The 32nd Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF), taking place October 5-15, 2023, will showcase more than 120 feature films under the theme “You Can’t Look Away.”
Opening Night (October 5) will showcase “The Lionheart” from HBO and TIME Studios, a documentary about the late two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon, 10 years after his shocking death. Centerpiece (October 11) will feature “Rustin” from Netflix, starring Emmy and Heartland Film award-winning actor Colman Domingo as Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin. Closing Night (October 15) will spotlight “The Holdovers” from Focus Features, directed by Academy Award®-winner Alexander Payne and starring Academy Award®-nominee Paul Giamatti.
“Named one of the ‘Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ earlier this year, the Heartland International Film Festival is proud to celebrate impactful storytelling and connect creatives with our dedicated audiences in Indianapolis,” said Artistic Director Greg Sorvig. “Highlighted by our trio of major event titles, HIFF’s reputation continues to grow as a regional destination on the awards season circuit while also highlighting true indies, including dozens of titles making their world, U.S. and regional premieres here in the heartland.”
EVENT & SPECIAL PRESENTATION TITLES
OPENING NIGHT | “The Lionheart”
The Lionheart | Laura Brownson | USA | Midwest Premiere
When Dan Wheldon, two-time Indy 500 Champion, is killed in one of the worst crashes in IndyCar history, it shakes motorsports to its core. Now, ten years later, Dan’s two boys, Sebastian and Oliver, follow in their father’s footsteps as they work through their loss the only way they know how: getting behind the wheel to race. Opening Night, special presentation of HBO and TIME Studios.
CENTERPIECE | “Rustin”
Rustin | George C. Wolfe | USA | Midwest Premiere
“Rustin” shines a spotlight on Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), who, alongside giants like Martin Luther King Jr. and Ella Baker, dare to imagine a different world and inspire a movement in a march toward freedom. Centerpiece, special presentation of Netflix.
CLOSING NIGHT | “The Holdovers”
The Holdovers | Alexander Payne | USA | Midwest Premiere
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, “The Holdovers” follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). Closing Night, special presentation of Focus Features.
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt | Raven Jackson | USA | Indiana Premiere
A lyrical, decades-spanning exploration across a woman’s life in Mississippi, the feature debut from award-winning poet, photographer and filmmaker Raven Jackson is a haunting and richly layered portrait, a beautiful ode to the generations of people and places that shape us. Special presentation of A24.
All of Us Strangers | Andrew Haigh | United Kingdom, USA | Indiana Premiere
One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal), which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life. Special presentation of Searchlight Pictures.
A Little Prayer | Angus MacLachlan | USA | Indiana Premiere
A man tires to protect his daughter-in-law when he discovers his son is having an affair, touching upon a variety of issues in the modern South. Starring David Straithairn, Celia Weston, Jane Levy, and Anna Camp. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics.
Anatomy of a Fall | Justine Triet | France | Indiana Premiere
For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their 11-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead in the snow below their chalet, the police question whether he was murdered or committed suicide. Samuel’s suspicious death is presumed murder, and Sandra becomes the main suspect. Winner of the Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival 2023. Special presentation of NEON Rated.
Foe | Garth Davis | Australia
Academy Award® nominees Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal star in “Foe,” a haunting exploration of marriage and identity set in an uncertain world. Hen and Junior farm a secluded piece of land that has been in Junior’s family for generations, but their quiet life is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger (Aaron Pierre) shows up at their door with a startling proposal. Special presentation of Prime Video.
Four Daughters | Kaouther Ben Hania | France, Tunisia, Germany, Saudi Arabia | Indiana Premiere
This riveting exploration of rebellion, memory, and sisterhood reconstructs the story of Olfa Hamrouni and her four daughters, unpacking a complex family history through intimate interviews and artful reenactments to examine how the Tunisian woman’s two eldest were radicalized by Islamic extremists. Special presentation of Kino Lorber.
The Mission | Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine | USA | Midwest Premiere
In 2018, a young American missionary, John Chau, was killed while attempting to contact one of the world’s most isolated peoples on remote North Sentinel Island. “The Mission” uncovers the gripping story beyond the headlines. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Monster | Kore-eda Hirokazu | Japan | Indiana Premiere
When her son startsto behave stangely, a mother feels that there is something wrong. As the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, the truth gradually emerges. In Japanese with English subtitles. Special presentation of Well Go USA.
Perfect Days | Wim Winders | Japan | Indiana Premiere
Hirayama works as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. He seems content with his simple life. He follows a structured everyday life and dedicates his free time to his passion for music and books. Hirayama also has a fondness for trees and photographs them. More of his past is gradually revealed through a series of unexpected encounters. Special presentation of NEON Rated.
The Persian Version | Maryam Keshavarz | USA | Midwest Premiere
When her family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, Leila navigates her relationships at arm’s length in an effort to keep her “real” life separate from her family life. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics.
The Promised Land | Nikolaj Arcel | Denmark, Germany, Sweden | Indiana Premiere
In 1755, the impoverished Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) sets out to conquer a vast uninhabitable land with a seemingly impossible goal; to cultivate valuable crops and build a colony for the King in exchange for a desperately desired royal name for himself. Special presentation of Magnolia Pictures.
