2021 Heartland International Film Festival Guidebook

PLAY

REWINDING 30 YEARS

How we watch films has changed a lot since the first Heartland International Film Festival, but we still come together for the same reason – to experience films that do more than entertain. This year, we continue our mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films from diverse perspectives by showcasing more than 100 films from all over the world.

It turns out the ʼ90s are making a comeback, and weʼre here for it! In honor of our 30th Anniversary, youʼll find nods to the ʼ90s around every corner - from VHS tapes to Beanie Babies - and our programmers have taken this challenge to the next level. Our Anniversary Event Screenings feature the new documentary about beloved ‘90s rock star Alanis Morissette in “Jagged,” and the new Will Smith movie “King Richard,” based on the true story of Venus and Serena Williams and their father's plan that takes them from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary tennis icons.

Weʼre also rewinding 30 years of Heartland Film by showcasing all of our past guidebook covers in our Anniversary Tribute section! Each guidebook is a piece of artwork from our past, and together they make up a unique collage of our history. You can even relive your favorite films from the past by checking out our new Letterboxd HQ account that includes lists of our past films by festival year and where you can stream them today!

The 2021 Heartland International Film Festival has a record-breaking 10+ event films, 100+ independent films, virtual screening options, and five incredible venues, including the beautiful new Kan-Kan Cinema & Brasserie and Living Room Theaters! Are you ready to rewind 30 years of Heartland Film and press play on the best in independent films? The most up-to-date in-person schedule, virtual film lineup, fest pass options and tickets can be found at www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org.

We hope this year becomes your next favorite festival memory! And donʼt forget, after your film ends… be kind and rewind! 04

Hello Heartland Film family!

It is my great honor to welcome you to the 30th Heartland International Film Festival.

Few festivals reach this mark, and I want to take a moment to thank the three Heartland Film Presidents, Jeff Sparks, Stuart Lowry and Craig Prater, who have successfully led us to this significant anniversary.

From its modest beginnings in 1992, the Heartland International Film Festival has grown from a four-day event to an internationally recognized 11-day festival. In that time, Heartland Film awarded more than $3.5 million in cash prizes – the largest total amount awarded by any film festival in North America. Heartland Film also created the Indy Shorts International Film Festival – an Academy Award®-Qualifying festival in all three short film categories.

I could go on and on about Heartland Filmʼs accolades and accomplishments, but I believe it is thanks to this community that has made HIFF a longstanding fall tradition.

Thank you to our valuable and committed staff, jury members, and interns whose hard work and vision bring these events to life every year. To our festival super fans, who spend hours sifting through the guidebook to plan out the perfect viewing schedule. To our incredible volunteers who welcome our attendees and filmmakers like their own family members.

To our dedicated board members, who invest their skills and resources to ensure our organization thrives. To our generous sponsors and community partners who believe in our mission. And thank you to our loyal members and donors who support our dreams and encourage us to dream bigger.

With this Heartland Film family, it is easy to understand how weʼve made it this far, and we are confident your support will carry into a flourishing future. I hope you are able to reflect on your festival memories and make new ones too!

Board Chair

Cultural Journey is a vibrant and artistic celebration of a countryʼs culture through food, entertainment, and of course, film! Over the years, Heartland Film has highlighted India, Mexico, Germany and Israel.

Since we couldnʼt execute the Cultural Journey to the fullest, weʼve postponed this and last yearʼs Cultural Journey Program. We want to encourage you to check out the many incredible international films that are showcased in this yearʼs festival.

Heartland Filmʼs Indy Shorts International Film Festival runs the High School Film Competition. 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 talented high school students from around the world, compete for the $2,000 Summer White Lynch Memorial Award, underwritten by Gary D. & Marlene Cohen, and the Best Student Film Awards in categories of Narrative, Documentary, Animated, and Indiana Spotlight ($500 Cash Prize each).

Since 2010, Heartland Film has honored 200 studio-released films with the Truly Moving Picture Award. The TMPA laurel is a symbol of curatorial standard to help moviegoers easily identify impactful studio-released films that do more than entertain. As films are released throughout the year, Heartland Film bestows this Award on a rolling basis.

Over the last few years Truly Moving Picture Award Winners have included "Coda," "MLK/FBI," "1917," "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," and "Just Mercy." You can see a list of all the TMPA winners on Heartland Filmʼs website and Letterboxd HQ Account. Be sure to follow Heartland Film on social media to be the first to hear about the next Truly Moving Picture Award Winning film that is being released in theaters!

This past July, we all came together for a Short Escape into the wonderful world of short films! We experienced a record breaking year with the most submissions (3,300) and the most films (201) showcased-nearly double the number from last year-with the highest number of attendees in Indy Shorts history!

The 4th Annual Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival presented more than $30,000 in cash prizes, new Iggy statuettes and three Oscar®-qualifications to three female filmmakers!

We have the best memories of lounging on our Indy Shorts picnic blankets in the gardens of the Indianapolis Arts Center, reclining in the gorgeous Living Room Theaters, and eating HotBox Pizza together at Indy Fringe. Whether you joined us for an outdoor, indoor, or virtual screening, we hope you enjoyed your short getaway!

Grand Prize - Narrative Short*

“Like the Ones I Used to Know”

Grand Prize - Documentary Short*

“Your Street”

Grand Prize - Animated Short*

”Homebird”

Summer White Lynch Memorial Award

“Sophie and Jacob”

Jenni Berebitsky Legacy Award

“A Concerto is a Conversation”

Indiana Spotlight Award

“Cutters”

Heartland Horror Award

“The Thing That Ate the Birds”

Comedy Award

“Close Ties to Home Country”

Directorial Debut Award

“Bruiser”

Best Narrative Student Film

“Plaisir”

Best Documentary Student Film

“Seahorse”

Best Animated Student Film

“Love is Just a Death Away”

Best Indiana Student Film

“MTXE: Mental Toughness Xtra Effort”

Canʼt narrow down which films you want to watch? Get premium access with our two Fest Pass options! These two passes are the best way to enjoy #HIFF30.

VIP Fest Passes allow access to all virtual programs and regular in-person screenings. Virtual Fest Passes allow access to all virtual programs.

