Film fanatics might find their new favorite movie at Heartland International Film Festival Oct. 9-19.
The 11-day event will show a mix of documentaries, shorts and feature films at five venues: Newfields, Living Room Theaters, Kan-Kan Cinema, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Indy Art Center.
Major topics and big stars will grace your screens, including the likes of Ayo Eidebri and Peyton Manning and Academy Award winners Julia Roberts and Rami Malek.
If you go
Heartland International Film Festival
🗓️ Oct. 9-19
📍 Newfields, Living Room Theaters, Kan-Kan Cinema, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Indy Art Center
🎟️ Individual tickets start at $13. Passes start at $120 for 10 screenings.
Heartland International Film Fest and Mirror Indy are giving away 100 discounted tickets for select shows. All you need to do is use the code MIRRORINDY25 at the checkout.
This year’s theme is “connect to what matters,” inspired by excitement around the creation of the internet. Festival films will encourage moviegoers to connect to new places, people and perspectives.
Heartland was founded in 1991 with the mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films.
More than $60,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to filmmakers at an awards party on Oct. 18.
Here’s a look at some of the films on deck, plus a free event you won’t want to miss.
Indiana Spotlight Program
🗓️ Oct. 9-19
📍 Multiple venues
🎟️ Starting at $13
It may be an international film festival, but there’s hometown love, too. Every year, the Indiana Spotlight program recognizes films created by Indiana residents or shot in our state. This year’s spotlight films:
“11:17”
A high school senior finds herself in the wake of a traumatic accident. She must navigate a surreal inner limbo while stuck between escape and confrontation. This movie was made by Hamilton Southeastern High School students and faculty.
“The Audition”
Alex prepares to audition for Hamlet with the help of his friend, Max, but his script mysteriously disappears.
“The Amateur Circus”
Tucked away in northern Indiana, the city of Peru is the circus capitol of the world. Thousands of visitors and townspeople come there for two weeks to see the annual amateur circus. This documentary is anything but amateur, as it was performed by only the local kids.
“Ignite the Fire”
This documentary tells the story of the inaugural season of Indy Ignite, Indiana’s first ever professional women’s volleyball team.
“Sincerely, Ric”
Found footage from a forgotten storage unit uncovers the rise and fall of Ric Routledge, a dog show icon who revolutionized the industry from Indiana.
“Sweet Lorraine in Auschwitz”
Musician Frank Grunwald shares his true story of survival and resilience during the Holocaust, intertwined with American jazz.
“The Tenderness Tour”
Richard Propes, a seasoned grassroots activist, struggles to keep his Tenderness Tour alive while managing new health realities and battling old demons.
Get the backstory
Meet the Indy man wheeling to eliminate Hoosier medical debt
Richard Propes will travel 150 miles across Indiana in his wheelchair for The Tenderness Tour.
“The Village on the Prairie: 50 Years of Prairietown”
Eli Lilly founded Prairietown at Conner Prairie in 1974. This 2024 documentary celebrates its 50-year legacy.
“When Everyone Swims”
This documentary film sheds light on the intersection between swimming, public safety and social inequality.
“Winter Fantasy”
A 30-year-old actor searches for closure as she visits her hometown musical theatre program.
2025 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge
🗓️ 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12
📍 Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 3898 Lafayette Road
🎟️ Free
This five-day filmmaking challenge gives filmmakers — with and without disabilities — the opportunity to write, produce and complete short films embracing disability. The screening will show 15 short films based on this year’s theme of thriller and suspense.
Cannes at the Kan-Kan
🗓️ Oct. 9-19
📍 Multiple venues
🎟️ Starting at $13
Catch screenings of six films that premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May. Some highlights include “It Was Just An Accident,” a Persian film that received the festival’s Palme d’Or award; and “Arco,” an animated feature starring Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Flea, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo and Andy Samberg.
Not local but too cool to pass up
With so many options on what and where to watch, I figured I’d do some of the work for you and recommend the films I think stand out the most (in my opinion!) in the documentary, special presentation and horror categories.
Here’s what I’ll be watching:
Documentaries
Special presentation features
“Christy”
“After the Hunt”
“Is This Thing On?”
“Good Fortune“
“Rebuilding”
“Arco”
Horror
“Bird Boy”
“Hello Out There!”
“She Dances”
“Under The Lights”
Many movies will be available to stream if you can’t go to a theater in person. Visit heartlandfilmfestival.org for the full schedule, showtimes and tickets.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.
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