Robot Dreams | Pablo Berger | Spain, France | Indiana Premiere
Based on the popular graphic novel by the North American writer Sara Varon, “Robot Dreams” tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the ’80s. Family Fun Day featured film, special presentation of NEON Rated.
Silver Dollar Road | Raoul Peck | USA
A Black family in North Carolina battles decades of harassment by land developers trying to seize their waterfront property, in this searing documentary by Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck (“I Am Not Your Negro”). Special presentation of Prime Video.
Sometimes I Think About Dying | Rachel Lambert | USA | Indiana Premiere
Lost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran (Daisy Ridley) finds solace in her cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates and occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. Special presentation of Oscilloscope Laboratories.
The Space Race | Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza | USA | Midwest Premiere
“The Space Race” uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists that became astronauts. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Stopmotion | Robert Morgan | UK | Midwest Premiere
Ella Blake is a stop-motion animator who is struggling to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother. Suddenly alone in the world, she embarks upon the creation of a macabre new puppet film, which soon becomes the battleground for her sanity. Special presentation of Shudder.
The Taste of Things | Anh Hung Tran | France | Midwest Premiere
Set in France in 1889, the film follows the life of Dodin Bouffant as a chef living with his personal cook and lover Eugénie. They share a long history of gastronomy and love but Eugénie refuses to marry Dodin, so the food lover decides to do something he has never done before: cook for her. Special presentation of IFC Films.
When Evil Lurks | Demián Rugna | Argentina | Midwest Premiere
Two brothers race to prevent the spawning of evil incarnate as an epidemic of demonic possessions spreads through their rural community. Special presentation of Shudder.
32nd Heartland International Film Festival Lineup
Film Title | Director(s) | Country | Premiere Status
**World Premiere
*US Premiere
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
26.2 TO LIFE | Christine Yoo | USA | Indiana Premiere
Three men convicted of murder undertake running a marathon inside prison on a quest for redemption and freedom — or something like it.
A BINDING TRUTH | Louise Woehrle | USA | Midwest Premiere
Two high school classmates in 1965, one Black, one white share the same last name but little else. Their story, rooted in the South, is also America’s story – one of slavery’s legacy and our current racial divide.
A Disturbance in the Force | Jeremy Coon, Steve Kozak | USA | Indiana Premiere
Travel back to a galaxy far, far away—the infamous “Star Wars Holiday Special.” Dive into the mystery of how it happened and why 45 years later it has become, much to the chagrin of George Lucas, the ultimate cult classic among “Star Wars” fans.
A Song Film By Kishi Bashi: “Omoiyari” | Justin Taylor Smith, Kaoru Ishibashi | USA, Japan | Midwest Premiere
Internationally acclaimed composer and songwriter K Ishibashi (professionally know as “Kishi Bashi”) embarks on a personal quest by creating his music in locations relevant to the Japanese American Incarceration during WWII. Courtesy of MTV Documentary Films.
Another Body | Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn | USA | Midwest Premiere
“Another Body” follows a college student’s search for answers and justice after she discovers deepfakes of herself circulating online.
**Art & Soul: A Portrait of Nancy Noel | Alex Kosene | USA | World Premiere
A journey into the mind creative of Nancy Noel, one of the most prolific female artists of our time.
Art for Everybody | Miranda Yousef | USA | Midwest Premiere
Thomas Kinkade’s pastoral landscapes made him the most collected and despised painter of all time. After his shocking death, his family discovers a vault of unseen paintings that reveal a complex artist whose life and work embody our divided America.
Between the Rains | Andrew H. Brown, Moses Thuranira | Kenya | Midwest Premiere
Filmed over the course of four consecutive years during record low annual precipitation in northern Kenya, “Between the Rains” is a feature collaboration with the Turkana-Ngaremara community that seeks to understand the experiences of a childhood caught within a traditional culture that is a casualty of climate change.
Black Barbie | Lagueria Davis | USA | Indiana Premiere
Through intimate access to a charismatic Mattel insider, Beulah Mae Mitchell, BLACK BARBIE delves into the cross section of merchandise and representation as Black women strive to elevate their own voices and stories, refusing to be invisible.
THE BODY POLITIC | Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough | USA | Midwest Premiere
With unfettered access, “THE BODY POLITIC” follows Baltimore City’s idealistic young mayor into office, where he puts his personal and political future on the line to save his beloved city from chronic violence.
The Bright Path: The Johnny Bright Story | Jerald Harkness | USA
“The Bright Path: The Johnny Bright Story” chronicles the life of African American Johnny Bright trailblazer who changed College football forever.
Chasing Chasing Amy | Sav Rodgers | USA | Indiana Premiere
When a young filmmaker sets out to understand the ’90s LGBTQ+ rom-com that saved his life, he is forced to confront complicated truths of his own, that will change who he is forever.
Cowboy Poets | Mike Day | UK/ Scotland | Midwest Premiere
Every year since 1985, cowboys have gathered at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering to share their heartfelt poems. This unlikely Western is a celebration of the creative process and our need to create, gather, and share. An impressionistic look at the modern West in turbulent times.
