The Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival presented by Heartland Film is the largest shorts festival in the Midwest running in Indianapolis, Indiana, since 2018! Originally an expansion to the Heartland International Film Festival, Indy Shorts has become its own six day summer festival that celebrates the unique, creative and captivating art of short films in a wide range of categories including horror, comedy, documentary, narrative, animated, and more!
Indy Shorts International Film Festival started in 2018 and takes place in Indianapolis, IN
The 8th Indy Shorts International Film Festival concluded on Sunday, July 27, and awarded $35,000 in cash prizes at the Award Presentation. “The Singers” by Sam Davis won the Narrative Grand Prize, “The Last Observers” by Maja K Mikkelsen won the Documentary Grand Prize, and “Éiru” by Giovanna Ferrari won the Animated Grand Prize, automatically qualifying these film for the 2026 Academy Awards® in their respective categories.
The 8th Annual Academy Award-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indy Shorts) will take place July 22-27, 2025. The festival will showcase 253 short films with screenings at Living Room Theaters, Newfields (The Tobias Theater, The Amphitheater and The Beer Garden) in Indianapolis, Indiana and available to stream.
The 7th Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indy Shorts) presented over $35,000 in cash prizes at the Awards Ceremony with the three Academy Awards® qualifying Grand Prizes going to “Crust” by Jens Kevin Georg, Germany for Narrative Short; “Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way” by Hao Zhou, United States) for Documentary Short; and “The Brown Dog” by Jamie-James Medina & Nadia Hallgren, United States for Animated Short.
The Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indy Shorts) returns to Indianapolis for its seventh edition, running July 23-28, 2024. The lineup includes titles featuring Seth Rogen, Michael K. Williams, Nolan Gould, Richard Kind and more.
The Academy Award®-Qualifying 2023 Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indy Shorts), presented by Heartland Film ended on Sunday and announced its award winners and presented more than $30,000 in cash prizes at its Awards Ceremony.
The 2022 Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indy Shorts) presented by Heartland Film announced its award winners. The Grand Prize for Narrative Short went to “Ousmane” directed by by Jorge Camarotti; the Grand Prize for Documentary Short went to “Stranger at the Gate” by Joshua Seftel and the Grand Prize for Animated Short went to “Black Slide” by by Uri Lotan. The Festival’s three Grand Prize-winning films will receive Academy Award® qualification in their respective categories and $5,000 in cash prizes.
The 5th annual Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival returns July 19-24, 2022, featuring a lineup of 150 short films from 25 countries at Living Room Theaters (indoor), Newfields (indoor & amphitheater), Indianapolis Art Center (outdoor) and virtually. This year’s theme is “The Greatest Shorts on Earth” with a carnival focus.
The 2021 Indy Shorts International Film Festival, presented by Heartland Film (Indy Shorts) concluded its six-day run and announced the winners of the Audience Choice Awards with Ewa Smyk’s “Homebird” the big winner with both the Academy Award®-qualifying Grand Prize and Audience Choice Awards in the Animated category.
Three films, all directed by women – “Like the Ones I Used to Know” by Annie St. Pierre, “Your Street” by Güzin Kar and “Homebird” by Ewa Smyk won the Grand Prizes along with the Academy Awards®-qualifying honors, at the 2021 Indy Shorts International Film Festival presented by Heartland Film (Indy Shorts).
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.