WELCOME part 1 TO HIFF31
WELCOME TO #HIFF31
Hello Heartland Film family!
We are proud to welcome you to the 31st Heartland International Film Festival.
This year marks my first anniversary as president, and I could not be more excited for HIFF31 and the future of Heartland Film.
Every day, we work towards being the preeminent destination for connecting audiences and filmmakers to experience transformative film.
Iʼm happy to announce weʼre expanding these efforts with two new events, Merry Movie Nights and Cinemania. Also, watch for an announcement about our new headquarters later this year!
Thereʼs no better way to get into the holiday spirit than with your favorite classic movies. Starting in December, weʼll host festive films in the Basile Theatre at the Historic Athenaeum (December 1 & 2) and the Theater at the Fort located on the Fort Ben Cultural Campus (December 15, 16, 17 & 18) for our new mini-movie series, Merry Movie Nights!
Heartland Film is also introducing a new signature fundraising event, CINEMANIA! Premiering at Crane Bay on April 14, 2023, Cinemania is a film-centric evening of food and entertainment, unlike anything youʼve ever experienced. This event will help ensure Heartland Filmʼs legacy of entertaining, inspiring and educating our community through transformative film.
I hope you have an A-MAZING time at the Heartland International Film Festival!
MICHAEL AULT PresidentWELCOME TO #HIFF31
Welcome to the 2022 Heartland International Film Festival!
Looking back on my first year as the Heartland Film board chair, there are many incredible accomplishments worth celebrating.
The 5th Annual Indy Shorts International Film Festival took place in July with a record number of attendees and was honored on MovieMaker Magazineʼs list of top 20 Best Short Film Festivals in the World for 2022.
Heartland Film hosted multiple sold-out screenings throughout the year, including an advance screening of A24ʼs “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” the 75th anniversary screening of “Itʼs A Wonderful Life,” and the Indianapolis Premiere of “The Best Weʼve Got: The Carl Erskine Story.”
And the road to the Academy Awards® runs through Indy! In 2022, films from our festivals received 33 nominations and won seven Oscars®.
It takes dedicated staff, volunteers, board members, filmmakers, community partners, sponsors and film fans to bring these dreams to reality.
Thank you to each of you who has played a role in our success!
Greetings,
It is a pleasure to welcome you all to the 31st Annual Heartland International Film Festival! This event is an integral part of the cultural fabric of not only our capital city but our entire state
Indiana has been fortunate to be the home of Heartland Film since 1991. The Hoosier hospitality they extend to attendees from all over the world is reflective of their mission to connect audiences and filmmakers, inviting them to experience the transformative power of film.
Over the years, Heartland Film has showcased more than 2,000 feature and short films that have opened our minds to new perspectives, inspired conversations and ignited imaginations They have shown dedication, passion and creativity, which has allowed them to evolve and thrive over three decades bringing international recognition and award-winning films to our state.
I hope you have an unforgettable festival experience
Best wishes,
HOW TO FEST
FEST PASSES
Attending the festival doesnʼt have to be a puzzling experience! You can come out to one film or explore them all! Our Hybrid 10-Pack is an excellent choice if you want to see multiple films by yourself or with friends. But the best way to discover every twist and turn of HIFF31 is with a Fest Pass!
Fest Passes are good for all screenings excluding Opening, Centerpiece and Closing.
FEST PASS PRICES (MEMBERS RECEIVE 20% OFF)
Fest Pass ($195): One ticket to every in-person and virtual screening
Duo Fest Pass ($390): Two tickets to every in-person and virtual screening
Hybrid 10-Pack ($125): Ten tickets to in-person or virtual screenings
VIRTUAL FESTIVAL
Many of the HIFF31 films are available to view at home! This is the easiest way to squeeze in all the films you could ever ask for. To learn more about connecting our streaming site to your TV, visit watch.eventive.org/help.
Virtual festival does not include all films and is geoblocked to the U.S. only. The virtual festival is available starting at 12 PM EDT on October 6.
HOW TO FEST
INDIVIDUAL TICKET PRICES (MEMBERS RECEIVE 20% OFF)
In-Person & Virtual Screenings ($14)
The Historic Artcraft Theatre Screenings ($8)
LIVING ROOM
THEATERS
(745 E 9th St Suite 810)
Located in the beautiful Bottleworks District off Mass Ave, the Living Room Theaters offers a full bar, food menu and lounging seats! Their concessions will also validate the gated parking lots up to 3 hours.
NEWFIELDS (4000 N Michigan Rd)
Newfields is home to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and expansive gardens. And new this year, you can explore Newfields before or after your screening! Just show your HIFF31 ticket at the check-in desk for FREE general admission that day!
LANDMARKʼS GLENDALE 12 (6102 N Rural St)
For the first time, the Heartland International Film Festival is at Landmarkʼs Glendale 12 Theater near bustling Broad Ripple! The Glendale area is home to many new food and shopping options.
KAN-KAN CINEMA & BRASSERIE (1258 Windsor St)
The Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie is a local hub for independent film, world-class food and craft cocktails! Make a reservation before or after your film for the perfect date night.
THE HISTORIC ARTCRAFT THEATRE (57 N Main St)
Step back in time for screenings at the Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin, Indiana. If youʼve never been, this is THE year to check it out as they are celebrating their 100th Anniversary!
SPECIAL EVENTS
LOUIS ARMSTRONGʼS BLACK & BLUES
Opening Night Screening
Sponsored by the David and Betty Klapper Foundation
Thursday, October 6 at 7 PM // The Toby at Newfields
Price: $25 // Members Receive 20% Off
Start your HIFF31 journey with a sneak peek at Apple TV+'s latest documentary. (Learn more: Page 36)
KICK-OFF PARTY
Presented by MovieMaker Magazine
Friday, October 7 at 7 PM // Living Room Theaters Lounge
Price: FREE (Ticket Required)
The festivities begin at our Kick-Off Party! Bring your friends out to celebrate our talented filmmakers and loyal supporters with free food, drinks and festivities!
FAMILY FUN DAY
Sponsored by Midwest Presort
Sunday, October 9 at 2:30 PM // Indianapolis Art Center
Price: $14 // Members Receive 20% Off
Uncover family fun with free HotBox pizza, activities and a family-friendly film at the Indianapolis Art Center! Doors open at 2:30 PM, Film starts at 4 PM.
SPECIAL EVENTS
THE LOST KING Centerpiece Screening
Wednesday, October 12 at 7 PM // The Toby at Newfields
Price: $15 // Members Receive 20% Off
Join us at the halfway point of the festival to see Academy Award® nominee Sally Hawkins in this based-on-true-events film from IFC Films. (Learn more: Page 36)
#HIFF31 AWARDS PARTY
Saturday, October 15 at 7 PM // St. Josephʼs Hall
Price: Free (ticket required)
Join us as we honor the HIFF31 award-winning films and present more than $60,000 in cash prizes. Doors open at 7 PM, Presentation at 7:30 PM, Awards Party at 8:30 PM.
THE WHALE Closing Night Screening
Sponsored by the David and Betty Klapper Foundation
Sunday, October 16 at 7:30 PM // The Toby at Newfields
Price: $20 // Members Receive 20% Off
Close out the festival with this surefire awards season contender starring HIFF28 honoree Brendan Fraser. (Learn more: Page 47)
CLOSING NIGHT AFTER PARTY
Sunday, October 16 at 9 PM // Pins Mechanical Company
Price: FREE
Filmmakers, volunteers, staff and attendees gather around for free HotBox Pizza and duck-pin bowling at Pins Mechanical Company as we celebrate the last moments of HIFF31 together!