Members receive 20% off all prices:

VIP - $249 // Virtual - $149 // Virtual Household - $169

Ten-Pack Hybrid - $125 // Ten-Pack Online - $110

Note: Our Opening Night, Anniversary Gala, Marquee Screening, and Closing Night films are excluded from Fest Pass access.

www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org

Virtual is back! You can watch most of the official selections from the comfort of your home! Make sure to check out the full schedule to see which films are available in-person only and which film are only offered virtually. For help connecting your streaming site to your tv go to watch.eventive.org/help.

1258 Windsor St, Indianapolis, IN

This brand-new three-screen art house cinema, film education complex, and European-inspired restaurant provides the people of Indianapolis with a local space to use film and food as tools for education, connection, and collaboration.

General - $14 // Members: 20% Off

745 E 9th St Suite 810, Indianapolis, IN

This theater offers a fun atmosphere and is on the same block as the Garage Food Hall, Pins Mechanical Co, and Bottleworks Hotel. Donʼt forget to visit concessions to receive parking validation that covers up to 3 hours in their gated parking lots!

General - $14 // Members: 20% Off

57 N. Main St., Franklin, Indiana

The Historic Artcraft Theatre was built in 1922. It remains one of the most intact Art Deco movie houses in central Indiana and is listed on the Indiana State Register of Historic Places. Every weekend, hundreds of people gather in this stunning theater for a one-of-a-kind experience!

General - $14 // Members: 20% Off

4000 N Michigan Rd, Indianapolis, IN

Home of the world-renowned THE LUME Indianapolis and expansive gardens, Newfields is a beautiful display of art and nature. Heartland Film believes in the power of change, and we hope you will join us for screenings as we support their efforts of change and inclusion.

General - $14 // Members: 20% Off

820 E 67th St, Indianapolis, IN

The outdoor screenings at the IAC were an overwhelming success at Indy Shorts! By popular demand, weʼre bringing back this unique picnic-style screening option for HIFF. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for a cozy movie night under the stars!

General - $15 // Members: 20% Off

Hosted virtually at the Cabaret Theater in downtown Indianapolis, the #HIFF30 Awards Presentation honors our filmmakersʼ outstanding work and powerful stories. Weʼll recognize the best independent filmmakers from all over the world and present

Best Premiere Awards ($2,000 each) Categories of Narrative, Documentary

FIPRESCI Best US Directorial Debut

Indiana Film Journalists Association Award for Best Special Presentation

Richard D. Propes Social Impact Awards ($2,000) Categories of

The Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award will honor a single winner, selected from the Festivalʼs feature-length narrative and documentary titles. The winning film will best embody the ongoing legacy of actor and national hero Jimmy Stewart and will demonstrate the triumph of the human spirit through determination and the defiance

Cast your votes for Audience Choice Awards ($1,000 each), which will decide

For in-person screenings, check your ticket confirmation email for your link to vote or view the QR code on-screen following the film. For virtual screenings, your ballot will appear when you unlock the film on your browser. Winners will be announced after

The International Federation of Film Critics, FIPRESCI (Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinematographique), is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world for “the promotion and development of film culture for the safeguarding for professional interest.”

It was founded in 1930 in Brussels, Belgium and currently has more than 50 participating countries.

Thank you FIPRESCI for assisting Heartland Film with our mission of inspiring filmmakers and audiences. We are honored by your endorsement and welcome some of their members to our Festival as they award the FIPRESCI Best Directorial Debut for a USA Narrative Feature.

Klaus Eder is a major film critic from Germany. He serves on international juries in many festivals around the world.

As an officer of the acclaimed FIPRESCI film critics association, Mr. Eder will be joined by international film critics from FIPRESCI to announce the annual FIPRESCI award at the Heartland International Film Festival.

Adriana Fernández is a film critic for Reforma newspaper, El Heraldo Radio and ADN40 and ForoTV broadcasting stations in Mexico City. She has been a jury member at Los Cabos International Film Festival, Doqumenta Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Adriana has published articles for the Iberoamericana University and CUEC magazines, as well as for the BBC Londonʼs website.

Wilfred Okiche is one of the most influential critics working in the African culture space. Specializing in Nigerian and African cinema, Wilfred has worked on the selection teams for the Encounters Documentary Film Festival in South Africa and the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Lagos.

Wilfred has mentored film critics at Talents Durban, the training program of the Durban International Film Festival.

Submitted films are initially viewed by two screening committees - Narrative Features and Documentary Features. These committees are comprised of 28 volunteer screeners, each of whom has taken a critical examination and been hand-selected by Heartland Film staff. Pre-screeners watch each submitted film in its entirety and complete a detailed online review. These reviews help Heartland Filmʼs programming staff determine the strongest submissions each year.

Consisting of industry professionals, academics, critics, and filmmakers, these juries ultimately select the Grand Prize Winner in each category.

Documentary Feature

Narrative Feature

“It's hard to believe it has been 30 years since our first Heartland Film Festival. Our hope from the beginning was Heartland would indeed make it to 30 years and beyond.

Here's to the future of celebrating films and filmmakers who are having a positive, life-affirming impact on culture!”

In honor of Heartland Filmʼs 30th Anniversary, weʼve partnered with the Indianapolis Public Library to create digital archives on our new website! That means you can see how our festival has evolved over the years by flipping through every one of our guidebooks. The site also includes photos, video recaps and other festival highlights!

The way we watch films has changed a lot since the VHS days, but there are some benefits to this digital world. Many of your favorite festival films are available to stream today, and weʼve created lists of all of the films from every year of our festival. Each list shows you the filmʼs description, reviews, and where you can watch it now! Check out past festival lineups and re-watch your favorites by going to the Heartland Film account on the Letterboxd website, app, or our website.

(2013-2015) (1991-2013)

President (2016-2021)

The inaugural Heartland Film Festival took place October 21-25, 1992, at the Walker Theater and Circle Theater.

Ticket prices were $4.50 for adults and $3 for children.

The festival screened nine features and nine shorts, as well as classic films “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “The Secret of Nimh,” “The Sound of Music,” and “West Side Story.”

Robert Wise (Director of West Side Story & The Sound of Music) attended and was

First Heartland Film Festival

Heartland Film as an organization started in 1991 and hosted the first festival in the fall of 1992.

