The 22nd Annual Heartland Film Festival took place October 17-26, 2013, and hosted screenings at the AMC Castleton Square Theater, AMC Showplace Traders Point and The Theatre at the Wheeler Arts Community. The theme for the festival was 10 days of independent, international, enlightening films. 

Vanessa Hudgens and Sophie Nelisse attended the festival and received the Pioneering Spirit: Rising Star Award. Heartland Film also honored Geoffrey Rush with the Pioneering Spirit Award.