AWARDS
Saint Joseph Historic Hall
617 E. North Street
Saturday, October 15 at 7 PM
Join us at Saint Joseph Historic Hall in Indianapolis as we honor our filmmakersʼ outstanding work and powerful stories. Weʼll recognize the best independent filmmakers from all over the world and present more than $60,000 in cash prizes.
Doors open at 7 PM, with the presentation beginning at 7:30 PM. Make sure to stick around and join us for the Awards Party afterwards to celebrate with free appetizers and drinks!
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
Tell us which film YOU think is award-worthy! Youʼll receive an email with the Audience Choice ballot for each in-person ticket purchase. For virtual screenings, the voting ballot will appear below the viewing window.
You will score each film on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Remember, giving a one means the film wasnʼt for you, and a five means you loved it. Audience Choice Winners will be announced after the festival, so make sure to cast your vote by 11:59 PM EDT on October 16!
AWARDS JURIES
INDIANA SPOTLIGHT
fILMS + part 2 SCHEDULE
FILM LINEUP
“Enter the maze and lose yourself in this year's film lineup! Our 31st edition showcases a wide range of stories, spanning indie premiere titles by first-time directors to major studio sneak peeks destined for award season accolades. Take a chance, turn a new corner and prepare to be a new person out the other side.” -Greg
Sorvig, Artistic DirectorAll films will be able to watch in-person, with many also available virtually (if not denoted). Content advisories are listed on each filmʼs info page at the QR code or HeartlandFilmFestival.org
1-800-HOT-NITE
Narrative / 94 min / USA / 2022
Director: Nick Richey
When 13-year-old Tommy, loses his parents to a drug raid, he turns to a phone sex operator (his fairy godmother) for help as he embarks on an urban odyssey to escape foster care with his two best friends.
A Decent Home
Documentary / 86 min / USA / 2021
Director: Sara Terry
Worlds collide in the affordable housing crisis, as the fading American dream of home ownership meets the hottest trend in real estate – mobile home parks.
A House Made of Splinters
Documentary / 87 min / Denmark / 2022
Director: Simon Lereng Wilmont
Three children temporarily removed from their parents find friendship inside the worn walls of an orphanage in Eastern Ukraine, as a group of social workers create moments of joy and respite from childhoods all but lost. In Ukrainian, Russian with English subtitles. MIDWEST PREMIERE
A Stage of Twilight
Narrative / 107 min / USA / 2022
Director: Sarah T. Schwab
When husband and wife (Barry and Cora) receive life-altering news about Barryʼs health, the two must navigate whose right it is to make life's inevitable decisions when the impact will be felt by the people we love most.
AAAMC Speaks, Teresa Hairston: The Unstoppable Game-Changer
Documentary / 47 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Ethan Gill, Haley Semian
Follow the journey of Gospel industry pioneer Dr. Teresa Hairston from Indiana Universityʼs Archives of African American Music & Culture. INDIANA SPOTLIGHT
Afghan Dreamers
Documentary / 72 min / Afghanistan / 2022
Director: David Greenwald
Members of an all-girl robotics team from Afghanistan struggle to succeed in international competitions, while combating their male-dominated culture and the threat of Taliban rule. Produced by MTV Documentary Films. In Dari, Farsi with English subtitles.
FILM LINEUP
After Antarctica
Documentary / 104 min / USA / 2021
Director: Tasha Van Zandt
"After Antarctica" follows legendary polar explorer Will Stegerʼs lifelong journey as an eyewitness to the greatest changes to the polar regions of our planet. After a lifetime of landmark expeditions across both poles, no one alive has seen more of the polar world.
Aftersun
Narrative / 98 min / UK, USA / 2022
Director: Charlotte Wells
At a vacation resort, Sophie treasures rare time with her father. Twenty years later, Sophie's recollections of their last holiday become a portrait of their relationship, as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn't. Special presentation of A24.
The Allnighter
Narrative / 79 min / USA / 2022
Director: Aimee Graham
When an astrophysics student loses priceless research to an auto theft, he makes a bargain with a woman at a local pawn shop in order to get it back. The woman drags him to the desert where the two unwittingly play integral roles in healing old wounds. MIDWEST PREMIERE
Always, Lola
Narrative / 87 min / USA / 2022
Director: Jeffrey Crane Graham
After popular high school senior Lola dies, her best friends reunite on their annual camping trip to honor her, only to discover murky secrets around her death that threaten to unhinge both her memory and their friend group.
American Pain
Documentary / 106 min / USA / 2022
Director: Darren Foster
The rise and fall of twin bodybuilders from Florida who become the kingpins of the largest oxycodone trafficking network in US history. This is the story of the greatest drug racket since the "cocaine cowboys" and the moment the opioid epidemic flipped into overdrive.
An Accidental Life
Documentary / 86 min / USA / 2022
Director: Henna Taylor
After surviving a near fatal climbing accident, speed climber Quinn Brett must not only rediscover how to use her body without the use of her legs, but also how to access the joy that is so central to her being.
Anacoreta
Horror / 85 min / Canada / 2022
Director: Jeremy Schuetze
An actress heads on a mountain trip with her boyfriend to meet his friends for the first time. As they head out it becomes clear that he is filming his latest project, and he has more planned than they realize.
Anonymous Sister
Documentary / 94 min / USA / 2021
Director: Jamie Boyle
Filmed over thirty years, "Anonymous Sister" is director Jamie Boyle's chronicle of her family's fall into opioid addiction, providing a poignant and timely study of what it means to experience life in all its beauty and pain.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Art And Pep
Documentary / 89 min / USA / 2022
Director: Mercedes Kane
Art and Pep are the owners of the iconic bar Sidetrack, Chicago. And they're also civil rights leaders who have been fighting for LGBTQ+ equality for decades. Their activism is the focus of their struggle to live and
The B1G Story: George Taliaferro
Documentary / 53 min / USA / 2021
Directors: Tucker Gragg, Kevin Weaver
He was the first Black American drafted in the NFL and the only man to play seven positions. His popularity enabled him to racially integrate Bloomington, Indiana. He even integrated the local theater with the twist of a screwdriver. So why does no one know his name?
Bad Axe
Documentary / 100 min / USA / 2022
David Siev
A closely knit Asian-American family living in a rural Michigan community fight to keep their American dream alive as they reckon with a pandemic, racial tensions, and generational scars from Cambodiaʼs “killing fields.” Special presentation of IFC Films.
Be Our Guest
Documentary / 90 min / USA / 2021
Director: Diane Tsai
A New Hampshire family and their four school-aged children open their home to strangers in recovery—a commitment that pushes both the family and their guests to face difficult decisions about community, independence, and the real nature of altruism.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Because We're Family
Narrative / 90 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Angela Stern, Christine Nyhart
In this dramedy, dysfunctional siblings return to their childhood home to grieve their mother's death. Reunited under one roof to celebrate the Christmas holiday, the family realizes that some holiday traditions are just too difficult to digest.
Being Michelle
Documentary / 80 min / USA / 2022
Director: Atin Mehra
“Being Michelle” follows the astounding journey of a deaf woman with autism who survived incarceration and abuse and now uses her artwork to depict the trauma she survived and heal from her past.