First Jimmy Stewart Crystal Heart Award

Jimmy Stewartʼs daughter Judy Stewart-Merrill pictured far left at the Heartland Film Festival

First Audience Choice Award

Heartland Film Festival Audience

Choice Award Winners for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature and

First High School Film Competition Award Winners at the Crystal Heart Awards Gala in 2010.

First Academy Award®Qualification Short Film Category Live Action

“Head Over Heels” for Best Animated Short Film for the

First Cultural Journey Performers on the Cultural Journey India red carpet at the Indiana Historical Society.

First Virtual & Drive-In Festival “UNAPOLOGETIC” filmmaker

Ashley OʼShea gets her photo taken on the Drive-Thru red “Car”pet at Tibbs Drive-In.

First Indy Shorts International Film Festival

Jenni Berebitsky and family on the Indy Shorts red carpet at Newfields.

“The 30th Anniversary of the Heartland International Film Festival will showcase an impressive Event slate of 12 award season contenders! These powerful stories demand to be seen on-screen, and each Event film will only have one in-person theater screening.

This lineup represents some of the most anticipated films of the year, and I encourage you purchase tickets as we expect many sell outs. This yearʼs Festival will be the biggest celebration weʼve had in three decades!”

Artistic Director

Thursday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

"Julia" brings to life the legendary cookbook author and television superstar who changed the way Americans think about food, television, and even about women. (Sony Pictures Classics)

$25 Regular / Members 20% Off

Friday, Oct. 8 at 7:20 p.m. // Living Room Theaters

Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents (Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney and Ann Dowd) agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. (Bleecker Street)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

The Prince and Princess of Walesʼ marriage has long since grown cold. Though rumours of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for festivities. But this year, things will be profoundly different. (NEON)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Sunday, Oct. 10 at 7:15 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together.

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Monday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. // Kan-Kan Cinema

"Bergman Island" follows a couple of American filmmakers who retreat to the mythical Fårö island for the summer. In this wild, breathtaking landscape they hope to find inspiration for their upcoming films. (IFC Films)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 7:45 p.m. // Kan-Kan Cinema

"Flee" tells the story of Amin Nawabi as he grapples with a painful secret he has kept hidden for 20 years, one that threatens to derail the life he has built for himself and his soon to be husband. (NEON)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

As the Blake family gathers to celebrate Thanksgiving, darkness falls outside, and mysterious things start to go bump in the night and tensions reach a boiling point. (A24)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

(Directed by Wes Anderson) "The French Dispatch" brings to life a collection of stories from the final issue of an American magazine published in a fictional 20th-century French city. (Searchlight Pictures)

$20 Regular / Members 20% Off

Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7:45 p.m. // Kan-Kan Cinema

From director Paolo Sorrentino comes the story of a boy, Fabietto Schisa, set in the Naples of the 1980s. Sorrentino returns to tell his most personal story, a tale of fate and family, sports and cinema, love and loss. (Netflix)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Friday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love. (Netflix)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Saturday, Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

"Jagged" explores how Alanis Morrisette came to be that empowered woman so many admire, and what happens when a 21-year-old becomes a worldwide phenomenon. (HBO Documentary Films)

$14 Regular / Members 20% Off

Saturday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

Richard Williams is an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

$20 Regular / Members 20% Off

Sunday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. // Toby Theater at Newfields

Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy star in the film about English artist Louis Wain, who rises to prominence at the end of the 19th century for his surreal cat paintings. (Amazon Studios/Studiocanal)

$20 Regular / Members 20% Off

Friday, Oct. 15 at 9 p.m. // Living Room Theater Lounge

Celebrate with filmmakers and enjoy live music, and drinks in the beautiful Living Room Theater Bar

Purchase a ticket to either Narrative Feature or Documentary Feature Grand Prize Screening

Since 1992, Heartland Film has been delivering films that do more than entertain and this yearʼs lineup of 125 independent films does just that. Our Official Selections represent the best in the industry and are competing for $60,000 in cash prizes and the coveted Audience Choice Award.

Weʼre happy to announce that all films will be available to watch in-person and many will also be available virtually. We canʼt wait for you to experience this incredible lineup and relive some of your past favorites during this special anniversary year!

Documentary / 88 min / USA / 2020

Bing Liu, Joshua Altman

On Chicago's South and West sides, gun violence is destroying countless lives. Two men dedicate their lives educating, empowering, and healing young Black men at high risk for being victims or perpetrators of shootings.

Narrative / 82 min / Finland / 2020

Hamy Ramezan

Thirteen-year-old Ramin and his Iranian family have been living in a refugee centre in Finland. As Ramin starts the new school year, every moment, every friendship will be more precious than ever.

Narrative / 92 min / Canada, USA / 2020

Tracey Deer

Twelve-year-old Beans is on the edge: torn between innocent childhood and delinquent adolescence; forced to grow up fast to become the tough Mohawk warrior she needs to be during the Indigenous uprising known as The Oka Crisis.

Special Presentation

Documentary / 93 min / USA / 2021

Liz Garbus

"Becoming Cousteau" examines the life of Jacques Yves Cousteau, the ocean explorer who spanned the globe with a crew of filmmakers, under the lifelong creed, “We must go and see for ourselves." (National Geographic Documentary Films)

Documentary / 100 min / USA / 2021

Douglas Tirola

Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, "Bernstein's Wall" follows Leonard Bernstein on his lifelong journey to define his role as one of Americaʼs most important musical figures while fighting to create social change through his work.

Special Presentation

Documentary / 86 min / Australia / 2021

Eva Orner

Looks at the deadly Australian bushfires of 2019-2020, known as "Black Summer." An exploration of what happened as told from the perspective of victims of the fires, activists and scientists. (Amazon Studios)

Special Presentation

Narrative / 85 min / USA / 2021

Josef Kubota Wladyka

In this absorbing revenge thriller executive produced by Darren Aronofsky, a Native American woman embarks on the fight of her life when she goes in search of her missing sister. (IFC Films)

Special Presentation

Documentary / 93 min / UK / 2021

Andrea Arnold

This film is an endeavor to consider cows. To move us closer to them. To see both their beauty and the challenge of their lives. (IFC Films)

Narrative / 104 min / USA / 1950

Henry Koster

Due to his insistence that he has an invisible six foot-tall rabbit for a best friend, a whimsical middle-aged man is thought by his family to be insane - but he may be wiser than anyone knows.