Deep Rising | Matthew Rytz | USA | Indiana Premiere
This exquisite fly-on-the-wall environmental doc is also a gripping and up-to-the-minute tale of geopolitical, scientific, and corporate intrigue that exposes the destructive machinations of a secretive organization empowered to extract massive amounts of metals from the deep seafloor. Narrated by Jason Momoa, “Deep Rising” illuminates the vital relationship between the deep ocean and sustaining life on Earth. Courtesy of MTV Documentary Films.
DOWNWIND | Mark Shapiro, Douglas Brian Miller | USA | Indiana Premiere
Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Mercury, Nevada? The latter was the site for the testing of 928 nuclear weapons from 1951 to 1992.
Dusty & Stones | Jesse Rudoy | USA, Eswatini (known as Swaziland at time of filming) | Indiana Premiere
Two struggling country music singers from the African Kingdom of Swaziland journey to Texas hoping to win big at a local battle of the bands.
**Friends & Neighbors | Benjamin Wagner | USA | World Premiere
In this deeply personal documentary, “Mister Rogers & Me” Director, Benjamin Wagner, explores the impact of acute and chronic stress on a population in which anxiety, depression, and dysregulation are epidemic, and discovers a path to resilience for himself and his neighbors.
**From This Small Place | Taimi Arvidson | USA, Bangladesh | World Premiere
A six-year-old Rohingya boy named Hossain comes of age in the world’s largest refugee camp as the crisis around him grows increasingly dangerous.
Go On, Be Brave | Miriam McSpadden, Brian Beckman | USA | Indiana Premiere
Go On, Be Brave is the story of one woman’s race against time – a diagnosis of ALS and an attempt at the impossible – to be the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 states.
*Golden Land | Inka Achté | Finland, Sweden, Norway | U.S. Premiere
When Mustafe and his family move back to Somaliland in East Africa, after 25 years in Finland, a small country in Northern Europe hailed as the happiest in the world, their search for gold turns into something more profound.
The Grab | Gabriela Cowperthwaite | USA | Indiana Premiere
An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet, in the latest exposé from filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite (“Blackfish”).
Greener Pastures | Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian | USA
Greener Pastures is an urgent and intimate look at American farming, told through the stories of farmers living at the intersection of climate change, globalization & a mental health crisis.
HELEN|BELIEVE | Dylan Mulick | USA
“HELEN|BELIEVE” tracks Helen Maroulis, America’s first female Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling (Rio ’16), from being the best wrestler in the world into a series of concussions, forced retirement and institutionalization, through her PTSD struggles and eventually into her comeback at the Tokyo Olympics and World Championships in Oslo.
The Herricanes | Olivia Kuan | USA | Midwest Premiere
The Houston Herricanes were a part of the first women’s full tackle football league in the 1970s. Their unknown story is one of commitment, courage, and strength. Despite adversity and hardship, they fielded a team purely for the love of the game. What they started is a movement that is still in motion today.
**The Hidden Power of Purpose | Elliot Kotek | USA | World Premiere
The Hidden Power of Purpose, narrated by Debbie Allen, bridges inspiring stories of individuals who have found purpose in their lives with the insights of leading scientists whose work affirms that living with purpose improves health and longevity. Courtesy of AARP Studios.
Hollywood’s Finest | Claire Hannah Collins | USA | Midwest Premiere
Three mothers fight to create a family: Mckenzie, a young woman in recovery who became pregnant while living in a tent; Cat, her nomadic mom; and Leslie, the social worker with her own history of addiction, housing insecurity, and losing children to foster care.
IN THE SHADOW OF BEIRUT | Stephen Gerard Kelly, Garry Keane | Lebanon, Ireland, Germany, USA | Indiana Premiere
From the makers of “GAZA” (Sundance 2019), comes a new cinematic odyssey that penetrates deep below the surface of Beirut, a still beautiful, yet deeply troubled city on the brink of financial collapse.
Interpreters Wanted | Robert Ham | USA | Midwest Premiere
“Interpreters Wanted” is a documentary 14 years in the making that follows the story of two Afghan interpreters as they journey through years of Russian occupation, then Taliban rule and then attempt to help the U.S. after the attacks on 9/11.
It’s Only Life After All | Alexandria Bombach | USA | Indiana Premiere
Blending 40 years of home movies, raw film archive, and intimate present-day verité, a poignant reflection from Amy Ray & Emily Saliers of Indigo Girls – the iconic folk rock duo. A timely look into the obstacles, activism, and life lessons of two queer friends who never expected to make it big.
**Jailhouse to Milhouse | Buddy Farmer | USA | World Premiere
“Jailhouse to Milhouse” follows the courageous journey of actor Pamela Hayden, the voice of Milhouse on “The Simpsons.” After overcoming tremendous obstacles throughout her life, she now reaches out to others who have fallen through the cracks.
JessZilla | Emily Sheskin | USA | Indiana Premiere
Jesselyn Silva, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, is a 3x national boxing champion. As Jess is on the precipice of making the Olympic team, she faces her toughest battle yet, a cancer diagnosis.
Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection | Randy Martin | USA | Indiana Premiere
The personal struggles of pop superstar Karen Carpenter are heard in her own voice through never-before released recordings, and through the stories of those who knew her, worked with her, and whom her music inspired.