The Best We've Got: The Carl Erskine Story
Documentary / 90 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ted Green
From the alleys of Anderson, Indiana, to a recordbreaking career on a legendary team on the grandest stage in sports, Carl Erskine has lived the American dream — and spent a lifetime giving it to others.
Bobcat Moretti
Narrative / 96 min / USA / 2022
Director: Rob Margolies
MIDWEST PREMIERE
An obese multiple sclerosis patient takes up his late father's sport of boxing to overcome personal tragedy and find inner peace. Filmed over the course of ten months during COVID-19, allowed the lead actor to lose 154 pounds and embody the role.
FILM LINEUP
Boycott
Documentary / 73 min / USA / 2021
Director: Julia Bacha
When a news publisher in Arkansas, an attorney in Arizona, and a speech therapist in Texas are told they must choose between their jobs and their political beliefs, they launch legal battles that expose an attack on freedom of speech across 33 states in America.
BUBBLE
Narrative / 106 min / Finland / 2022
Director: Aleksi Salmenperä
Evelinaʼs world collapses when she finds out her mother is having an affair with a woman. She tries to stop the affair at all cost and get her parents to fall in love again, with dramatic and comedic consequences. In Finnish with English subtitles.
Butterfly in the Sky
Documentary / 87 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Bradford Thomason, Bret Whitcomb
“Butterfly in the Sky” tells the story of the beloved PBS children's series Reading Rainbow, its iconic host LeVar Burton and the challenges its creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
Call Jane
Narrative / 121 min / USA / 2022
Director: Phyllis Nagy
Inspired by true events, “Call Jane” captures the essence of late-Sixties social change via one womanʼs quest to get a safe and legal abortion. Special presentation of Roadside Attractions.
FILM LINEUP
Cat Daddies
Documentary / 89 min / USA / 2021
Director: Mye Hoang
Man has found a new best friend in this heartwarming collective portrait of nine unique men whose lives have been proudly and forever changed by their love for cats.
Chop & Steele
Documentary / 81 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Ben Steinbauer, Berndt Mader
Comedians and founders of the Found Footage Festival prank morning news shows with characters like their fake strongman duo, Chop & Steele. When the spoofs go viral, they are sued by a media conglomerate that threatens their livelihood and tests their friendship.
Close
Narrative / 105 min / Belgium / 2022
Director: Lukas Dhont
Leo and Remi are two best friends whose seemingly unbreakable bond is suddenly, tragically torn apart.
“Close” is an unforgettable portrait of the intersection of friendship and love, identity and independence, and heartbreak and healing. Special presentation of A24.
Corsage
Narrative / 112 min / Austria / 2022
Director: Marie Kreutzer
As her 40th birthday approaches, beautiful Empress Elisabeth of Austria is thrown into turmoil as she anticipates being considered an old woman. Special presentation of IFC Films.
HORROR MIDWEST PREMIERE
The Country Club
Narrative / 90 min / USA / 2021
Director: Fiona Robert
After their father is laid off, two teenage girls hatch a plan to win the prize money of a golf tournament at a country club. But once they encounter the clubʼs wealthy patrons, they are thrust on an adventure of finding friendship in the most unlikely of people.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Documentary / 98 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ahsen Nadeem
After decades of living a secret life, a filmmaker travels to a strict Japanese monastery in search of guidance, but the only monk who will help him prefers ice cream and heavy metal over meditation.
Dawning
Horror / 73 min / USA / 2022
Director: Young Min Kim
When Haejin Park, a trauma therapist, travels back to her hometown to comfort her younger sister Soojin, all her memories she tried so hard to forget come hauntingly rushing back.
Days of Daisy
Narrative / 94 min / USA / 2022
Director: Alexander Jeffery
As her 40th birthday draws near, high school librarian Daisy feels pressure to settle down and start a family. When the art teacher at Daisy's school abruptly quits mid-term, she teams up with a local photographer to give the students the art program they deserve.
Dealing With Dad
Narrative / 106 min / USA / 2022
Director: Tom Huang
Margaret goes back to her hometown with her brothers to deal with the depression of their antagonistic father, who's actually nicer depressed than well. The siblings wonder if they should even get him better as they struggle to find a solution in this comedic drama.
Dear Zoe
Narrative / 94 min / USA / 2021
Director: Gren Wells
A powerful coming-of-age story of resilience in which teenage Tess (Sadie Sink) enlists the support of her biological father and the charming juvenile delinquent next door in the aftermath of the death of her little sister Zoe.
Dr. Bird's Advice For Sad Poets
Narrative / 109 min / USA / 2021
Director: Yaniv Raz
In this magical realism mystery, 16-year-old James goes on a search for his missing sister and attempts to overcome his anxiety and depression with the advice of Dr. Bird - an imaginary pigeon psychotherapist.
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Finalists
Special Presentation / 61 min / 2022
The Heartland International Film Festival is proud to once again partner with the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge to showcase the slate of 2022 Finalists and Winners!
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Eat Your Catfish
Documentary / 74 min / USA / 2021
Directors: Adam Isenberg, Noah Amir Arjomand, Senem Tüzen
Kathrynʼs ALS has left her paralyzed, but she holds on to see her daughterʼs wedding. With dark humor and extraordinary intimacy, this film probes the breakdown of a familyʼs bonds and of a womanʼs will to live.
Finding Her Beat
Documentary / 89 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Dawn Mikkelson, Keri Pickett
For thousands of years, women have been locked out of Taiko drumming. Not anymore. In the dead of a Minnesota winter, Asian drumming divas smash gender roles and redefine power on their own terms.
The Fire That Took Her
Documentary / 95 min / USA / 2022
Director: Patricia E. Gillespie
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Judy Malinowski was doused in petrol and set on fire by her crazed ex-boyfriend. A story at the center of true crime and #MeToo, this film goes inside the case and asks: How much must women suffer in order to be believed? Produced by MTV Documentary Films.
FOLLOW HER
Horror / 95 min / USA / 2022
Director: Sylvia Caminer
A struggling actress and live streamer responds to a mysterious classified ad and finds herself trapped in her new boss's twisted revenge fantasy.
FILM LINEUP
Four Samosas
Narrative / 80 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ravi Kapoor
Wanna-be rapper Vinny learns that his ex-girlfriend Rina is planning to marry his arch-nemesis. Determined to disrupt the wedding, he and his friends concoct a plan to steal Rinaʼs jewels from her fatherʼs supermarket safe. Special presentation of IFC Films.
Girl Talk
Documentary / 93 min / USA / 2022
Director: Lucia Small
In the cutthroat, boy-dominated world of high school debate, five determined girls face challenges their male counterparts never endure, and along the way they find confidence and show us the value of speaking up and finding your true voice. MIDWEST PREMIERE
Good Night Oppy
Documentary / 105 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ryan White
Opportunity, a rover that was sent to Mars for a 90-day mission, ended up surviving for 15 years. The film follows Opportunityʼs journey on Mars and the bond forged between a robot and her humans millions of miles away. Special presentation of Amazon Studios.
The Grotto
Narrative / 96 min / USA / 2022
Director: Joanna Gleason
When her fiancé dies, Alice inherits half ownership of The Grotto, a struggling desert nightclub where she discovers a heartbreaking secret. As Christmas nears, Alice is on the brink of a leap of faith as forces both seen and unseen beckon her toward her future.