Horror

Narrative / 82 min / USA / 2021

Toby Poser, Zelda Adams & John Adams

There will be hell to pay when a lonely teen discovers her familyʼs ties to witchcraft.

An aging jockey hopes to win one last title for his longtime trainer. But the years – and injuries – have taken a toll on his body, throwing into question his ability to continue his lifelong passion.

(Sony Pictures Classics)

Documentary / 99 min / USA / 2021

Suzanne Joe Kai

From working at his immigrant parentsʼ Chinatown restaurant, a kid with an unlikely dream became a trailblazing influencer as Rolling Stoneʼs legendary writer and music editor.

Special Presentation

Narrative /

94 min / Malta / 2021

Alex

Camilleri

A man can repair his boat eking out a meager living at sea, or he can cast his lot with a black-market operation that is decimating the fish population and the livelihoods of the local families who depend on it. In Maltese with English subtitles. (Kino Lorber)

Narrative / 91 min / Mexico / 2021

Ángeles Cruz

The trace of the past is present when three migrants return to a community in the highlands of Mixtec Oaxaca in México, where their three stories intersect. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Narrative / 96 min / Canada / 2021

Jonathan Keijser

After the bombing of his father's chocolate factory, a young Syrian refugee struggles to settle into his new Canadian small-town life, caught between following his dream to become a doctor and preserving his family's chocolate-making legacy.

Special Presentation

Narrative / 72 min / France / 2021

Céline

Sciamma

Nelly has just lost her grandmother and is helping clean out her mother's childhood home. She explores the house and the surrounding woods. One day she meets a girl building a treehouse. In French with English subtitles. (NEON)

Documentary / 96 min / UK / 2021

Celeste Bell, Paul Sng

The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey through her mother's archives in this intimate documentary.

Narrative / 80 min / USA / 1948

Alfred

Hitchcock

Two men attempt to prove they committed the perfect crime by hosting a dinner party after strangling their former classmate to death.

Narrative / 89 min / USA / 2021

Evan Jackson Leong

Sister Tse comes from China to New York via a human smuggler. She gains favor with the crime family and rises the ranks quickly, but success isnʼt the only reason she came to America - she needs to reconcile between success and her family.

Special Presentation

Narrative / 93 min / USA / 2021

Jim Cummings, PJ McCable

A married Hollywood agent receives a mysterious letter for an anonymous sexual encounter and becomes ensnared in a sinister world of lying, murder, and infidelity in this scintillating satire.

(IFC Films)

Special Presentation

Documentary / 93 min / USA / 2021

Matthew Heineman

"The First Wave" spotlights the everyday heroes at the epicenter of COVID-19 as they come together to fight one of the greatest threats the world has ever encountered.

(National Geographic Documentary Films)

Special Presentation

Documentary / 114 min / USA, UK / 2021

E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin

“The Rescue" chronicles the 2018 rescue of 12 Thai boys and their coach trapped inside a flooded cave and the dedication of the rescuers and an entire community that made sacrifices to save them.

(National Geographic Documentary Films)

Documentary / 92 min / USA / 2021

Max Lowe

In 1999, climber Alex Lowe was tragically lost in a deadly avalanche. After the tragedy, Alexʼs best friend and widow fell in love and married, and his friend stepped in to help raise Alexʼs three sons.

(National Geographic Documentary Films)

Narrative / 152 min / USA / 1961

Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins

Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy. Played at the first Heartland Film Festival in 1992.

Narrative / 120 min / USA / 2021

Vincent Grashaw

A family with buried secrets reunite at a farmhouse after two decades to pay for their past sins.

Documentary / 117 min / USA / 2021

Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler

Interweaving lecture, interviews, and shocking revelations, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Horror

Special Presentation

Special Presentation

Narrative / 95 min / Iran / 2020

Saman Salour

A man would like to make a better life for his wife and newborn baby, in a strange way. In Farsi with English subtitles.

Documentary / 60 min / USA / 2020

Tarabu Betserai Kirkland

Mamie Lang Kirkland was seven when she fled Mississippi in 1915 with her mother and siblings as her father and his friend, John Hartfield, escaped an approaching lynch mob. 100 years later she returned to bear witness to the terrible legacy of racial terror.

Documentary / 76 min / USA / 2021

Alex Liu

To right the wrongs of his all-American sex education, 36-year-old Alex goes on a quest to uncover naked truths and hard facts—no matter how awkward it gets.

US Premiere

Documentary / 85 min / UK / 2020

Lucy Harvey, Danielle Kummer

Bus drivers from rural England make an amateur stage show of Ridley Scott's "Alien" and accidentally take it to London's famous West End theatre district.

Documentary / 95 min / USA / 2021

Skye

Wallin

A decade since his last campaign, 89-year-old former senator and 2008 presidential candidate Mike Gravel comes out of retirement when a group of teenagers convinces him to run for president one last time.

Narrative / 91 min / USA / 2021

Iman Zawahry

In Jackson Heights, Queens, career-driven sisters Maryam and Sam and their newly-immigrated cousin Ameera must navigate the consistent and sometimes conflicting demands of romance, culture, work, and family.

Documentary / 100 min / USA / 2021

Andy Cohen, Gaylen Ross

At Democracy Wall in Beijing 1978, a group of self-taught artists challenged propaganda art by showing their new art that championed individuality and free expression, often exposing the inhumanity of the Cultural Revolution.

Documentary

/ 93 min / USA / 2021

Emily Branham

Fifteen years in the life of drag performer Marshall Ngwa (aka BeBe Zahara Benet): an immigrant to America, the first champion on reality TV phenomenon "RuPaulʼs Drag Race," and a leading artist celebrating Black Queer Excellence today.

Documentary

/ 76 min / Finland, Portugal / 2020

Minna Dufton

When a champion Portuguese big-wave surfer has to conquer her fear of drowning, she finds herself locked in combat with long-buried demons under a frozen Finnish lake.

Narrative / 106 min / Poland / 2021

Arkadiusz Pietrzak

“Black Sheep” is a warm and moving comedy-drama about bonds that are impossible to break. The film tries to give a humorous answer to many important questions regarding family relations and growing up. In Polish with English subtitles.

Documentary

/ 90 min / USA / 2021

Jason Berry

New Orleans jazz funerals and Sunday second line parades absorb the pain of death and the legacy of racism, soaring to joyful, transcendent rebirth. But tragedy plunges a musician and a culture carrier into a search for the cityʼs soul.

