Heartland announces impressive 2019 lineup
Presented by nonprofit arts organization Heartland Film, the 28th Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF) will take place in Indianapolis from Oct. 10-20 in venues throughout the city and The Historic Artcraft Theatre in Franklin. With a record 200 plus feature films and 400 film screenings, HIFF is the largest and longest-running film festival in Indiana.
“We could not be more excited about what’s in store for this year’s Heartland International Film Festival and welcome filmgoers to explore our bold cinematic space,” said Craig Prater, Heartland Film President. “From award contenders, premieres, stars, and sensational events, Heartland is proud to be able to represent this important art form on such an international scale here in Indiana.”
Major Event Titles
TriStar Pictures’ “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” directed by Marielle Heller featuring Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers, which will open HIFF on Thursday, Oct. 10 at Newfields.
Netflix will present “Marriage Story,” directed by Noah Baumbach featuring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, as HIFF Centerpiece on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at Newfields in addition to “The Two Popes,” directed by Fernando Meirelles featuring Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins as the HIFF Showcase Screening on Thursday, Oct. 17 at AMC Castleton Square.
Closing HIFF on Sunday, Oct. 20 will be Warner Bros. release “Just Mercy” directed by Destin Daniel Cretton starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson based on the memoir of the same name by Bryan Stevenson.
Cash Prizes and Competition Titles
The Heartland International Film Festival will award $60,000 in cash prizes across multiple categories, recognizing the best in independent filmmaking from all over the world. Only 10 Finalist films are chosen to compete for HIFF Grand Prizes, five Narrative Features and five Documentary Features, and each category will carry a $15,000 cash prize. Narrative Finalists in competition include “Colewell” (Tom Quinn starring Karen Allen), “The Garden Left Behind” (Flavio Alves), “Greener Grass” (Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe), “Guest Artist” (Timothy Busfield starring Jeff Daniels), and “House of Hummingbird (Bora Kim). Documentary Finalists in competition include “17 Blocks” (Davy Rothbart), “Ernie & Joe” (Jenifer McShane), “For Sama” (Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts), “Jump Shot” (Jacob Hamilton), and “Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements” (Irene Taylor Brodsky). Fifty percent of these competition titles are directed or co-directed by women.
Earlier this year, Heartland Film officially signed the 5050×2020 Pledge to solidify its commitment to gender parity in its programming. At HIFF 2019, 43 percent of the films in the overall lineup are directed or co-directed by women.
Beyond its top prizes, HIFF will present cash awards for Best International Feature Film Oscar® Contender, best premieres, Indiana Spotlight, Richard D. Propes Social Impact Awards, Humor and Humanity, and the Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award, which is the only sanctioned festival award in the beloved actor’s namesake approved by the Stewart Family.
Select 2019 HIFF Featured Titles:
Highlights from the 200 plus feature film lineup include:
“63 UP” directed by Michael Apted (Independent Television ITV)
o Michael Apted scheduled to attend to receive the HIFF Lifetime Achievement Award
“The Apollo” directed by Roger Ross Williams (HBO), Award Season Spotlight Program
“Breaking Away” directed by Peter Yates, 40thAnniversary Special Presentation
o Actor Dennis Christopher scheduled to attend
“By the Grace of God” directed by François Ozon (Music Box Films), Special Presentation
“The Cave” directed by Feras Fayyad (National Geographic), Award Season Spotlight Program
“Clemency” directed by Chinonye Chukwu (NEON), Special Presentation
“Dolor y gloria / Pain and Glory” directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Sony Pictures Classics), Best International Feature Film Oscar®Contender Program
“Il traditore / The Traitor” directed by Marco Bellocchio (Sony Pictures Classics), Special Presentation
“I Lost My Body” directed by Jérémy Clapin (Netflix), Special Presentation
“In Fabric” directed by Peter Strickland (A24), Special Presentation
“Midnight Cowboy” directed by John Schlesinger, 50thAnniversary Special Presentation
o Photographer Michael Childers scheduled to attend with a moderated Q&A hosted by Bruce Fessier
“The Mummy” directed by Stephen Sommers, 20thAnniversary Special Presentation
○ Actor Brendan Fraser scheduled to attend with a moderated Q&A hosted by Pete Hammond
“Parasite” directed by Bong Joon Ho (NEON), Best International Feature Film Oscar®Contender Program
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” directed by Céline Sciamma (NEON), Special Presentation
“Slay the Dragon” directed by Barak Goodman and Chris Durrance (Magnolia Pictures), Special Presentation
“Synonyms” directed by Nadav Lapid (Kino Lorber), Special Presentation
“Systemsprenger / System Crasher” directed by Nora Fingscheidt (Ad Vitam Distribution), US Premiere in the Cultural Journey: Germany and Best International Feature Film Oscar®Contender Programs
“Waves” directed by Trey Edwards Shults (A24), Special Presentation
“When We Last Spoke” directed by Joanne Hock, Official Selection
○ Actor Cloris Leachman to receive the HIFF Lifetime Achievement Award, Actor Corbin Bernsen scheduled to attend
Full Lineup and Info
Venues for the HIFF include Newfields, AMC Castleton Square 14, AMC Showplace Traders Point 12, The Historic Artcraft Theatre, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery Lounge at Castleton Square Mall and The Montage. Tickets for HIFF events and screenings will go on sale Sept. 13 for Heartland Film members and Sept. 16 to the public, and can be purchased online at heartlandfilmfestival.org. To view the entire lineup, visit heartlandfilmfestival.org.