Half an American
Documentary / 61 min / The Netherlands / 2022
Directors: Bram Endedijk, Eric van den Berg
Well into their 70s, neither Cor nor Wanda had a clue who their fathers were. They only knew: he was a Black American soldier. But now, DNA technology has advanced to the point that they can learn the truth about their ancestry.
Hard Shell, Soft Shell
Narrative / 100 min / France / 2021
Director: Emma Benestan
Oyster farmer Az thinks heʼs made it. But when an elaborate proposal goes awry and his girlfriend Jess breaks his heart, Az is forced to confront his understanding of what happiness really looks like – both hers and his own. In French with English subtitles.
Hidden Letters
Documentary / 86 min / China / 2022
Directors: Violent Du Feng, Zhao Qing
“Hidden Letters” tells the story of two Chinese women trying to balance their lives as independent women in modern China while confronting the traditional identity that defines but also oppresses them. In Chinese with English subtitles.
Home Is Somewhere Else
Documentary / 87 min / Mexico / 2022
Directors: Carlos Hagerman, Jorge Villalobos
"Home Is Somewhere Else" is a fully animated feature documentary providing a window into the hearts and minds of immigrant youth and their undocumented families.
Indy Shorts Winners 1
Special Presentation / 106 min / 2022
In-Person Only
Indy Shorts Winners 2
A selection of award winners from the 2022 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, including: "Long Line of Ladies," "A Prayer for My Mother," "Bacon 'N' Laces," "El Carrito," "GONE," and "An Irish Goodbye." SPECIAL PRESENTATION !
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Special Presentation / 95 min / 2022
Indy Shorts Winners 3
Special Presentation / 96 min / 2022
In-Person Only !
A selection of award winners from the 2022 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, including: "Pig," "My Soul to Take," "Groundhog Town," "Night Watch," "Conversations Between Shifts," and "Night of the Living Dread." Mature audiences only.
It Ain't Over
Documentary / 98 min / USA / 2022
Director: Sean Mullin
An intimate portrait of a misunderstood icon, this film about Yogi Berra takes us beyond the caricatures and “Yogi-isms," and into the heart of a sports legend whose accomplishments on the diamond were often overshadowed by his off-the-field persona.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
It Happened One Weekend
Narrative / 71 min / USA / 2022
Director: Zac Cooper
Aaron and Julia get dumped on the same weekend. With nothing else to do, they spend the weekend walking around the city and talking about life. All this time together causes feelings to bubble to the surface. Do they explore these feelings, or let them pass?
Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom
Documentary / 76 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ya'Ke Smith
A Black man is troubled by the legacy of American slavery and the misuse of Christianity to justify it. He travels throughout Texas and discovers how Juneteenth reveals what empowered the formerly enslaved to fight for freedom in an unjust society.
Juniper
Narrative / 72 min / USA / 2021
Director: Katherine Dudas
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Mack attempts to spiritually connect with her recently deceased sister by escaping to her familyʼs rustic cabin, but her seclusion is quickly interrupted by unexpected visitors who incorrectly believe their presence will help Mack heal.
Klondike
Narrative / 100 min / Ukraine / 2022
Director: Maryna Er Gorbach
July 2014. The story of a Ukrainian family living on the border of Ukraine and Russia that finds themselves at the center of an international air crash catastrophe. In multiple languages with English subtitles.
FILM LINEUP
Land of Gold
Narrative / 105 min / USA / 2022
Director: Nardeep Khurmi
When truck driver Kiran hears pounding on a shipping container and finds a young Mexican-American girl inside, his already tumultuous life takes a drastic turn as he seeks to reunite her with her family. MIDWEST PREMIERE
Last Radio Call
Horror / 76 min / USA / 2021
Director: Isaac Rodriguez
On July 18th, 2018, Officer David Serling went missing inside the abandoned Yorktown Memorial Hospital. Using his recovered body cam footage, his wife attempts to piece together what happened to him on that terrifying night.
Lonely Voices
Narrative / 80 min / Italy / 2022
Directors: Andrea Brusa, Marco Scotuzzi
One familyʼs life goes haywire at the start of the pandemic as the matriarch encounters a new kind of fame when she begins teaching cooking lessons over the Internet. In Italian with English subtitles.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Long Flat Balls "Broken Promises"
Narrative / 108 min / Norway / 2022
Director: Harald Zwart
To win back the love of his life, a charming car mechanic and a gang of soccer-mad friends embark on a madcap journey to the lawless East Bloc to correct a mistake of his past, risking life and prison in an ingenious booze smuggling scheme.
The Lost King
Narrative / 108 min / UK / 2022
Director: Stephen Frears
An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III's remains, which were lost for over 500 years.
Special Presentation of IFC Films.
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Documentary / 104 min / USA / 2022
Director: Sacha Jenkins
Drawing on Louis Armstrongʼs audio diaries, documentarian Sacha Jenkins revisits the music and reappraises the politics of the legendary jazz trumpeter and singer. Special presentation of Apple TV+.
Made for this Moment: An Indiana Sports Corp Story
Documentary / 83 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Eric Maloney, Conrad Piccirillo
This film explores how Indiana Sports Corp, the city, the state, and thousands of community volunteers were made for this moment — becoming the first host of the entire NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 2021.
Me Little Me
Narrative / 84 min / USA / 2022
Director: Elizabeth Ayiku
Slice of life film about Mya, an ambitious young woman who learns the hard way that life doesn't pause when one decides it's time to heal.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
The Moon & Back
Narrative / 74 min / USA / 2021
Director: Leah Bleich
One year after her fatherʼs death, a high school senior discovers the epic screenplay for a terrible space opera - written by her dad. Equipped with just a VHS camera and pocket change, she decides to make this script a reality.
More Than Corn
Documentary / 75 min / USA / 2022
Director: Rocky Walls
Genesis and Eli, husband and wife farmers based in Noblesville, Indiana, share their journey to produce delicious, local food. While some may call it the 'simple life,' "More Than Corn" explores the challenges of starting and operating a produce farm in the Midwest.
No Ordinary Campaign
Documentary / 84 min / USA / 2022
Director: Chris Burke
Brian Wallach was diagnosed with ALS at 37. He and his wifeʼs fight to reclaim their future has snowballed into a movement with ramifications not only for the ALS community, but for millions of patients seeking to find their voice in our broken healthcare system.
Objects
Documentary / 63 min / USA / 2021
Director: Vincent Liota
A fifty-year-old clump of grass and a forty-year-old sugar egg have become emotional treasures for the unique characters in this documentary about the ways special objects can help us preserve memories, conjure experiences, and find meaning in our lives.
FILM LINEUP
Of Medicine and Miracles
Documentary / 96 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ross Kauffman
Can Dr. Carl June find a cure for cancer using the HIV virus? All of his research and work are on the line when 5-year-old Emily Whitehead, out of options to beat her Leukemia, becomes the first child to enroll in his experimental trial. MIDWEST PREMIERE
Oliver & the Pool
Narrative / 101 min / Mexico / 2021
Director: Arcadi Palerm-Artis
13-year-old Oliver comes home from the crematory and camps out poolside holding his father ashes and decides there's no reason to move. Life swirls around him, revealing secrets and presenting new challenges. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Our (Almost Completely True) Story
Narrative / 92 min / USA / 2021
Director: Don Scardino
A famous, aging screen legend meets an out-of-work, Jewish voice actor as they navigate the senior dating scene in LA. Real-life couple Mariette Hartley and Jerry Sroka wrote and co-star in this thoroughly enjoyable, (mostly) true-life romantic dramedy.