Liminal: Indiana in the Anthropocene | Zach Schrank | USA
Liminal: Indiana in the Anthropocene is a meditative aerial film that illustrates our state as a microcosm of this new planetary epoch. Entirely filmed with drone cameras by Indiana Aerials and accompanied by an original score written by Fort Wayne composer Nate Utesch (aka Metavari), Liminal reveals a compelling and uncanny view of Indiana in all its features and forms.
The Lionheart | Laura Brownson | USA | Midwest Premiere
When Dan Wheldon, two-time Indy 500 Champion, is killed in one of the worst crashes in IndyCar history, it shakes motorsports to its core. Now ten years later, Dan’s two boys follow in their father’s footsteps as they work through their loss the only way they know how: getting behind the wheel to race. Opening Night courtesy of HBO and TIME Studios.
Medora | Andrew Cohn, Davy Rothbart | USA
In America’s basketball heartland, four boys from rural Medora, Indiana fight to end their high school’s team’s losing streak, as their dwindling town faces the threat of extinction. Special 10th anniversary retrospective screening.
Merkel | Eva Weber | United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany | Midwest Premiere
Driven by extensive archive material and incisive interviews, “Merkel” tells the astonishing story of how a triple political outsider – a woman, a scientist, and an East German – became Germany’s first female chancellor and the de facto leader of the free world.
The Mission | Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine | USA | Midwest Premiere
In 2018, a young American missionary, John Chau, was killed while attempting to contact one of the world’s most isolated peoples on remote North Sentinel Island. “The Mission” uncovers the gripping story beyond the headlines. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Mom & Dad’s Nipple Factory | Justinsuperstar | USA | Indiana Premiere
When Randi is diagnosed with breast cancer, her husband Brian, a conservative Midwest family man, embarks on an extraordinary journey to boost her morale and builds a homespun prosthetic nipple business that’s kept secret from their friends, their church and their five children.
Nathan-ism | Elan Golod | USA | Midwest Premiere
After WWII, Nathan Hilu, an 18-year-old Jewish American soldier from New York, was assigned to guard the top Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg Trials. With brutish lines and sketches, Hilu obsessively documented those memories for the next 70 years.
No Legs. All Heart. | Pablo Durana | USA | Midwest Premiere
After years of addiction and a life changing accident, André Kajlich fights to be the first double amputee cyclist to complete the bone-crushing 3,082mile, Race Across America, revealing a test of spirit and the pain endured to carve our own path in life.
Out There: A National Parks Story | Brendan Hall | USA | Midwest Premiere
Two childhood friends embark a 10,000 mile road trip through the U.S. national parks, revealing a profound tapestry of stories from the people they meet along the way.
Patria y Vida: The Power of Music | Beatriz Luengo | USA, Spain| Indiana Premiere
Six rappers have rewritten Cuban history and sparked a lyric battle for human rights through a song called “Patria y Vida”. The song has become a revolution in the streets of Cuba and the world, being banned by the government, which imprison people for the simple fact of listening to it.
Patrol | Camilo de Castro, Brad Allgood | Nicaragua, USA | Midwest Premiere
In Nicaragua’s threatened rainforest, indigenous rangers fight to expose the dark truth of conflict beef as illegal cattle ranchers endanger its survival.
PRE FAB! | Todd Thompson | USA, UK | Indiana Premiere
The last Beatles story to be told about how it all began. Before the Fab Four, there was PRE FAB! –the story of one man, his drums and the biggest band the world would ever know!
Q | Jude Chehab | Lebanon, USA | Indiana Premiere
An intimate portrayal of a quest for love and acceptance at any cost, “Q” depicts the influence of a secretive matriarchal religious order on filmmaker Jude Chehab’s family and the unspoken ties and consequences of loyalty that have bonded her mother, grandmother, and herself to the mysterious organization. A love story of a different kind, “Q” is a multigenerational tale of the eternal search for meaning.
**Sandtown | Isaiah Smallman | USA | World Premiere
A filmmaker returns to his hometown neighborhood in West Baltimore, where he hopes to rediscover his past, reckon with his white privilege and reconnect with the community that raised him.
Sisters of Ukraine | Mike Dorsey | USA | Midwest Premiere
Volunteers from Barcelona travel to a convent in Ukraine to aid refugees and families of soldiers fighting in the war, bringing a group of them on a three-day journey across Europe to housing in Spain.
Sloane: A Jazz Singer | Michael Lippert | USA | Indiana Premiere
Filmed days before her final live recording in New York City, jazz legend Carol Sloane reflects on her storied but largely unknown career involving everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to The Rolling Stones.
The Space Race | Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza | USA | Midwest Premiere
“The Space Race” uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists that became astronauts. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Story & Pictures By | Joanna Rudnick | USA | Midwest Premiere
Let us tell you a story about the boundary pushers who shape souls and give children strange dreams. The stars of “Story & Pictures By” are changing the narrative for the next generation.
**THUNDER ROLLS! The World of Blind Baseball | Robert Arnove, Susanne Schwibs | USA | World Premiere
How can individuals who are blind and visually impaired play baseball? “THUNDER ROLLS! The World of Blind Baseball” tells the story of how this is possible. The documentary follows the Indy Thunder Beep baseball team and their coach, Darnell Booker, in their quest to win a World Championship. This is a spirited, humanistic sports story that operates on many levels of entertainment and social significance. Narrated by Jesse Eisenberg.