US Premiere

Documentary / 41 min / USA / 2021

Ryan Furr

"Crossroads Stories" is a radically real minidocumentary exploring what it's like to be Black and living in "Small-Town America." It seeks to determine how small Midwestern towns contribute to systematic racism, and how change is still possible.

Documentary / 66 min / USA / 2021

Brooke Pepion Swaney

Kendra, an adult Native adoptee, reconnects with her birth family, discovers her Lummi heritage, and confronts issues of her own identity. Her singular story represents many affected by the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Indian Adoption Project.

Narrative / 90 min / USA / 2021

Brooke Pepion Swaney, Anna Baumgarten

After failing her final college class, Jane returns home to her family's lake house and comes to terms with the confusing trauma that derailed her senior year.

Special Presentation

Special Presentation / 63 min / 2021

The Heartland International Film Festival is proud to once again partner with the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge to showcase the slate of 2021 Finalists.

Indiana Spotlight

Narrative / 107 min / USA / 2020

Francis Annan

(Starring Daniel Radcliffe) Based on the real-life prison break of two political captives, "Escape From Pretoria" is a race-against-time thriller set in the tumultuous apartheid days of South Africa.

Narrative / 102 min / Canada / 2021

Denver Jackson

An action-adventure set in the retro-futuristic world of Esluna. After her mentor is abducted by a renegade monk, a relic hunter and her crew must find the Crown of Babylon, an ancient artifact rumored to have the power to bring back the dead.

Narrative / 75 min / Iceland / 2020

Brenden Hubbard

Stranded in a small Icelandic village during Earth's final days, a Portuguese man seeks solace in the brief human connections he encounters.

Documentary / 80 min / Hong Kong, USA / 2021

Jennifer Ngo

An intimate portrayal of four young protestors in Hong Kong struggling to protect their freedom and way of life under the shadow of authoritarianism.

US Premiere

Documentary / 83 min / USA / 2021

Mobolaji

Olambiwonnu

In 2014, Michael Brown Sr.ʼs son was killed by white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, an event that fueled the global Black Lives Matter movement. But his personal story seeking justice and healing has not been told until now.

Narrative / 107 min / Estonia / 2021

Peeter Rebane

At the height of the Cold War, a troubled soldier forms a forbidden love triangle with a daring fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base.

Documentary / 82 min / USA / 2021

Jake Hochendoner, Drew Dickler

"Fireboys" tells the untold story of young men incarcerated in California who are offered a way out: by fighting wildfires.

Narrative / 78 min / USA / 2021

Brielle Brilliant

A maladjusted dad tries to heal in an experimental therapy group. Meanwhile, his nonbinary kid develops a friendship with an older man. Their relationship feels both dreamy and concerning — depending on who's watching.

Documentary / 74 min / USA / 2021

Gordon Quinn, Leslie Simmer

At age 10, aspiring pianist Norman Malone is paralyzed on his right side. Over the next several decades he masters the left-hand repertoire in secret before a chance discovery of his talent leads him towards making his concert debut.

Documentary / Indiana / 56 min / USA / 2021

Rocky Walls, Grant Michael

Artist, designer, and furniture maker Brian Presnell discusses how his life experiences have impacted his career, community, and his passion for recycling.

Special

Special Presentation / 88 min / 2021

A selection of award winners from the 2021 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, including:

“SWIPE,” “Homebird,” “Sophie and Jacob,” “5 Years from Water,” “MTXE: Mental Toughness Xtra Effort,” “Cutters,” “Bruiser,” “Heartland,” and “Like the Ones I Used to Know”

Special Presentation / 79 min / 2021

A selection of award winners from the 2021 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, including:

“Your Street,” “Street Reporter,” “Close Ties to Home Country,” “Seahorse,” and “A Concerto is a Conversation”

Special Presentation / 96 min / 2021

A selection of award winners from the 2021 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, including: “Love is Just a Death Away,” “TIO,” “The Thing That Ate the Birds,” “Plaisir,” and “Learning to Drown”

Narrative / 97 min / Japan / 2021

Soushi Matsumoto

Ready to finally produce her unrealized samurai script, Barefoot resolves to make her dream come true with a ragtag crew that includes a mysterious classmate whose love of samurai films matches her own. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Narrative / 118 min / Nepal / 2020

Veemsen Lama

Trapped in an abandoned royal palace, a young prince must confront the unsettling secrets of his familyʼs past, escape evil forces, and battle dark magic in order to survive. In Nepali with English subtitles.

Documentary / 91 min / USA / 2021

Ida Joglar

A group of plus-sized women from around the world attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain on the planet.

US Premiere Horror

Narrative / 107 min / China / 2021

Xiang Liu

One night, in one room, three strangers - a thief, a retired policeman, and a delivery guy - are all present during the murder of the room's occupant - a young lady. The three strangers try to figure out this bizarre situation. In Chinese with English subtitles.

Documentary / 85 min / USA / 2021

Alysa Nahmias

While locked up for six years in prison, artist Jesse Krimes secretly creates monumental works of art—including an astonishing 30-foot mural—which he smuggles out piece-by-piece, hoping to see it in totality upon coming home.

Documentary

/ 35 min / USA / 2020

Jerald Harkness, Bob Massie

A father-son team of history sleuths return a WWII soldier's memorabilia in a moving tribute to the Greatest Generation.

Narrative / 81 min / USA / 2021

Edson Jean

Desperate to send money to her family back in Haiti, hardworking and exhausted nurse Ludi Alcidor spends a chaotic day battling coworkers, clients, and an impatient bus driver as she chases the American Dream in Miamiʼs Little Haiti neighborhood.

World Premiere

Indiana Spotlight

Narrative / 112 min / Canada / 2021

Arturo Perez Torres, Aviva Armour-Ostroff

Miriam is a South African-born Jew raising her seventeen-year-old daughter Eliza. Nelson Mandela's upcoming election triggers a manic episode in the bipolar Miriam, who has spent years fighting apartheid.

Narrative / 99 min / USA / 2021

Stark Howell

An arrogant movie star is forced to attend a festival celebrating "The Andy Griffith Show," where characters reminiscent of the classic TV show give him the chance to discover the true meaning of friendship and family.