Our Father, the Devil
Narrative / 109 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ellie Foumbi
Caretaker Marie finds her peaceful life in France upended by the arrival of a new priest who reminds her of a traumatic episode in her homeland. In French with English subtitles.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Outta The Muck
Documentary / 80 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Bhawin Suchak, Ira Mckinley
Family, football and history come to life in a portrait of the Dean family, longtime residents of the historic town of Pahokee, Florida. Filmmaker Ira McKinley reconnects with his niece and nephew and explores their shared family history that spans seven generations.
Paper City
Documentary / 80 min / Australia, Japan / 2021
Director: Adrian Francis
On March 10, 1945, the US firebombed Tokyo, killing 100,000+ people. Unlike their loved ones, Hiroshi, Michiko and Minoru emerged alive. Now they seek reparations for those who lost everything in the war. In Japanese with English subtitles.
The Pez Outlaw
Documentary / 86 min / USA, Austria / 2022
Directors: Amy Bandlien Storkel, Bryan Storkel
In the 1990s, Pez dispensers were worth more, gram for gram, than cocaine or gold. Steve Glew spent 10 years smuggling Pez dispensers into the USA, making millions of dollars. It was all magical, until it wasnʼt. His arch-nemesis, the Pezident, decided to destroy him.
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
Narrative / 95 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Austin Bragg, Meredith Bragg
MIDWEST PREMIERE
The unbelievable true story of Roger Sharpe, the young Midwesterner who overturned New York City's 35-year-old ban on pinball machines. Starring Tony and BAFTA nominee Mike Faist (Steven Spielbergʼs “West Side Story”).
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Playing Through
Narrative / 91 min / USA / 2022
Director: Balbinka Korzeniowska
Late in her career, Ann Gregory finds the courage to be the first woman of color to enter the US Golf Association Womenʼs Amateur.
Project Home: 3D Printing the Future
Documentary / 73 min / USA / 2022
Director: Laura Waters Hinson
Can 3D printed houses solve the global housing crisis? Tech entrepreneurs test the limits of this new construction method as families' futures hang in the balance. WORLD PREMIERE
The Quiet Epidemic
Documentary / 101 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Lindsay Keys, Winslow Crane-Murdoch
MIDWEST PREMIERE
A diagnosis of Chronic Lyme disease lands patients in the middle of a contentious medical debate and sparks an explosive investigation dating back to 1975 that reveals why ticks, and the diseases they carry, have been allowed to spread globally.
R.M.N.
Narrative / 125 min / Belgium / 2022
Director: Cristian Mungiu
In-Person Only !
Matthias returns to his Transylvanian village. When a few new workers are hired at the small factory that his ex-lover Csilla manages, the peace of the community is disturbed and conflicts erupt through the thin veneer of apparent calm. Special presentation of IFC Films.
WORLD PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Rally Caps
Narrative / 100 min / USA / 2022
Director: Lee Cipolla
A young baseball player has his dreams of pitching for a Little League travel team derailed by a devastating injury on the field. Starring Judd Hirsch and Amy Smart.
Ranger
Documentary / 93 min / Kenya / 2021
Director: Austin James Peck
Twelve women from Kenya's Maasai community undergo a profound rite of passage to become East Africa's first all-female wildlife ranger unit.
Refuge
Documentary / 76 min / USA / 2021
Directors: Erin Bernhardt, Din Blankenship
A leader in a white nationalist hate group finds healing from the people he once hated - a Muslim heart doctor and his town of refugees. “Refuge” is a story about fear and love in the American South.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
Narrative / 122 min / USA / 2021
Director: Denise Dowse
"Remember Me" is a biopic on the life of Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, her rise in the music industry, her unbreakable bond with Dr. Martin Luther King and her dramatic impact on the Civil Rights Movement.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Remember This
Narrative / 95 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Jeff Hutchens, Derek Goldman
In a virtuoso solo performance, Academy Award nominee David Strathairn (”Nomadland,” “Good Night, and Good Luck,” “Lincoln”) portrays Jan Karski in this genre-defying true story of a reluctant World War II hero and Holocaust witness.
Retrograde
Documentary / 94 min / USA / 2022
Director: Matthew Heineman
From rarely seen control rooms to the frontlines of battle, this film offers a cinematic window into the end of Americaʼs longest war, and the costs endured for those most intimately involved. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
The Return of Tanya Tucker –Featuring Brandi Carlile
Documentary / 108 min / USA / 2022
Director: Kathlyn Horan
In-Person Only
Taking stock of the past and keeping an eye on the future, this film explores an unexpected friendship built on a perfectly timed creative collaboration. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics. SPECIAL PRESENTATION
The Road Dance
Narrative / 117 min / Scotland / 2021
Director: Richie Adams
Life in the Scottish Hebrides is harsh. For the beautiful Kirsty, her love for Murdo and their dreams of America promise an escape. The night before the young men go off to the Great War, tragedy is set in motion.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
Róise & Frank
Narrative / 84 min / Ireland / 2021
Directors: Rachael Moriarty, Peter Murphy
A grief-stricken widow who has distanced herself from the world around her becomes convinced that a stray dog is the reincarnation of her husband.
Salma's Home
Narrative / 95 min / Jordan, USA / 2022
Director: Hanadi Elyan
Three Arab women living in modern-day Jordan must put their differences aside and work together in order to survive. In Arabic with English subtitles.
Sam Now
Documentary / 86 min / USA / 2022
Director: Reed Harkness
Filmed over 25 years, two brothers go on a 2,000-mile road trip to solve a family mystery. Sam Harkness and his older half brother Reed employ their creative world of fiction filmmaking to dive headfirst into dealing with the issue at hand: Samʼs mom is missing.
Scrap
Documentary / 78 min / Canada / 2022
Director: Stacey Tenenbaum
Discover the vast and strangely beautiful places where things go to die and meet the people who collect, restore, and recycle the worldʼs scrap. “Scrap” scratches beneath the flaking paint and rusting metal to reveal the beauty and pathos in the ugliness we leave behind.
WORLD PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
SENTENCED
Documentary / 69 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Connor Martin, Mark Allen Johnson
An exploration of the epidemic of childhood illiteracy in America through the intimate stories of adults who never learned to read.
Shouting Down Midnight
Documentary / 100 min / USA / 2022
Director: Gretchen Stoeltje
"Shouting Down Midnight" recounts how Texas State Senator Wendy Davis stood for 13 hours while she filibustered the 2013 anti-abortion bill SB5, galvanizing a new generation of activists in the struggle for reproductive freedom.
Split At The Root
Documentary / 98 min / USA / 2022
Director: Linda Goldstein Knowlton
The story of two immigrant mothers navigating US bureaucracy and the all-volunteer group who galvanized to help families separated by the Zero Tolerance Policy.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
State of the Unity
Documentary / 88 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Nathaniel Paul Hoff, Jillian Speece, Dalton Misner
Is unity possible? This simple question launched the Brooklyn-based band The Bergamot on a quest to all 50 states to unite people with music, community, and collaboration.