**UnBroken | Beth Lane | USA | World Premiere
Seventy-five years after the remarkable escape of seven Jewish siblings who evaded Nazi capture, the daughter of the youngest child embarks on an international quest to uncover answers about her family’s extraordinary survival and the outstanding bravery of the German strangers who helped them.
*Volcano Man | James Crawley | Australia | U.S. Premiere
When filmmaker James Crawley discovers his father’s hidden video tapes, he sets out to reveal the real Richard Crawley, an eccentric photographer and documentarian who lives atop a dormant volcano and approach to life is utterly explosive.
We Dare To Dream | Waad al-Kateab | United Kingdom | Midwest Premiere
As the Refugee Olympic Team prepares to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, “We Dare to Dream” chronicles their hopes and desires as they fight for a better life.
Wine, Women, & Dementia | Kitty Norton | USA | Indiana Premiere
Seeking healing and comfort in community, a dementia family caregiver roadtrips the U.S. to swap caregiver stories of love, humor, devotion, and death with other dementia caregivers who share this hilariously heartbreaking end-of-life journey.
HORROR FEATURES
*Et Tu | Max Tzannes | USA | US Premiere
A dark comedy thriller about a director driven to madness during a regional production of Julius Caesar. Starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Malcom McDowell.
NEW LIFE | John Rosman | USA | Indiana Premiere
A mysterious woman on the run, and the resourceful fixer assigned to bring her in. Their two unique stories inextricably link, as the stakes of the pursuit rise to apocalyptic proportions.
Stopmotion | Robert Morgan | UK | Midwest Premiere
Ella Blake is a stop-motion animator who is struggling to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother. Suddenly alone in the world, she embarks upon the creation of a macabre new puppet film, which soon becomes the battleground for her sanity. Special presentation of Shudder.
When Evil Lurks | Demián Rugna | Argentina | Midwest Premiere
Two brothers race to prevent the spawning of evil incarnate as an epidemic of demonic possessions spreads through their rural community. Special presentation of Shudder.
INDIANA SPOTLIGHT FEATURES
**Art & Soul: A Portrait of Nancy Noel | Alex Kosene | USA | World PremiereA journey into the mind acreative of Nancy Noel, one of the most prolific female artists of our time.
**Bloom | Mark Totte | USA | World Premiere
A Midwestern woman in her late-60’s takes off on a road trip across America, wandering through memories and reckoning with her past.
The Bright Path: The Johnny Bright Story | Jerald Harkness | USA
“The Bright Path: The Johnny Bright Story” chronicles the life of African American Johnny Bright trailblazer who changed College football forever.
Greener Pastures | Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian | USA
“Greener Pastures” is an urgent and intimate look at American farming, told through the stories of farmers living at the intersection of climate change, globalization & a mental health crisis.
**Hellcat | Jack Lugar | USA | World Premiere
An aging rock star returns home years after disappearing, following the death of his son. He believes that he is better off dead until he meets a troubled kid who shows him a new path to life.
Liminal: Indiana in the Anthropocene | Zach Schrank | USA
Liminal: Indiana in the Anthropocene is a meditative aerial film that illustrates our state as a microcosm of this new planetary epoch. Entirely filmed with drone cameras by Indiana Aerials and accompanied by an original score written by Fort Wayne composer Nate Utesch (aka Metavari), Liminal reveals a compelling and uncanny view of Indiana in all its features and forms.
**THUNDER ROLLS! The World of Blind Baseball | Robert Arnove, Susanne Schwibs | USA | World Premiere
How can individuals who are blind and visually impaired play baseball? THUNDER ROLLS! The World of Blind Baseball tells the story of how this is possible. The documentary follows the Indy Thunder Beep baseball team and their coach, Darnell Booker, in their quest to win a World Championship. This is a spirited, humanistic sports story that operates on many levels of entertainment and social significance. Narrated by Jesse Eisenberg.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
7000 Miles | Amy Glazer | USA | Midwest Premiere
A passionate pilot is challenged by her grandmother to live life on her own terms, but finds herself at a crossroads when that could mean revealing her grandmother’s long-buried secrets.
The Accidental Getaway Driver | Sing J. Lee | USA | Midwest Premiere
During a routine pickup, an elderly Vietnamese cab driver is taken hostage at gunpoint by three recently escaped Orange County convicts.
A Great Divide | Jean Shim | USA | Indiana PremiereThe Lee family leave the Bay Area for a fresh start in the rural expanses of Wyoming, only to encounter hostility and xenophobia in their new community. How they confront these issues will break them – or make them stronger.
A Little Prayer | Angus MacLachlan | USA | Indiana Premiere
A man tries to protect his daughter-in-law when he discovers his son is having an affair, touching upon a variety of issues in the modern South. Starring David Straithairn, Celia Weston, Jane Levy, and Anna Camp. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics.
All of Us Strangers | Andrew Haigh | United Kingdom, USA | Indiana Premiere
One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal), which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life. Special presentation of Searchlight Pictures.
