The Heartland Film Festival is the autumn feature festival of Heartland Film, a non-profit arts organisation in Indianapolis founded in 1991; the festival debuted in 1992. Its selection looks for story-driven narrative and documentary features of 41 minutes or longer that, in the organisers' words, do more than entertain. Screenings take place at venues across the city, including Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Kan-Kan Cinema, Living Room Theaters and Newfields, with filmmaker Q&As.
The festival is known for its cash prizes: Grand Prizes of $20,000 for the best narrative and documentary feature, alongside awards for social impact, Indiana films, premieres and the Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award. Short films go to Heartland Film's separate summer festival, Indy Shorts. The dates of the 35th edition are 8–18 October 2026.
Awards and prizes
Narrative Feature Grand Prize and Documentary Feature Grand Prize ($20,000 each). Allen Whitehill Clowes Awards, narrative and documentary ($10,000 each). Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award ($5,000). Best Premiere Awards, narrative and documentary ($2,500 each). Richard D. Propes Social Impact Awards, narrative and documentary ($2,000 each). Hoodox Indiana Documentary Award and Indiana Narrative Award ($2,000 each). Humor & Humanity Award ($2,000). Audience Choice Awards without cash prizes, including overall narrative and documentary, official selection, Indiana, spotlight and horror categories.
Festival rules
Feature films only: narrative and documentary films with a running time of 41 minutes or more including credits; short films of 40 minutes or less go to Indy Shorts. For the 2026 edition, films must have been completed on or after January 1, 2025, be available for up to three in-person screenings during the festival and not play theatrically in Central Indiana from selection through the festival. No screening fees. A DCP plus a high-quality digital backup file is required. Non-English films must be subtitled. Films released via TVOD remain eligible; SVOD titles and films with wide broadcast or online release are not. Use of AI must be disclosed. Premiere status (World, US or Midwest) does not affect selection; World and US premieres are eligible for additional prizes. Indiana awards require two of: director or producer resident in Indiana, lead actor resident in Indiana, at least 50% of the film shot in Indiana.