FILM LINEUP
Strangers to Peace
Documentary / 89 min / Colombia, USA / 2022
Directors: Noah DeBonis, Laura Angel Rengifo
Three former child soldiers attempt to rebuild their lives after fighting in Colombia's bloody civil conflict. Perceived as terrorists, they will take their first steps to find a new future. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Surprised by Oxford
Narrative / 102 min / USA / 2022
Director: Ryan Whitaker
Brilliant but emotionally guarded Carolyn Drake arrives in Oxford with the singular goal of attaining her PhDbut through a turbulent friendship with a charming young man, she begins to open herself up to mystery, WORLD
FILM LINEUP
SWEET DISASTER
Narrative / 93 min / Germany / 2021
Director: Laura Lehmus
Frida falls pregnant and Felix, the father of her child, breaks up with her to re-unite with his ex. Although health problems caused by the pregnancy force Frida to rest, she still tries to get Felix back, using absurd, exaggerated, and sometimes hilarious methods.
Teine Sā - The Ancient Ones
Horror / 64 min / New Zealand / 2021
Directors: Matasila Freshwater, Mario Gaoa, Mario Faumui, Miki Magasiva, Vela Manusaute
Set in the modern day Pacific, ordinary women have encounters with ancient spirit women who help them in their struggles and leave lessons in their wake.
Unfinished Business
HORROR MIDWEST PREMIEREWaiting for the Light to Change
Narrative / 89 min / USA / 2022
Director: Linh Tran
Over the course of a week-long beachside getaway, Amy, having recently undergone dramatic weight loss, finds herself wrestling between loyalty to her best friend Kim and her attraction to Kim's new boyfriend.
Wake Up, Leonard
Narrative / 72 min / USA / 2022
Director: Kat Mills Martin
An improvised feature shot mid-pandemic, “Wake Up, Leonard” is the painfully funny story of a broken-hearted seeker's quest for wellness and explores mental health, queer love, self-acceptance, and whether it really is "a wonderful life."
The Whale
Narrative / 117 min / USA / 2022
Director: Darren Aronofsky
From Darren Aronofsky comes "The Whale," the story of a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption. Starring Brendan Fraser and based on the acclaimed play by Samuel D. Hunter. Special presentation of A24.
WHAT WE DO NEXT
Narrative / 76 min / USA / 2021
Director: Stephen Belber
A New York City politician climbing the political ladder is forced to navigate her complicated past with a woman recently released from prison and an attorney with whom she shares an equally complicated history.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
FILM LINEUP
When My Sleeping Dragon Woke
Documentary / 82 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Chuck Schultz, Judah Lev Dickstein
A veteran actor sets out to write a play of her fairytale childhood living in a New York Public Library, but finds that revisiting her past brings an unforeseen cost.
Wildcat
Documentary / 105 min / USA / 2022
Directors: Melissa Lesh, Trevor Frost
Back from war in Afghanistan, a young soldier struggling with depression and PTSD finds a second chance in the Amazon rainforest when he meets a scientist, and together they foster an orphaned baby ocelot. Special presentation of Amazon Studios.
MIDWEST PREMIERE
Narrative / 92 min / USA / 2022
Director: David L Cunningham
As an outbreak of leprosy engulfs 19th-century colonial Hawaiʼi, a small group of infected Native Hawaiians resist government-mandated exile, taking a courageous stand against the provisional government in a story inspired by real-life events.
You Resemble Me
Narrative / 90 min / USA, UK, Egypt / 2021
Director: Dina Amer
Cultural and intergenerational trauma erupt in this drama of two sisters on the outskirts of Paris. Director Dina Amer tackles radicalization and deconstructs it in an intimate story about family, love, sisterhood, and belonging. In French and Arabic with English subtitles.
7 PM | 104 Min. Page 36
12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM 6PM 7PM 8PM 9PM 10PM
KAN-KAN CINEMA
FRIDAY, OCT. 7
KAN-KAN CINEMA GLENDALE LANDMARK 12
GLENDALE LANDMARK 12
THE HISTORIC ARTCRAFT THEATRE
Chop & Steele
3:15 PM | 81 Min. Page 27
Dawning
3 PM | 73 Min. Page 28
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story
3 PM | 82 Min. Page 41
Home is Somewhere Else
3:15 PM | 87 Min. Page 32
Anonymous Sister
5:15 PM | 94 Min. Page 23
Long Flat Balls “Broken Promises”
5 PM | 108 Min. Page 35
Our (Almost Completely True) Story
5:15 PM | 92 Min. Page 38
Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom
5:30 PM | 76 Min. Page 34
The Moon & Back
7:30 PM | 74 Min. Page 37
Aftersun
7:45 PM | 96 Min. Page 22
Always, Lola
7:30 PM | 87 Min. Page 22
Remember This
7:45 PM | 95 Min. Page 42
Girl Talk
The Allnighter
Lonely Voices 12 PM | 80 Min. Page 35 Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom
Surprised by Oxford
12:30 PM | 102 Min. Page 45
2:30 PM | 79 Min. Page 22
2:15 PM | 76 Min. Page 34
Half an American
3 PM | 61 Min. Page 32
2:45 PM | 71 Min. Page 34
Boycott
5 PM | 73 Min. Page 26
12:15 PM | 93 Min. Page 31 Anacoreta
Shell, Soft Shell 4:45 PM | 100 Min. Page 32
4:45 PM | 80 Min. Page 39
7 PM | 90 Min. Page 28
7:15 PM | 85 Min. Page 23
5 PM | 92 Min. Page 48 Rally Caps
7:15 PM | 100 Min. Page 41
LIVING
LIVING
LIVING
12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM
TUESDAY, OCT. 11
THE TOBY (NEWFIELDS)
DEBOEST LECTURE HALL (NEWFIELDS)
LIVING ROOM THEATERS
LIVING ROOM THEATERS
LIVING ROOM THEATERS
Being Michelle
5:15 PM | 80 Min. Page 25
American Pain
3 PM | 106 Min. Page 23
Bobcat Moretti
2:45 PM | 96 Min. Page 25
Call Jane
7:15 PM | 121 Min. Page 26
Róise & Frank
5 PM | 84 Min. Page 43
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge
7:30 PM | 90 Min. Page 29
Project Home: 3D Printing the Future
5:30 PM | 73 Min. Page 40
It Ainʼt Over
7:30 PM | 98 Min. Page 33
TBA 4
5 PM | 90 Min.
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
7:45 PM | 95 Min. Page 39
TUESDAY, OCT. 11
LIVING
LIVING
LIVING
THURSDAY, OCT. 13
FRIDAY, OCT. 14
Dear Zoe
12:30 PM | 94 Min. Page 29
Unfinished Business
12:45 PM | 90 Min. Page 46
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
2:45 PM | 95 Min. Page 39
Finding Her Beat
3:15 PM | 89 Min. Page 30
Playing Through
5 PM | 91 Min. Page 40
The Best Weʼve Got: The Carl Erskine Story
7:15 PM | 90 Min. Page 25
Crows are White
5:15 PM | 98 Min. Page 28 No Ordinary Campaign
7:45 PM | 84 Min. Page 37
SUNDAY, OCT. 16
3
BEHIND part
THE SCENES
ABOUT HEARTLAND FILM
OUR MISSION
Heartland Film is a nonprofit arts organization that runs the 11-day Heartland International Film Festival in October, the Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival in July, the Truly Moving Picture Award and other year-round programs.
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Heartland Film was founded in 1991 with the mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films from diverse perspectives.
