Sixteen years ago, a group of visionaries united to create a unique film festival to honor beautifully
made films that celebrate the positive aspects of life. In 1991, that festival was a small event in
Indianapolis, screening six award winners to 2,500 supporters. Since then, attendance has increased
an average of 17 percent each year, making the Heartland Film Festival one of the fastest growing
film festivals in the country as well as one the Midwest’s premier cinematic celebrations.
This year Heartland will screen an eclectic collection of 16 Crystal Heart Award-winning films to
nearly 20,000 moviegoers during the annual Festival, October 18-26 in Indianapolis.
Ranging from a quirky comedy, to a sweet Spanish romance, to documentaries with haunting testimonies, to a wide variety of cheerful and moving shorts, these dramatically different films do more than entertain – they bring out the best in the human spirit. 2007 also marks the return of Official Selection films.
These 20 features and shorts, twice as many as last year, include three World premieres, two U.S. premieres and two films shot in Indiana. Heartland’s sidebar will showcase Films That Inspire Change; each film was uniquely chosen by a different Indianapolis civic organization as a representation of their constituency.
The awareness of Heartland’s emerging reputation is not limited to filmmakers from around the
world vying to showcase their work or audiences clamoring to see films. More and more Hollywood
studios are also taking notice and requesting a spot for their films in the Heartland Film Festival
lineup. Such was the case with this year’s opening and closing night events, with Heartland choosing
the music-driven drama “August Rush” by Warner Bros. Pictures and the much-anticipated “The
Kite Runner” by DreamWorks Pictures, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Participant Productions.
Other signs of Heartland’s growth are a record number of sponsors, an expanded staff, a current
maximum capacity of nearly 600 volunteers and the addition of several new events to the Festival
lineup. This includes an expanded two-day Education Seminar for aspiring filmmakers; a free sneak
peek of upcoming Walt Disney Pictures’ films including “Enchanted” with commentary from Walt
Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group President Mark Zoradi; a free screening of “Invisible
Children: Rough Cut,” the powerful documentary that has inspired people around the world to take
action; and a collaborative screening of “Renewing American Culture: The Pursuit of Happiness.”
As Heartland continues to grow and gain momentum, the organization is making it easier for
filmmakers to create movies with a positive focus, and making these great films more accessible for
people that want to see them.