Heartland Film Festival Announces Opening Night Screening Lineup
Indianapolis, IN – Heartland Film Festival, the premiere showcase for dramatically different films – invites filmgoers to be moved by stories of courage, integrity and hope during the 16th annual film festival, October 18-26 in Indianapolis.
Heartland will showcase nearly 50 films, featuring a wide variety of dramatic, animated and documentary films for all ages and interests. This includes 16 award-winning films selected from 619 international film submissions (representing 40 countries) for best meeting Heartland’s mission and demonstrating excellence in filmmaking. These films, which embody and celebrate the best of the human spirit, open on October 19 at three venues in Indianapolis and will screen through October 25. Audiences will have an exclusive chance to speak with filmmakers following the film screenings on opening night.
The 2007 Crystal Heart Award-winning films that will be screened include: “Bella,” “Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy,” “Doubletime,” “Hear and Now,” “Lars and the Real Girl,” “Man In the Chair,” “Mia Sarah,” “Nanking,” “New Year Baby,” “Owl and the Sparrow,” “Validation” and “War/Dance.” The Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award-winning student films are: “The Little Gorilla,” “Monsoon,” “Still Life” and “THE WINDFISHERMAN.”
“Opening Film Night is always one of the most exciting nights of the Festival,” said Jeffrey L. Sparks, president and CEO of Heartland Truly Moving PicturesTM. “This year we have something for all ages and tastes, ranging from powerful, inspiring documentaries to quirky comedies and romantic dramas. The lineup offers an opportunity for everyone to be moved. We’re especially excited to give audiences a unique chance to chat with filmmakers following the opening night screenings.”
Besides the 2007 Crystal Heart Award winners, the Festival will screen several Official Selections. These films embody the spirit of Heartland but are not in competition. This year’s Official Selections, which are eligible for the Audience Choice Awards, include: “A Senseless Act,” “All About Us,” “Bonneville,” “The Better Hour: The Legacy of William Wilberforce,” “CHRISTMAS IS HERE AGAIN!” “Compañeras,” “Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life,” “Heart to Heart,” ‘Home of the Giants,” “Life Is Not the Same,” “Midnight Clear,” “Moondance Alexander,” “Muse of Fire,” “Note by Note,” “Our Race,” “The Pact,” “Saving Angelo,” “TWISTED: A Balloonamentary” and “When I Grow Up.”
Additionally, the 16th annual Heartland Film Festival will feature a sidebar of films picked by six Indianapolis-based organizations.
These films are designed to inspire change in a community, society or even an individual’s life. The sidebar films include “A Hero for Daisy” selected by Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation; “Crash” selected by Indy Hub, “Desk Set” selected by Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library; “Innocent Voices” selected by La Plaza; “Pay It Forward” selected by Indiana Youth Institute; and “To Kill A Mockingbird” selected by Indiana Black Expo, Inc.
Heartland is excited to offer an improved Web site featuring a new online Festival Community provided by B-Side Entertainment. With this exciting new tool, moviegoers can learn about this year’s Festival films directly from the filmmakers, search by program or movie title, read blogs, rate the movies, write reviews, view movie stills or watch trailers, all before planning and printing a personalized Festival schedule.
Single general admission tickets to Festival screenings are available for $7 at the theaters or for $6 in advance at select Indianapolis area Marsh Supermarkets. Festival 10-Packs, consisting of 10 general admission tickets, are available in advance for $50 (a $20 savings over single ticket pricing) through Heartland’s toll-free ticket line at 1-866-HFF-1010, online at www.HeartlandFilmFestival.org or at select Indianapolis area Marsh Supermarkets. Festival 10-packs will also be available at theaters during the Festival. A $5 service fee will be added to all Web site and phone orders.
Seating Cards will be required (in addition to general admission tickets) for Festival screenings to ensure that the maximum number of people can enjoy each film. Seating Cards can be obtained at the theater for each day’s screenings until they are gone. Audiences should arrive 10 minutes before show time to guarantee seating. At the conclusion of each screening, attendees will be able to use their Seating Card to rate the film they just viewed. These responses will be used to tabulate the 2007 Audience Choice Awards.