Documentary / 90 min / USA / 2021

Louie Psihoyos, Peggy Callahan

Deeply moving and laugh-out-loud funny, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu share science-backed wisdom of how to live with joy in troubled times.

Narrative / 78 min / USA / 2021

Calogero

Carucci

Itʼs 2008, and the U.S. economy is quickly collapsing. The LaManna family has recently moved after a series of constant moving. As the nation starts to crumble, the LaMannas face a harsh reality after receiving news of a fatal illness.

Indiana Spotlight

Narrative / 103 min / Norway / 2020

Yngvild Sve Flikke

A baby has lodged itself unnoticed in Rakel's stomach, but she is not ready to be a mother. The animated character Ninjababy accompanies Rakel through the madness that is called growing up. In Norwegian with English subtitles.

Documentary / 78 min / USA / 2021

Vivian Kleiman

The story of five scrappy and pioneering cartoonists who depicted everything from the AIDS crisis, coming out, and same-sex marriage, to themes of race, gender, and disability.

Documentary / 96 min / USA / 2021

Nicholas Bruckman

When a young father chances to meet a powerful senator on an airplane, their filmed exchange goes viral and sparks one of the most powerful political movements in a generation.

Documentary

/ 82 min / USA / 2021

Ellie Dylan, Sky Dylan-Robbins

A timeless true love story that chronicles the seasons of a relationship from its romantic beginnings through lifeʼs final moments.

Documentary / 80 min / USA / 2021

Maya Cueva, Leah Galant

"On The Divide" brings us into the lives of three Latinx people in McAllen, Texas, whose different beliefs end up coming to a head at the last abortion clinic on the U.S./Mexico border.

Documentary / 41 min / USA / 2021

John Isberg

The Newport Hill Climb is the third-largest road race in Indiana after the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400. This documentary tells the story of the Hill Climb and one team's attempt to race the hill in the first Dodge truck, a 1926 Graham Brothers truck.

Documentary / 89 min / USA / 2021

Aaron Hosé

Eager to shift the historical perception of who makes and drinks beer, Black brewers and beer brand owners across the US are reclaiming their place with the nation's craft beer industry, where they currently share less than 1% of annual revenues.

Narrative / 98 min / Hong Kong / 2020

Chiu Sin Hang

A single father becomes gifted with the power of seeing one second into the future. When his ability is exposed, a boxing buff persuades him to use his power in the ring. In Cantonese with Engish subtitles.

World Premiere

World Premiere

Indiana Spotlight

Documentary / Indiana / 45 min / USA / 2021

Aaron Turner

Against the backdrop of racism, "Our Story" tells the story of the first Black students allowed to attend the all-white University of Evansville.

Narrative / 100 min / USA / 2021

Andrew Paul Davis

A conflicted minister reckons with his marriage and a new foster child. Meanwhile, the foster child's mother tries to get her son back, her past coming back to haunt her.

Narrative / 87 min / USA / 2021

Ori Segev, Noah Dixon

A young musician slips into a dark transformation as she explores an exclusive underground music scene.

Documentary / 82 min / Japan, France / 2021

Pascal-Alex Vincent

The mangaka and anime filmmaker Satoshi Kon died suddenly in 2010. Ten years after his death, his family and collaborators finally speak out about his work, while his heirs in Japan, France, and Hollywood look back on his artistic legacy.

US Premiere

World Premiere Indiana Spotlight

Indiana Spotlight

Documentary / 80 min / USA / 2021

Jared Jakins

Three Indigenous youth come of age on the fringes of the Navajo Nation. “Scenes from The Glittering World” is a meditation on adolescence, trauma, and the power of connecting with a homeland.

Narrative / 100 min / USA / 2021

Christine Weatherup

When chronically single Natalie and Logan continue to run into each other at their friends' annual holiday party year after year, they begin to wonder if maybe theyʼre meant to be together...

Documentary / 106 min / USA / 2021

Scott Gawlik

Table setting – for most of us is a chore, but for some, itʼs a sport. Once a year, a group of highly competitive table-setters vie for the “Best of Show” ribbon at the Orange County Fair competition, often referred to as “The Olympics of Table Setting”.

Narrative / 103 min / USA / 2021

Diana Zuros

A recovering drug addict confronts her demons by befriending the grief-stricken deaf mother she mysteriously spies on. Instead, she forges a much deeper friendship than she ever anticipated - one built upon the shared trauma of the womenʼs pasts.

Documentary / 93 min / USA / 2020

Bo McGuire

Bo McGuire composes a cinematic love letter to his grandmother as his homophobic aunt and drag queen uncle wage war over her estate in Hokes Bluff, Alabama.

Documentary / 80 min / USA / 2021

Jeremy Ungar, Ivaylo Getov

In 2017, the all-female Cuban quartet, Vocal Vidas, was invited to perform their first show in America. What began as a concert became a journey across ideological borders: an affirmation of the connective power of music, even in the most uncertain times.

Narrative / 104 min / Spain / 2020

Fernando González Gómez

After his secret platonic love, Laura, disappears, Tomás analyzes the habits and obsessions of an eccentric array of clients to find out who is behind her disappearance. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Documentary / 74 min / USA / 2021

D.L. Anderson, Matt Durning

Making music and making a life are one in the same in this inspiring documentary about a legendary North Carolina gospel group and their 82-year-old matron whose powerful testimony is matched only by her mighty voice.

Documentary / 103 min / USA / 2021

Michael Husain

After a crippling series of overdose deaths, rural Brown County, Indiana decides to "Do Something" differently to fight addiction. The film is a powerful story of hope and recovery for individuals in use, their families, and the community as a whole.

Narrative / 93 min / USA / 2021

Dante Aubain

Seven friends come together for a weekend getaway after years of little contact. They've grown apart. They've moved on with their lives. But the secrets of their past have come back to haunt them, this time with a very real threat ready to expose every last one.

Narrative / 88 min / USA / 2021

Alrik Bursell

“The Alternate” follows Jake, a videographer who discovers a portal to another dimension in which he has everything he has always wanted: the perfect version of his wife Kris, the filmmaking career of his dreams, and the daughter he never had.

Narrative / 100 min / USA / 2021

Adam Sjoberg, Seanne Winslow

Inspired by true events, "The Falconer" is about two best friends, one Middle Eastern and one Western, who conspire to steal animals from the zoo and sell them on the black market to pay for the Omani boyʼs sisterʼs divorce from an abusive marriage.

