“Julia” the new documentary on celebrity chef Julia Child will open the 30th anniversary edition of the Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF), taking place October 7-17, across Indianapolis. The festival revealed the first slate of special event titles including closing night film “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” on English artist Louis Wain, who rose to prominence at the end of the 19th century for his surreal cat paintings.
The 4th Indy Shorts International Film Festival, under the theme “A Short Escape,” will run July, 20-25, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana showcasing a lineup of 201 independent short films in 33 themed programs. The 6-day festival is offering 3 different ways to experience the Academy Award®-Qualifying Festival with indoor, outdoor, and virtual viewing options.
The 29th Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF) announced the award winners and more than $60,000 in cash prizes via its virtual Awards Show this evening. Wuhan COVID-19 outbreak documentary “76 Days” is HIFF’s big winner, taking both the $20,000 Grand Prize for Documentary Feature and $2,000 Richard D. Propes Social Impact Award, Documentary Feature. Earlier this week MTV Documentary Films acquired the North American rights to “76 Days” at HIFF.
MTV Documentary Films acquired the documentary “76 Days,” directed by Hao Wu, Weixi Chen, and Anonymous, currently playing at the 29th Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF).
Heartland Film announced the lineup of 76 independent feature films showcased in the 29th Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF29) running via hybrid model of drive-in and virtual events, from October 8 to 18.
It’s been almost 90 years since the first drive-in movie theater opened in New Jersey in 1933, and thanks to the coronavirus, they are making a trendy comeback. During this time, festivals have had to find creative ways to showcase films, many opting for virtual cinemas and online screenings. The drive-in experience allows film-lovers and movie-goers to indulge in the community-shared experience that cinemas provide while also social distancing and staying safe. Check out the drive-in film festivals and their featured titles, happening between July and August.
Bora Kim’s HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD took home the Grand Prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $15,000) at the 28th Heartland International Film Festival. Seung-Yun Lee who stars in the film was on hand to accept the award.
Watch an exclusive clip from Guy Davies’ Philophobia which recently had its World Premiere at the Heartland International Film Festival followed by a West Coast premiere at the San Diego International Film Festival.
Inspired by Bernard de Fontenelle’s Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds, Around the Sun directed by Oliver Krimpas, and starring Cara Theobold (Downton Abbey) along with Gethin Anthony (Game of Thrones) is now making the regional festival rounds. The film is playing at the young upstart Mystic Film Festival, in Connecticut, this weekend, and at the the Heartland International Film Festival, in Indianapolis next weekend.
The Heartland International Film Festival announced the official selections for its 28th edition, taking place October 10-20. Marielle Heller’s Tom Hanks’ starrer A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD was chosen as the Opening Night Gala film, and Destin Daniel Cretton’s JUST MERCY will screen as the Closing Night Gala selection. Noah Baumbach’s MARRIAGE STORY is set to be the Centerpiece Screening, and Fernando Meirelles’ THE TWO POPES will be the Showcase Screening.
Red Dog: True Blue[/caption]
Red Dog: True Blue is the winner of the Grand Prize for Best Narrative Feature, and Liyana takes the Grand Prize for Best Documentary Feature at the 26th Heartland Film Festival. The Heartland Film Festival has earned the special designation of being a qualifying festival for the Annual Academy Awards® within the Short Films category. This means that the winner of the Grand Prize for Best Narrative Short Film (“The Cage,” directed by Ricky Staub) will qualify for consideration in the Live Action Short Subject category of the Annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.
“Congratulations to our international prize winners who came from around the world to share their powerful stories in Indianapolis,” said Heartland Film President Craig Prater. “Feature winners ‘Liyana’ and ‘Red Dog: True Blue’ hail from Swaziland and Australia as short film winners ‘The Cage’, ‘Edges’, and ‘The Wishing Jar’ represent the U.S. and Canada. This year the Heartland Film Festival hosted more film titles and filmmakers than ever before and it is an honor to recognize these films as the best of the best.””
Liyana[/caption]
$25,000 Grand Prize for Best Documentary Feature
“Liyana,” directed by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (Swaziland, USA, Qatar)
$5,000 Grand Prize for Best Narrative Short
Underwritten by Heartland Film Endowment’s Sparks Vision Award
“The Cage,” directed by Ricky Staub (USA)
$5,000 Grand Prize for Best Documentary Short
Underwritten by Heartland Film Endowment’s Sparks Vision Award
“Edges,” directed by Katie Stjernholm and Jonathan Hiller (USA)
$5,000 Grand Prize for Best Animated Short
“The Wishing Jar,” directed by Denver Jackson (Canada)
$3,500 Best Premiere for Narrative Feature
“The Drawer Boy,” directed by Arturo Pérez Torres (Canada, Mexico)
$3,500 Best Premiere for Documentary Feature
“Defining Hope,” directed by Carolyn Jones (USA)
$5,000 Indiana Spotlight Winner
“Little Warriors,” directed by Sam Miro (USA)
$2,000 Summer White Lynch Memorial Award – High School Film Competition Grand Prize
Underwritten by Gary D. & Marlene Cohen
“Two of Five Million,” directed by Socs and DZ Zavitsanos (Greece, USA)
$5,000 Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award Winner
“Little Pink House,” directed by Courtney Moorehead Balaker (USA)
The Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award honors a single film, selected from the Festival’s feature-length narrative and documentary titles. This film embodies the ongoing legacy of actor and national hero Jimmy Stewart and demonstrates the triumph of the human spirit through determination and the defiance of odds, humble vulnerability, and courage in the face of adversity. Made possible by a partnership with The Stewart Family.
The 26th Heartland Film Festival will debut the inaugural “Foreign Language Best Picture Contender” sidebar featuring 10 films submitted as the respective country’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Academy Awards®. Each selection will play once during Heartland’s 11-day celebration of international independent film.
“Each year, Heartland Film Festival proudly showcases a healthy percentage of foreign language films which are much admired, roundly discussed and debated by our audiences,” said International Film Programmer Hannah Fisher. “We present this year – for the first time – a section of films submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration in the category known as ‘Best Foreign Language Film.‘
“We anticipate this program will grow and evolve in stature, in much the same way that that Heartland Film Festival continues to gain international recognition and prominence. Heartland is thrilled to be among the first North American film festivals to showcase these foreign language contenders,” concluded Fisher.
Set to award more than $100,000 in cash prizes across various categories, the 2017 Heartland Film Festival will bestow a $5,000 cash prize to one of these 10 films, as selected by the Festival’s foreign language contender jury.