Whether they inspire conversation, ignite imagination or shift perspectives, the films we select and exhibit all have one thing in common: they do more than just entertain.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Weʼre on a mission to connect inspiring films with local community partners who have information and resources to help our audience take action! If you know a local non-profit organization that would like to be a community partner for the 2023 festivals, email boxoffice@heartlandfilm.org!
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
A film festival doesnʼt make it 31 years by chance. With a tradition of thought-provoking films, dedication to filmmaker experience and a community focus, it is easy to see why our festivals continue to gain international recognition. In 2022, the Indy Shorts and Heartland International Film Festival were honored on three international lists by MovieMaker Magazine.
Indy Shorts International Film Festival
• Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee
• Best Short Film Festivals in the World
Heartland International Film Festival
• Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee
TRULY MOVING PICTURE AWARD
Since 2010, Heartland Film has selected nearly 200 studio-released films to honor with the Truly Moving Picture Award (TMPA). The laurel serves as a curatorial standard to enable moviegoers to identify impactful films that do more than entertain.
You can see an archive of all the past Truly Moving Picture Award winning films and where you can watch them on our website. Each film poster is linked to its Letterboxd page.
HIGH SCHOOL FILM COMPETITION
Indy Shorts runs the High School Film Competition, presented by founding sponsors Robert & Alison Spoonmore. Launched in 2010, the High School Film Competition encourages tomorrowʼs filmmakers to follow their passion and create short films that push their talents, creativity and art to the next level.
Shorts made by high school students from around the world will compete for the Best Student Film Awards in the categories of Narrative, Documentary and Animation ($500 cash prize each).
These category winners compete for the $2,000 Summer White Lynch Memorial Award, underwritten by Gary D. & Marlene Cohen.
KEEP UP WITH US
Things are about to get very merry and bright at Heartland Filmʼs Merry Movie Nights!
Come out for our new mini-movie-series showcasing your favorite holiday classic films at the Historic Athenaeum (December 1 & 2) and Theater at the Fort (December 15, 16, 17 & 18).
The film schedule and tickets will be available on November 11.
merry MOVIE NIGHTS
UPCOMING EVENTS
INFORMATION
Thereʼs one word youʼre not going to want to forget: CINEMANIA. Heartland Film is proud to introduce our new signature fundraising event, CINEMANIA! Youʼll be captivated by this film-centric immersive evening filled with music, food, drinks and iconic movie experiences premiering at Crane Bay on Friday, April 14, 2023!
Cinemania is the perfect VIP red carpet experience for your clients, colleagues and friends. Contact Heather Ross at hross@heartlandfilm.org to learn more about available sponsorship packages that include exclusive studio lounges, VIP & premiere tickets, naming opportunities and more.
Save the date because tickets will go on sale on December 9, and you wonʼt want to miss the party of the year!
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Lisa Breall (Co-Chair)
Amy Wright (Co-Chair)
Joe Ball
Terry Bowdell
Beth Breymier
Emmanuel Carter
Sandra Daly
Lindsey Demaintenon
Leslie Donchetz
Leeann Edmundston
Karen Fried
Lynda Goeke
Michael Husain
Emma Law-Oppman
Fred Lockett
Katie Lory
Amy Pauszek
Heather Richmund
Casey Scott
Ben Shine
Neelu Sondhi
Brian Southard
Liz Taylor
Sallie Thompson
Ashley Weselo
CINEMANIA
INDY SHORTS 2022 RECAP
HIGHLIGHTS
The fifth annual Indy Shorts International Film Festival took place July 19-24, 2022 and was nothing short of magical! The festival theme, The Greatest Shorts on Earth, brought carnival fun around every corner while celebrating the art of short film (40 minutes or less). Over six days, attendees witnessed 150 short films from 25 countries, streamed 7,000+ short films, met 100 talented filmmakers and consumed 700 bags of cotton candy!
Indy Shorts awarded $30,000+ in cash prizes and presented three Oscar® qualifications to the Grand Prize-winning films, "Ousmane" (Live Action), "Stranger at the Gate" (Documentary) and "Black Slide" (Animation). Emmy nominee Colman Domingo ("Euphoria,” 2022) was honored with the Pioneering Spirit Award at the event. Domingoʼs short films, "New Moon" and "NORTH STAR," won Audience Choice Awards in the Animated and Narrative categories, respectively.
ACADEMY AWARD®-QUALIFIED
“Ousmane”
Director: Jorge Camarotti
“Stranger at the Gate”
Director: Joshua Seftel
“Black Slide”
Director: Uri Lotan
HEARTLAND FILM MEMBERS
HEARTLAND FILM MEMBERS
The generosity of our Members allows Heartland Film to continue its mission to inspire filmmakers and audiences through the transformative power of film!
As a Member, youʼll be the first to get festival updates, invites to exclusive events, as well as discounts on tickets, Fest Passes, merchandise and more! Heartland Film Members get 20% off #HIFF31 Fest Passes and tickets!
PREMIERE SILVER SCREEN $5,000
Jeff Berebitsky
Daniel & Kim Cook
Karen Fried
Tom & Arlene Grande
Chichi & John Guy
Sandy Hilgemeier
Philip & Colleen Kenney
David Klapper
SILVER SCREEN SOCIETY $2,500
Frank & Katrina Basile
Gary & Marlene Cohen
John & Kimberly Dewey
Kim & Eric Dollin
Michael & Sharon Donnelly
Tom & Jenny Godby
Lisa & Jon LeCrone
CINEMA SOCIETY $1,000
Mary Clare & George Broadbent
Jodi & David Burtner
William & Moira Carlstedt
Michael & Catherine Coscia
Michael & Irene Curry
Larry & Carol Landis
Tom Foster & Patricia Proffitt
Paul Skjodt & Cindy Simon-Skjodt
Robert & Alison Spoonmore
Betty Stilwell
Turner & Diann Woodard & Family
T.J. & Megan Woodard
Seth Maxwell
Charlie Morgan & Kelly Smith
Gregory Paul
N. Clay & Amy Robbins
Stan & Misty Soderstrom
Carol Weiss & Robert Rifkin
David A. W. & Melissa Wong
Peggy Ford
Brenda Horn
Nancy & Bill Hunt
Alan & Anne Kimbell
Laura King
HEARTLAND FILM MEMBERS
CINEMA SOCIETY (cont.) $1,000
Greg Retter
Judy Roudebush
Bill Stinson
SCREENWRITER $500
Anderson Amish Cabinets
Chester Browne
Patrick & Jennifer Cross
Courtney Essett
Gene & Kathy Gentili
Marianne Glick
Paul & Barbara Jablonski
Bob Massie
Kathy McNabb
Tina Morris
CAMEO ROLE $250
Kelly Alexiou
Michael Ault
Bihl Beckstedt & Terry Bowdell
Rana & Jeffrey Berry
Michele & Gadi Boukai
Lisa Brandin
Lisa Breall
Daniel & Katy Cantor
Emily & Tony Chu
Karen & Bob Dietrick
Leslie Donchetz
John Fischer
Mary Forster
Lynda Goeke & Don Katz
Jean & Gary Heck
Joyce Hertko & Jeff Miller
Historic Artcraft Theatre
Michael & Liane Hulka
Terri D. Bullock Family Foundation
Susie Love
Yung Nguyen
Anthony & Liza Najem
Alexis & Samuel Odle
Theresa Ritz
Susan & Phil Salsbery
Kathleen and Kenneth Seitz
Larry & Julie Sommers Neuman
Neelu & Naval Sondhi
Shara & John Weaver
Emily West
Steve & Cheri Irmscher
Edwin & Lynne Locke
Deb & Reid Mattison
Matt & Heather McLaughlin
Jane Messenger
James & Carol Mutter
John & Carolyn Mutz
Amy Pauszek
Larry & Rhonda Peffer
Heather Ross
Kristy Sherman
Kathryn Shorter
Nolan Taylor
Glenn & Cheryl Troyer
Roberta Walton
Beverly Watkins
Henry Winckler
Stephen Wintermeyer & Ginat Mirowski
MEMBERSHIP TIERS
Each tier also includes the benefits of the tiers below it. For questions, email our Development Coordinator, Emily Chu, at echu@heartlandfilm.org
PREMIERE SILVER SCREEN $5,000
• 20 guest tickets to a HIFF screening of your choice
• 4 HIFF VIP Fest Passes
SILVER SCREEN $2,500
• 2 HIFF Closing Night Screening
• 2 HIFF VIP Fest Passes
CINEMA SOCIETY $1,000
• 2 HIFF Opening Night Screening
• 2 Indy Shorts VIP Fest Passes
SCREENWRITER $500
• 10 Indy Shorts & 10 HIFF tickets (total for regular screenings)
CAMEO $250
• 2 VIPS & SIPS Invites
• Recognition in HIFF Guidebook
SUPPORTING CAST $110
• 4 Indy Shorts & 4 HIFF tickets (regular screenings)
• 20% off Indy Shorts & HIFF individual tickets (6 total per screening)
INDIVIDUAL/DUAL $75 (Up to 2 people)
• Exclusive Member screenings
• Mailed festival guidebooks
• 20% off Indy Shorts & HIFF Fest Passes (2 per festival)
• 10% off merchandise
• 20% off Indy Shorts & HIFF individual tickets (2 per screening)
GET INVOLVED
Your generosity allows Heartland Film to continue its mission to inspire filmmakers and audiences through transformative film! Gifts of any size help us carry out this mission with our festivals, year-round community programming and other educational film-based events!