Documentary / 89 min / USA / 2021

Brandon Kramer

In a divided America, Van Jones attempts to pass a landmark criminal justice bill — and finds himself under fire from all sides.

Documentary

/ 47 min / USA / 2020

Taylor Keating

Described as “Houdini with a sunnier disposition,” illusionist Lamont Ream extends his magic beyond cards and coins to his work as a live-in caregiver.

Narrative / 107 min / India / 2021

Ashish Pant

An couple who hits a rickshaw driver with their car must face the moral implications of their actions when the driverʼs younger brother shows up at their doorstep informing them the injured man is fighting for his life. In Hindi with English subtitles.

Narrative / 94 min / USA / 2021

Eric M. Hurt

After her mother is hospitalized due to a car crash, Lily, a girl of eight, goes into a fairy tale told to her by her grandmother in search of a talisman to save her mom.

Documentary / 88 min / USA / 2021

Steven Latham, Conrad Stanley

There are more than 80,000 wild horses on our federal lands and more than 50,000 in government. "The Mustangs: America's Wild Horses" takes audiences on an odyssey throughout America to places few people have seen or even know about.

Documentary / 82 min / USA / 2021

CJ Hunt

Writer and comedian CJ Hunt documents the struggle to preserve New Orleansʼ confederate monuments. After witnessing this fight in his adopted city, CJ then explores how we understand a collective history as a nation with a contentious past.

Documentary / 83 min / Morocco / 2020

Asmae Elmoudir

Director Asmae El Moudir explores life in Zawia, Morocco, where her mother was born and embarks on a quest into her motherʼs past, and thereby her own. In Arabic with English subtitles.

US Premiere

World Premiere

Documentary / 90 min / Spain, UK / 2021

Alba Sotorra Clua

Shamima Begum (UK) and Hoda Muthana (US) made it into worldwide headlines when they left their countries as teenagers to join ISIS. Now they want to return, but their countries donʼt want them back.

Documentary / 118 min / USA / 2021

Chris Gero

Filmed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this groundbreaking film helps define the magic of music, in an epic celebration of hope, humanity and unity. Featuring interviews with Sarah McLachlan, Ben Folds, Patti Smith, and more.

Documentary / 83 min / UK / 2020

Philip Sansom, Indigo Gilmore

From the Katwe slums in Uganda to the streets of London and the fields of Cheltenham Festival, follow five young teacher musicians and the Brass For Africa band as they prepare for an unforgettable experience that will transform their lives forever.

Narrative / 102 min / Sweden, Denmark / 2021

Carl Moberg

"Tusind Timer" is about a young musician, her music dreams and her search for love - and herself.

US Premiere

Narrative / 85 min / USA / 2021

Jonathan DiMaio

An ambitious, rock-climbing geology student defies her imperious advisor to travel to the Nevada high desert, where a career-defining discovery and an unexpected friendship with a young cattle rancher force her to make life-altering decisions.

Narrative / 108 min / Canada / 2021

Leon Lee

When the Chinese Communist Party launches a brutal crackdown on its citizens, a team of innocent students risks everything to expose the deadly propaganda and fight for freedom.

Documentary / 94 min / USA / 2020

Khadifa Wong

A film that celebrates the history, lineage, and future progressions of jazz dance. With special appearances by Debbie Allen, George Faison, Chita Rivera, Camille A. Brown, Thomas F. DeFrantz, and more.

Documentary / 58 min / USA / 2021

Kyle Hufford

"Vital Passage" chronicles a pair of midwestern Jewish merchantsʼ amazing story as they risked their business and livelihood to provide a vital passage for German Jews to escape the Holocaust and come to America.

US Premiere

World Premiere

World Premiere Indiana Spotlight

Narrative / 109 min / USA / 2021

Dagmawi Abebe, Victor Alonso-Berbel, Roy Arwas, Hannah Bang, Christopher Beaton, Agazi Desta, Tiffany Kontoyiannis Guillen, Zoë Salnave, Ernesto Sandoval, Sabinca Vajrača

In 1936 Harlem, the first all-Black cast production of ‘Macbethʼ struggles to make it to opening night.

Documentary / 88 min / Canada / 2020

Olivier Higgins, Mélanie Carrier

"Wandering, a Rohingya Story" is an immersive, poetic, and powerful look into the biggest refugee camp in the world, the Kutupalong refugee camp. In Rohingya with English subtitles.

Narrative / 81 min / USA / 2021

Alana Waksman

When Rae, a descendant of Holocaust survivors, is targeted by Neo-Nazis, her ancestors' trauma becomes real. Inspired by true events, this coming-of-age story shows the inherited effects of trauma and the strength of survival and healing.

Narrative / 84 min / USA / 2021

Lissette Feliciano

As Celina faces the compounded obstacles of being young and alone, she sets out to rise above the oppression of poverty and invest in a future that sets new precedents for the time.

Documentary / 110 min / USA / 2020

Christi Cooper

“YOUTH v GOV” follows 21 young Americans suing the worldʼs most powerful government to protect their constitutional rights to a stable climate. If they win, they will change the future.

Documentary / 75 min / USA / 2021

Thomas Verrette

A diverse group of middle-school students go on the journey of a lifetime when they compete in a nationwide tournament to code satellites aboard the International Space Station.

The generosity of all 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, Festival Passes, merchandise, and more! Heartland Film Members get 20% off #HIFF30 Fest Passes and tickets!

• Peggy Ford

• Thomas & Patty Hefner

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• Chichi & John Guy

• Sandy Hilgemeier

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• Larry & Carol Landis

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• Betty Stilwell

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• Terri D. Bullock Family Foundation

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• Patrick & Jennifer Cross

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• Neelu & Naval Sondhi

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• James & Carol Mutter

• Amy Pauszek

• Larry & Rhonda Peffer

• Richard Renschen

• Heather Ross

• Kathryn Shorter

• Jean Thompson

• Roberta Walton

• Beverly Watkins

• Henry Winckler

Each tier also includes the benefits of the tiers below it. For questions, email membership@heartlandfilm.org.

• Invitations to free exclusive member screenings throughout the year.

