Record number of films for the 18th annual Festival

The complete lineup of films and special events for the 2009 Heartland Film Festival was announced by Heartland Truly Moving Pictures President and CEO, Jeffrey L. Sparks during the annual Announcement Celebration. The 18th annual Heartland Film Festival will take place October 15-24, 2009 and will bring a record 87 films from around the world to Indianapolis.

“We were thrilled not only with the number of submissions we received this year, but the caliber of films,” said Sparks. “Quality is always our emphasis, but because of the number of powerful films submitted we opted to increase our programming substantially.”

Fifteen Crystal Heart Award winners and two student films distinguished as Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners have been selected for best meeting Heartland’s mission out of the more than 600 submissions. Heartland will award $200,000 in cash prizes to this year’s winners, including the $100,000 Grand Prize for Best Dramatic Feature, a $25,000 prize for Best Documentary Feature, and the $10,000 Vision Award for Best Short Film.

The five Crystal Heart Award-winning films that will vie for the $100,000 Grand Prize are The Eagle Hunter’s Son, Entre Nos, For My Father, Seven Minutes in Heaven and Welcome.

Five Crystal Heart Award winners will compete for the Festival’s $25,000 prize for Best Documentary Feature. These films are: After the Storm, Big John, P-Star Rising, Rough Aunties and Sergio.

In addition to the feature and documentary competitions, Heartland will present the $10,000 Vision Award for Best Short to one of five Crystal Heart Award winners and two Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners. Crystal Heart Award winners in this category include: Bicycle (Jitensha), The Final Inch, Marbles With Thoreau, Side by Side and Small Collection. Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners are: Acholiland and Kavi.

All cash prizes and awards will be presented at Heartland’s annual Crystal Heart Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 17 at The Murat Centre in downtown Indianapolis. Opening Night of film screenings will take place Friday, Oct. 16 at AMC Castleton Square 14 on the northside, where all Crystal Heart Award-winning films will be shown. Regular screenings will take place Saturday, Oct.17 through Saturday, Oct. 24 at AMC Castleton Square 14 and AMC Greenwood Park 14 on the southside.

In addition to the Crystal Heart Award-winning films, Heartland will also screen Official Selection films. These films are not in competition for the cash prizes, but are eligible for the Audience Choice Awards. These films will be screened Saturday, Oct. 17 through Saturday, Oct. 24.

Well surpassing last year’s record of 37 Official Selection films, this year Heartland will screen a whopping 64 films. Official Selection films included under the Dramatic Features category are: Another Harvest Moon, Barking Water, Broken Hill, Esprial, Etienne!, Like Dandelion Dust, Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, The Mighty Macs, My Name is Jerry, Pearl, A Shine of Rainbows, Spooner, Storm and That Evening Sun.

Official Selection films under the Documentary Features category are: Americana, Being Bucky, D Tour, Forgetting Dad, Holy Land Hardball, JesusFreaks, Kabul 24, Life is a Banquet: The Rosalind Russell Story, Motherland, My Dog, One Peace at a Time, Quest for Honor, Soundtrack for a Revolution, Sync or Swim and Ten9Eight: Shoot for the Moon.

Finally, Official Selection films within the Shorts category are: 12 Stones, The Archive, Beauty, The Best Part of My Day, The Big Table, Birthday, Bread Alone, Breaking the Chain, Charlie Thistle, Chicken Cowboy, Facing Extinction: Christians in Iraq, Fifty Cents, Free Wall, Gideon the Great: The Flying Ace, Gone Fishing, Grande Drip, Half Kenneth, Hope, Insalata Caprese, The Light of Family Burnam, Mind the Gap, Night Bus, Obedience, Paul and His Wall, Plastic, Ragman, Scarecrow, She’s a Fox, Strike, The Sundowners, That’s Magic!, Turnipseed, An Unfinished Romance, Up in the Air and Weathered.

New this year, Heartland is showcasing a few of its Truly Moving Picture Award winners before they hit theaters later this year. These featured special screenings include: Bright Star, Precious: Base on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire and Waking Sleeping Beauty.

In addition to the films that will screen during the Festival, six special events will provide outlets for film-lovers of all ages. The 10-day Festival will open on Thursday, Oct. 15 with the screening of Hachi: A Dog’s Tale at The Murat Centre.

Additional events include the annual Crystal Heart Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 17 where attendees can experience the glitz and glamour of Hollywood at The Murat Centre downtown; an opportunity to meet with award-winning filmmakers at the Filmmakers’ Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 18; and the Family Movie Event on Sunday, Oct. 18 featuring The Perfect Game at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. Film enthusiasts can attend the Heartland Film Institute Seminar on Monday, Oct. 19 where they will hear a keynote address by Don Hahn, the director of Waking Sleeping Beauty, a panel discussion with Crystal Heart Award-winning filmmakers, a roundtable discussion lunch with industry professionals, and a closing session with the filmmakers of Entre Nos.

The Heartland Film Festival will come to a close on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center with the emotional documentary, The Horse Boy, and the announcement of the 2009 Audience Choice Award winners.

“We’re excited about the number of opportunities film lovers have to experience the Festival this year,” said Sparks. “Between the extended schedule, increased programming and returning special events, the 2009 Heartland Film Festival is overflowing with options, while still being easy to navigate with easy access to the schedule and tickets. If someone has never attended the Festival before, this is definitely the year to give it a try.”

The complete 2009 Heartland Film Festival lineup and information can be found online at HeartlandFilmFestival.org. Regular screening tickets are available for purchase online through the Festival’s Web site, at Ticket Stops located at designated Marsh Supermarkets, through the Festival’s toll-free ticket line at 1.866.HFF.1010, or at the theaters during the Festival. Single tickets are $7 each when purchased in advance online, at the Marsh Supermarket Ticket Stops or through the ticket line. Tickets purchased at the theaters are $8 each. Attendees may also purchase 10 tickets at a discounted rate of $60, providing all tickets are purchased at the same time.

Tickets for all specials events, excluding the Opening Night Event and Gallery Seating for the Crystal Heart Awards Ceremony, are available through Heartland’s ticket line and Web site. Opening Night Event and Gallery Seating for the Crystal Heart Awards Ceremony are available at The Murat Centre box office or LiveNation.com. Prices vary by event.