FESTIVAL HISTORY

The Backstory

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.  Today, it's nine days of student and professional films, a variety of Special Events and a one-of-a-kind experience in one of the Midwest's most inviting cities.

Heartland Truly Moving Pictures, a non-profit organization, was established in 1991 to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.

  Each October, Heartland screens independent films from around the world and presents $200,000 in cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival’s top entries. This includes a $100,000 Grand Prize for Best Dramatic Feature underwritten by the Max Simon Charitable Foundation, a $25,000 Award for Best Documentary Feature and a $10,000 Award for Best Short Film. The remaining $65,000 is shared among the Crystal Heart and Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winners.

Heartland will have awarded more than $1.8 million in 16 years to support filmmakers in their quest to create films that bring out the best of the human spirit.

Heartland President Jeffrey L. Sparks (above, left) has been a part of the story since its beginning and remains a driving force behind Heartland's evolving direction.  Through the combined efforts of a talented staff, dedicated board and reliable volunteers, Heartland has managed to morph and adapt to changing audiences and initiatives.  Regardless of the exterior changes, Heartland's focus has always remained the same:  to recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.

For example, in 2002 Heartland Film Festival Video, a video distribution initiative, was launched. The first movie to be released under the Heartland Film Festival video label was Best Man in Grass Creek, a romantic comedy and Crystal Heart Award Winner at the annual Festival. Heartland Film Festival Video provided a video outlet for promising independent films that otherwise may not gain wide distribution. Heartland has also released Diary of a City Priest and Final Solution under its distribution initiative. These film titles remain available for purchase at Amazon.com.

In 2000, Heartland created the Truly Moving Picture Award as a way to honor theatrically-released films that demonstrate the Heartland purpose with excellence, inspiring and enriching lives. Submissions are received directly from studios and producers for consideration. Since the industry decides a film’s success based on the opening weekend box office, Heartland encourages audiences to attend a Truly Moving Picture Award winner on its first weekend.    Truly Moving Picture Award

Visit TRULY MOVING PICTURES for more information.

Heartland partnered with the National Collaboration for Youth in 2004 to create the F.I.L.M. Project, Finding Inspiration in Literature and Movies.  The program develops free, downloadable curriculum (available at www.YouthFILMProject.org) for youth leaders and facilitators to utlize in their programming.  Encouraging youth to watch a movie and read the book associated with it, the program is completed by performing a community service project that exemplifies the values and message of the book and movie.  To date, over 300,000 youth nationwide have participated in a program developed by the F.I.L.M. Project.

Heartland Truly Moving Pictures is in its second decade of honoring films that inspire change and the visionaries behind them. Please join us in achieving our mission by becoming a part of our CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, attending the Festival each October in Indianapolis, viewing a Truly Moving Picture in the theater or at home and purchasing a Heartland Film Festival video.