWA

Some pics from the film shoot and screenings