All the Wrong Ingredients | Nicholas Livanos | USA | Midwest Premiere
A driven chef reluctantly partners with his out-of-control imaginary friend to make a genius dessert before he’s blacklisted from the world of fine food. But what happens to the rest of his life when he throws his ambition into overdrive?
Amerikatsi | Michael Goorjian | Armenia | Indiana Premiere
Unjustly imprisoned in Soviet Armenia, Charlie soon discovers he can see into a nearby apartment from his cell window – the home of a prison guard. Filled with warmth and humor, Amerikatsi celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.
Animalia | Sofia Alaoui | France, Morocco, Qatar | Indiana Premiere
As she nears the end of her pregnancy, Itto and her in-laws find their lives turned upside down by a supernatural event.
Asog | Seán Devlin | Philippines, Canada | Midwest Premiere
JAYA is a non-binary Filipino comedian who survived Super Typhoon Haiyan. “Asog” follows Jaya on a road trip to a drag pageant and along the way they encounter Filipinos enduring the impacts of climate change.
Avenue of the Giants | Finn Taylor | USA, Czech Republic | Midwest Premiere
The true story of Herbert Heller. A 74, he shares the decades long secret of his miraculous escape from Auschwitz and the Birkenau death march with Abbey, a teen in crisis. In sharing mutual secrets, they both find some healing.
*Banu | Tahmina Rafaella | Italia | U.S. Premiere
Accused of being an unfit mother by her influential husband, Banu fights for the custody of her son amid the chaos of the final days of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Better Half | Patrick Henry Phelan | USA | Midwest Premiere
A one night stand goes terribly wrong when Arturo and Daphne find themselves magically fused together…down there. The haphazard journey to come undone might just reveal what they’d been missing all along.
Big Boys | Corey Sherman | USA | Indiana Premiere
A teenage boy’s unexpected crush turns a camping trip into a weekend of self-discovery in this heartwarming coming-of-age comedy.
**Bloom | Mark Totte | USA | World Premiere
A Midwestern woman in her late-60’s takes off on a road trip across America, wandering through memories and reckoning with her past.
**Brave the Dark | Damian Harris | USA | World Premiere
Based on a true story in 1986, small town USA. Brave the Dark tells the story of a homeless teen struggling to find his purpose and the courage to confront the darkness of his past. When popular drama teacher, Stan Deen, takes on a troubled kid, Nate, no one quite prepared him for the journey he was undertaking or the dark secrets Nate is hiding. “Brave the Dark” is a heartwarming story about a teenager who finds his true father.
Chocolate Lizards | Mark L. Bristol | USA | Midwest Premiere
A failed actor stranded in a small Texas town meets up with an oil driller who needs him and a miracle to hit a wildcat well in 30 days.
End of the Rope | Charlie Griak | USA | Indiana Premiere
When a family mysteriously disappears from the town of Schafer, North Dakota, suspicion lands on a sociopathic farmhand, and the entire community rises up to take justice into its own hands. Based on true events.
Fancy Dance | Erica Tremblay | USA | Indiana Premiere
Following her sister’s disappearance, a Native American hustler (Lily Gladstone) kidnaps her niece from the child’s white grandparents and sets out for the state powwow in hopes of keeping what is left of their family intact.
Free Time | Ryan Martin Brown | USA
Drew quits his job and then quickly decides he wants it back.
Hard Miles | RJ Daniel Hanna | USA | Midwest Premiere
A strong-willed social worker at a youth prison assembles a cycling team of teenage convicts and takes them on a transformative 1000-mile ride.
**Hellcat | Jack Lugar | USA | World Premiere
An aging rock star returns home years after disappearing, following the death of his son. He believes that he is better off dead until he meets a troubled kid who shows him a new path to life.
The Holdovers | Alexander Payne | USA | Midwest Premiere
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, “The Holdovers” follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). Closing Night, special presentation of Focus Features.
Jericho Ridge | Will Gilbey | United Kingdom & Kosovo | Indiana Premiere
Trapped and without backup, a small town cop fights for her life when her remote sheriff’s office is targeted by murderous attackers.
Know Your Place | Zia Mohajerjasbi | USA | Indiana Premiere
Amidst the landscape of a transforming city, a young boy confronts the reality of change and loss.
Late Bloomers | Lisa Steen | USA | Indiana Premiere
An aimless 28-year-old Brooklynite lands in the hospital after drunkenly breaking her hip being stupid. An encounter with a cranky elderly Polish woman who speaks no English leads to a job caring for her. Neither likes it, but it’s time to grow up
Little Brother | Sheridan O’Donnell | USA | Midwest Premiere
After a recent suicide attempt, Jake drives his neurodivergent older brother across the American West while the two reconcile with the traumas of their past in order to forge a new bond.
**Long December | Thomas Torrey | USA | World Premiere
Nearing the end of another financially difficult year and feeling pressured to finally give up on his dreams, struggling musician Gabe Lovell wonders if his break is just around the corner when his rock star cousin offers him a spot in the final show of his tour.
Lost Soulz | Katherine Propper | USA | Indiana Premiere
A young rapper leaves everything behind and embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery, music, and friendship in the heart of Texas.