• Free admission to the HIFF Announcement Party

• 10% discount on Heartland Film merchandise

• Access to (2) discounted tickets per screening to year round events

• Recognition in the HIFF guidebook, pre-show, and the Heartland Film website

• (4) free vouchers that can be exchanged for tickets to any regular screening during HIFF and Indy Shorts

• (6) additional ticket vouchers that can be exchanged for tickets to any regular screening during HIFF and Indy Shorts

• (2) free tickets to the HIFF Awards Brunch

• (2) free tickets to the Opening Night Screening & After-Party

• (2) Cinephile Fest Passes for Indy Shorts

• Access to VIP lounge, private parties & VIPS screenings

• (2) Cinephile Fest Passes for HIFF and Indy Shorts

• (2) Additional Cinephile Fest Passes for HIFF and Indy Shorts

• Private VIP party and dinner for up to 20 guests at HIFF

Volunteers are involved in all aspects of the Heartland International Film Festival, including the planning of events, working at the theaters and providing hospitality for filmmakers and guests. Volunteers also provide valuable assistance in our year-round programming, educational, marketing and fundraising efforts.

We have fun sponsorship opportunities that will get your companyʼs name out in the arts community and give you an unforgettable experience with our unique festival benefits!

For more information about becoming a sponsor of the 30th Anniversary of the Heartland International Film Festival, email our Development Officer, Heather Ross, at hross@heartlandfilm.org.

Our volunteer pre-screening committees assist with the viewing of films submitted to Indy Shorts and HIFF. Pre-Screeners are carefully selected based on their knowledge of film and their strength in writing and analysis.

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.

#HIFF30 PRE-SCREENERS

• Sarah Abraham

• Amy Baker

• Ben Barrick

• Neil Bolding

• Howard Bowers

• Shelly Bowers

• Ellen Considine

• Ann Cummings

• Beau Farrell

• Jody Flynn

• Christopher Forrester

• Karen Gelb

• Audrey Gelb

• John Guy

• Cheryl Halter

• Brian Herbert

• Ian Lane

• Zachary Magid

• Leah McClain

• Daniel Mulvaney

• Claire Reagan

• Greg Retter

• Ben Sears

• Dania Smith

• Sebastian Son

• Justin Stenger

• Katelyn Utz

• Gary Wakahiro

Weʼve got a brand new line of Heartland Film and Indy Shorts merchandise! Weʼve partnered with The Shop, located in Broad Ripple, to create vintage-style gear with our new branding. We think youʼre going to love both the look and feel of these new products!

Heartland International Film Festival operations are made possible in part through the gracious support of our sponsors, partners, and key contributors listed below. Beyond these supporters, Heartland Film would like to thank every organization and individual who has made a donation over the past year. Every gift makes a difference and we would not be celebrating our 30th Festival without your support.

The Ackerman Foundation

Allen Whitehill Clowes

Charitable Foundation

Alliance of Women Directors

Amy Pauszek

Apple

Arts Council of Indianapolis

Bob & Alison Spoonmore

Christel DeHaan Family Foundation

Current Publishing

The Betty and David Klapper Family Foundation

Do317

Downtown Indy Inc.

Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

Eli Lilly & Company

Gary D. & Marlene Cohen

The Glick Charitable Fund, A CICF Fund

The Historic Artcraft Theatre

Hoodox

Indiana Arts Commission

Indiana Filmmakers Network

Indy Film Fest

Indyhub

Indy Maven

IndyStar

Jan White

Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis

JCC Indianapolis

The Kan-Kan Cinema & Brasserie

The Lacy Foundation

Lilly Endowment, Inc.

The Living Room Theaters

Margot L. & Robert S. Eccles

Charitable Fund - A CICF Fund

National Endowment of the Arts

Newfields

Patty Spitler

The Penrod Society

Salesforce Foundation

The Stewart Foundation

Think Ahead Studios

The Woodard Van Riper Family Foundation

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Visit Indy

WFYI

WISH-TV

WRTV

WTHR

• Frank Basile

• Jennifer Closshey

• Gary Cohen

• Daniel Cook

• Arlene Grande

• Christina Hale

• Carolyn Hunt

• David Klapper

• Robert Massie

• Seth Maxwell

• Charlie Morgan

• Gregory M. Paul

• Patricia Payne

• Bob Spoonmore

• Bill Stinson

• TJ Woodard

• Mary Azar Callahan

• Brooke Barnett

• Alpha Blackburn

• Vicki Bohlsen

• Lisa Breall

• Mika Brown

• Andrea Brummet

• Ellen Butz

• Sandra Daly

• Jennifer Darby

• Leslie Donchetz

• LeeAnn Edmonston

• Jenny Godby

• Lynda Goeke

• Nikki Gray

• Ted Green

• Amy Howell

• Larry Landis

• Lisa LeCrone

• Katie Lory

• Liza Najem

• Alexis Odle

• Sam Odle

• Ken Pack

• Amy Pauszek

• Susan Salsbery

• Ben Shine

• Todd Shock

• Brian Southard

• David Spencer

• Roberta Walton

• Michael Ault, Vice President

• Kelly Alexiou, Chief Administrative Officer

• Adam Howell, Director of Production & Events

• Greg Sorvig, Artistic Director

• Julia Ricci, Senior Programmer

• Heather Ross, Development Officer

• Jessica Chapman, Director of Marketing & Communications

• Angelo Auriemma, Digital & Marketing Coordinator

• Courtney Essett, Community Outreach & Education Coordinator

• Julie Landrum, Volunteer Coordinator

• Julie Sommers Neuman, Grant Writer

• Bailey Scales, Ticketing & Events Manager

• J A Fields, Print Traffic & Exhibition Manager

• David Carter, Film Programming Coordinator

• Jessica Brown, Videography Intern

• Nicholas Denbow, Videography Intern

• Maggie Getzin, Graphics & Photography Intern

• Raymond Mo, Multimedia Intern

• Ollie Stewart, Videography Intern

• Sarah Ballard, Shorts Programming Intern

• Margaux Delesgues, Shorts Programming Intern

• Kaitie Dilán, Shorts Programming Intern

• Leilani Fitzpatrick, Documentary Features Programming Intern

• Mary LeClerc, Narrative Features Programming Intern

• Torri Pelletier, Documentary Features Programming Intern

• Wesley Stenzel, Narrative Features Programming Intern