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HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL

October

8-18

TICKETS & PASSES

2027 submissions open

Indy Shorts Film Festival

July

20-25

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tickets on sale this fall

Cinemania

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Founded in 1991

Heartland Film is a nonprofit arts organization that runs the Heartland Film Festival in October, the Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts Film Festival in July and other year-round programs.

Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Heartland Film was founded in 1991 with the mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films. The films we select and exhibit all have one thing in common: they are films that do more than entertain.

#1 best film festival

Heartland Film Festival

The Heartland Film Festival is the #1 Best Film Festival by the 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards! Thank you for your support over the last 35 years. We can’t wait to celebrate with you this October 8-18 at the 35th Heartland Film Festival!

Tickets

Upcoming Events

08

OCT 2026

Heartland Film Festival

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Indy Art Center, Kan-Kan Cinema, Living Room Theaters, Newfields & The Scottish Rite Cathedral.

The fall festival returns for the 35th year this October 8-18!
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18

OCT 2026

First Five

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

An additional screening of "First Five" has been added to the HFF35 database! This is the story of the first five recruits of Bob Knight and their four-year journey to revive the basketball program at Indiana University.
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18

OCT 2026

Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

An additional screening of "Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff" has been added to the HFF35 database! From Academy Award®–nominated director Nanette Burstein and producer Seth MacFarlane, "Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff" is an intimate portrait of the visionary astronomer, author and television star whose groundbreaking ideas transformed our understanding of the cosmos and human existence.
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Event Highlights

Archives

Indy Shorts Film Festival

July 2026

Heartland Film Festival

October 2025

Cinemania

April 2026