Match Me If You Can | Marian Yeager | USA | Midwest Premiere
When an online matchmaking service rejects her as “unmatchable,” a quick-witted programmer’s rant makes her an internet sensation…and puts her on a romantic collision course with the equally nerdy man who runs the company that rejected her.
NEW LIFE | John Rosman | USA | Indiana Premiere
A mysterious woman on the run, and the resourceful fixer assigned to bring her in. Their two unique stories inextricably link, as the stakes of the pursuit rise to apocalyptic proportions.
*On Marriage: Wishful Syncing | John HSU | Taiwan | U.S. Premiere
As the saying goes, “a faithful heart makes wishes come true”, what it really means might be we must heed our inner voice. In order to win back his wife’s heart against her sweet childhood friend, a desperate husband decides to use a digital mind-reading device “moon blocks” that’s still under development.
The Persian Version | Maryam Keshavarz | USA | Midwest Premiere
When her family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, Leila navigates her relationships at arm’s length in an effort to keep her “real” life separate from her family life. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics.
Ramona At Midlife | Brooke Berman | USA | Midwest Premiere
“Ramona at Midlife” is a funny, touching and poignant exploration of a woman making room for herself.
The Secret Art of Human Flight | H.P. Mendoza | USA | Indiana Premiere
A grieving widower becomes obsessed with a mysterious self help book he finds on the dark web written by an eccentric guru, which promises to unlock the power to fly.
Shudderbugs | Johanna Putnam | USA | Indiana Premiere
Samantha Cole returns to her childhood home in the wake of her mother’s mysterious death, spiraling down a rabbit hole of grief, suspicion and isolation.
**Sight | Andrew Hyatt | USA | U.S. Premiere
A world-renowned eye surgeon takes on the impossible task of saving a blind orphan’s sight, only to be met with memories of his own traumatic past and realize his own strength can only take him so far. Starring Greg Kinnear.
Simón | Diego Vicentini | Venezuela & USA | Midwest Premiere
Barely escaping the clutches of the oppressive Venezuelan dictatorship, freedom fighter Simón must now combat his trauma and guilt as he builds his case for asylum in order to be able to stay in the USA.
Smoking Tigers | Shelly Yo | USA | Midwest Premiere
Over one summer spent at an elite academic bootcamp, a lonely Korean American teenager hides her true identity to fit in, only to discover the bittersweet pains of adulthood.
Solar Wind Alley | Anastasia Lobkovski | Finland | Indiana Premiere
Alice lives with her younger sisters in the rural Finnish village, in the house their mother build before she past away. She wants to protect her younger sisters and shelter them from the world.
Summer of Violence | Nicki Micheaux | USA | Indiana Premiere
Refusing law school to pursue poetry, a sheltered college grad, cut off from her father’s money, struggles to survive while living in Denver during the Summer of Violence in 1993.
The Taste of Things | Anh Hung Tran | France | Midwest PremiereSet in France in 1889, the film follows the life of Dodin Bouffant as a chef living with his personal cook and lover Eugénie. They share a long history of gastronomy and love but Eugénie refuses to marry Dodin, so the food lover decides to do something he has never done before: cook for her. Special presentation of IFC Films.
Tiger Stripes | Amanda Nell Eu | Germany, Taiwan, France, Malaysia | Indiana Premiere
Zaffan (12) struggles with puberty, discovering a terrifying secret about her physical self. Her failed attempts to conceal the inevitable lead her friends to find out who she really is, and they attack her. As Zaffan is further provoked by her own community, she soon learns that embracing her true self is the only answer to her freedom.
**To Fall In Love | Michael Lewis Foster | USA | World Premiere
When a woman meets with her estranged husband as a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, she discovers that their love might not be enough to keep them together.
The Visitor | Martín Boulocq | Bolivia, Uruguay | Indiana Premiere
An ex-convict father disputes custody of his only daughter with an influential evangelical pastor.
TOKYO COWBOY | Marc Marriott | USA | Indiana Premiere
A Japanese businessman goes on an unwitting journey of self-discovery when he takes a company trip from Tokyo to a Montana cattle ranch.
Where the Road Leads | Nina Ognjanović | Serbia | Indiana Premiere
An unexpected visit radically changes the life of a small isolated place in Serbia. Jana (18) will do everything to save the stranger that she thinks will take her far from there.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt | Raven Jackson | USA | Indiana Premiere
A lyrical, decades-spanning exploration across a woman’s life in Mississippi, the feature debut from award-winning poet, photographer and filmmaker Raven Jackson is a haunting and richly layered portrait, a beautiful ode to the generations of people and places that shape us. Special presentation of A24.
All of Us Strangers | Andrew Haigh | United Kingdom, USA | Indiana Premiere
One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal), which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life. Special presentation of Searchlight Pictures.
A Little Prayer | Angus MacLachlan | USA | Indiana Premiere
A man tries to protect his daughter-in-law when he discovers his son is having an affair, touching upon a variety of issues in the modern South. Starring David Straithairn, Celia Weston, Jane Levy, and Anna Camp. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics.
Anatomy of a Fall | Justine Triet | France | Indiana Premiere
For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their 11-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French Alps. When Samuel is found dead in the snow below their chalet, the police question whether he was murdered or committed suicide. Samuel’s suspicious death is presumed murder, and Sandra becomes the main suspect. Winner of the Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival 2023. Special presentation of NEON Rated.