Donate by Mail
Heartland Film
P.O. Box 2972
Indianapolis, IN 46206
Donate Online
Plan a Gift
Email our Director of Development, Heather Ross hross@heartlandfilm.org
Use the QR code or visit heartlandfilm.org/getinvolved
Your donation may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law; please consult your tax adviser. Heartland Film, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization (Federal Tax ID #35-1832797).
BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are involved in all aspects of Indy Shorts and the Heartland International Film Festival, including the planning of events, working at the theaters and providing hospitality for filmmakers and guests.
We need volunteers with all different types of skills and interests. Learn more and join our helpful crew at the QR code or heartlandfilm.org/volunteer!
BECOME A PRE-SCREENER
Our volunteer pre-screening committees assist with viewing films submitted to Indy Shorts and HIFF. The programming staff carefully selects applicants based on their knowledge and interest in film, as well as their writing and film analysis strengths. Screening committee volunteers will receive festival ticket/Fest Pass benefits based on the number of films they have reviewed at the end of the pre-screening period.
Because the pre-screening process is entirely online, you can live anywhere, but you need reliable access to the Internet for streaming HD video and a personal computer or tablet.
Applications for 2023 pre-screeners will open in October. Learn more and apply at the QR code or heartlandfilm.org/screener.
BECOME A SPONSOR
Our sponsorship opportunities get your companyʼs name out in the arts community and give you an unforgettable experience with our fun festival benefits!
For more information about becoming a sponsor for next yearʼs Indy Shorts, Heartland International Film Festival or other events like Cinemania, email our Director of Development, Heather Ross, at hross@heartlandfilm.org!
PURCHASE MERCHANDISE
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
INDUSTRY PARTNERS
FESTIVAL VENUES
FOUNDATION PARTNERS
• Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation
• Christel DeHaan Family Foundation
• Efroymson Family Fund
• Lacy Foundation
• Lilly Endowment, Inc.
• Margot L. Eccles & Robert S. Eccles Family Foundation
• Penrod Society
• The David & Betty Klapper Family Foundation
• The Glick Fund
• The Stewart Foundation
• The Van Riper-Woodard Family Foundation
SPONSORS
FILMMAKERS CIRCLE SPONSORS
SILVER SCREEN SPONSORS
CINEMA SPONSORS
REEL SPONSORS
BEHIND THE SCENES
BOARD OFFICERS
Kim Dollin, Chair
TJ Woodard, Vice Chair
David Wong, Secretary
BOARD MEMBERS
Frank Basile
Vicki Bohlsen
Jennifer Closshey
Daniel Cook
Jennifer Darby
Arlene Grande
Christina Hale
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Mary Azar Callahan
Brooke Barnett
Alpha Blackburn
Lisa Breall
Mika Brown
Andrea Brummett
Ellen Butz
Sandra Daly
Leslie Donchetz
LeeAnn Edmonston
Susan Frenzel
PRE-SCREENERS
Sarah Abraham
Neil Bolding
Howard Bowers
Jennifer Coffey
Ellen Considine
Ann Cummings
Natae Daniels
John Dewey, Treasurer
Betty Stilwell, Immediate Past Chair
Carolyn Hunt
Michael Husain
David Klapper
Robert Massie
Seth Maxwell
Charlie Morgan
Gregory M. Paul
Yung Nguyen
Patricia Payne
Ben Shine
Stan Soderstrom
Robert Spoonmore
Bill Stinson
Vernon Williams
Jenny Godby
Lynda Goeke
Nikki Gray
Ted Green
Amy Howell
Larry Landis
Lisa LeCrone
Fred Lockstar
Katie Lory
Liza Najem
Alexis Odle
Sam Odle
Ken Pack
Amy Pauszek
Bob Schultz
Todd Shock
Brian Southard
David Spencer
Chantel Stone
Roberta Walton
Amy Wright
Beau Farrell
Jody Flynn
Karen Gelb
Audrey Gelb
Cheryl Halter
Terri Horvath
David House
Joanna Krauze
Claire Reagan
Greg Retter
Trevor Sheffield
Dania Smith
Gary Wakahiro
BEHIND THE SCENES
STAFF
Michael Ault, President
Kelly Alexiou, Director of Office Management
Heather Ross, Director of Development
Emily Chu, Development Coordinator
Adam Howell, Senior Director of Strategic Planning
Bailey Scales, Special Events & Production Manager
Julie Landrum, Volunteer Coordinator
Greg Sorvig, Artistic Director
Julia Ricci, Senior Programmer
Jessica Chapman, Director of Marketing & Communications
Angelo Auriemma, Creative Manager
Hannah Lindgren, Social Media Coordinator
Evan Vernon, Hospitality Coordinator
D'Quan Rogers, Production Coordinator
Josh Hicks, Print Traffic Coordinator
INTERNS
Kenneth Childers, Videography Intern
Jonathan Glodon, Videography Intern
Luccas Hallow, Narrative Features Programming Intern
Katie Faith Leonard, Documentary Features Programming Intern
BOX OFFICE MANAGERS
Christian Arciniega
Stephanie Bartelt
Megan Benson
THEATER MANAGERS
Elisha Deluhery
Jay Fields
Cara Wilson
Stacy Brown
Jordan Fonseca
Gina Kelly