Foe | Garth Davis | Australia
Academy Award® nominees Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal star in Foe, a haunting exploration of marriage and identity set in an uncertain world. Hen and Junior farm a secluded piece of land that has been in Junior’s family for generations, but their quiet life is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger (Aaron Pierre) shows up at their door with a startling proposal. Special presentation of Prime Video.
Four Daughters | Kaouther Ben Hania | France, Tunisia, Germany, Saudi Arabia | Indiana Premiere
This riveting exploration of rebellion, memory, and sisterhood reconstructs the story of Olfa Hamrouni and her four daughters, unpacking a complex family history through intimate interviews and artful reenactments to examine how the Tunisian woman’s two eldest were radicalized by Islamic extremists. Special presentation of Kino Lorber.
The Holdovers | Alexander Payne | USA | Midwest Premiere
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, “The Holdovers” follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). Closing Night, special presentation of Focus Features.
Indy Shorts Winners 1 | First of three award-winning short films from the 2023 Oscar-qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
Indy Shorts Winners 2 | Second of three award-winning short films from the 2023 Oscar-qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
Indy Shorts Winners 3 | Third of three award-winning short films from the 2023 Oscar-qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
The Lionheart | Laura Brownson | USA | Midwest Premiere
When Dan Wheldon, two-time Indy 500 Champion, is killed in one of the worst crashes in IndyCar history, it shakes motorsports to its core. Now, ten years later, Dan’s two boys, Sebastian and Oliver, follow in their father’s footsteps as they work through their loss the only way they know how: getting behind the wheel to race. Opening Night, special presentation of HBO and TIME Studios.
The Mission | Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine | USA | Midwest Premiere
In 2018, a young American missionary, John Chau, was killed while attempting to contact one of the world’s most isolated peoples on remote North Sentinel Island. “The Mission” uncovers the gripping story beyond the headlines. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Monster | Kore-eda Hirokazu | Japan | Indiana Premiere
When her son startsto behave stangely, a mother feels that there is something wrong. As the story unfolds through the eyes of mother, teacher and child, the truth gradually emerges. In Japanese with English subtitles. Special presentation of Well Go USA.
Perfect Days | Wim Winders | Japan | Indiana Premiere
A janitor in Japan drives between jobs listening to rock music. Special presentation of NEON Rated.
The Persian Version | Maryam Keshavarz | USA | Midwest Premiere
When her family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, Leila navigates her relationships at arm’s length in an effort to keep her “real” life separate from her family life. Special presentation of Sony Pictures Classics.
The Promised Land | Nikolaj Arcel | Denmark, Germany, Sweden | Indiana Premiere
In 1755, the impoverished Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) sets out to conquer a vast uninhabitable land with a seemingly impossible goal; to cultivate valuable crops and build a colony for the King in exchange for a desperately desired royal name for himself. Special presentation of Magnolia Pictures.
Robot Dreams | Pablo Berger | Spain, France | Indiana Premiere
Based on the popular graphic novel by the North American writer Sara Varon, “Robot Dreams” tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the ’80s. Special presentation of NEON Rated.
Rustin | George C. Wolfe | USA | Midwest Premiere
“Rustin” shines a spotlight on Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), who, alongside giants like Martin Luther King Jr. and Ella Baker, dare to imagine a different world and inspire a movement in a march toward freedom. Centerpiece, special presentation of Netflix.
Silver Dollar Road | Raoul Peck | USA
A Black family in North Carolina battles decades of harassment by land developers trying to seize their waterfront property, in this searing documentary by Oscar-nominated director Raoul Peck (“I Am Not Your Negro”). Special presentation of Prime Video.
Sometimes I Think About Dying | Rachel Lambert | USA | Indiana Premiere
Lost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran (Daisy Ridley) finds solace in her cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates and occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. Special presentation of Oscilloscope Laboratories.
The Space Race | Lisa Cortés and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza | USA | Midwest Premiere
“The Space Race” uncovers the little-known stories of the first Black pilots, engineers and scientists that became astronauts. Special presentation of National Geographic Documentary Films.
Spotlight: Easerseals Disability Film Challenge
The Heartland International Film Festival is proud to once again partner with the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge to showcase the slate of 2023 Finalists and Winners. EDFC Founder Nic Novicki will join us in-person to present this year’s lineup.
Stopmotion | Robert Morgan | UK | Midwest Premiere
Ella Blake is a stop-motion animator who is struggling to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother. Suddenly alone in the world, she embarks upon the creation of a macabre new puppet film, which soon becomes the battleground for her sanity. Special presentation of Shudder.
The Taste of Things | Anh Hung Tran | France | Midwest Premiere
Set in France in 1889, the film follows the life of Dodin Bouffant as a chef living with his personal cook and lover Eugénie. They share a long history of gastronomy and love but Eugénie refuses to marry Dodin, so the food lover decides to do something he has never done before: cook for her. Special presentation of IFC Films.
When Evil Lurks | Demián Rugna | Argentina | Midwest Premiere
Two brothers race to prevent the spawning of evil incarnate as an epidemic of demonic possessions spreads through their rural community. Special presentation of Shudder.