Connect to What Matters at the 34th Heartland International Film Festival
The 34th Heartland International Film Festival takes over the city October 9–19, 2025, with screenings at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Kan-Kan, Newfields, and more.
Lights, Camera, Indy.
From Brendan Fraser in Rental Family to Rami Malek in Nuremberg, this year’s lineup is packed with premieres, big-name talent, and Indiana pride.
The Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF) returns to Indianapolis October 9–19, 2025, inviting audiences to discover new perspectives and celebrate the power of storytelling under this year’s theme, Connect to What Matters.
Screenings and events will take place at some of Indy’s most vibrant cultural hubs, including Alamo Drafthouse Cinema at The Square, the Indy Art Center, Kan-Kan Cinema, Living Room Theaters, and Newfields. Many films will also be available virtually (U.S. only), making it easier than ever to experience the festival.
Screening Venues
Marquee Screenings
- Opening Night (Oct 9): Rental Family (Searchlight Pictures), starring Brendan Fraser, an Academy Award winner with Hoosier ties. Fraser plays an American actor in Tokyo who takes on an unconventional gig at a rental family agency.
- Centerpiece Screening (Oct 15): Train Dreams (Netflix), adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella, starring Joel Edgerton and co-written by HIFF Pioneering Spirit Award winner Greg Kwedar
- Closing Night (Oct 19): Nuremberg (Sony Pictures Classics), starring Rami Malek in a powerful drama about post-World War II justice and the nature of evil.
Other spotlight films include:
- Is This Thing On? featuring a cameo by Indiana’s own Peyton Manning
- Christy, starring Sydney Sweeney, with a post-screening Q&A, plus a performance by Indianapolis-born Katy O’Brian
- A Cannes at the Kan-Kan series showcasing recent prizewinners, including It Was Just an Accident (2025 Palme d’Or winner) and The Secret Agent
Awards and Recognition
HIFF will award more than 60,000 dollars in cash prizes, including 20,000 dollars each for Narrative and Documentary Grand Prizes. Since 1992, the festival has awarded more than 3.5 million dollars, making it one of the most generous U.S. festivals for filmmakers.
The Awards Presentation will take place on Saturday, October 18 at The Jazz Kitchen.
Why Attend in 2025
- See Oscar-contending performances from actors with Hoosier ties
- Experience 19 world and U.S. premieres, 27 regional premieres, 9 Indiana Spotlight films, and 17 special presentations
- Enjoy screenings at Alamo Drafthouse and other beloved Indy venues, making filmgoing an immersive local experience
- Connect with global stories, celebrate Indiana talent, and discover films that truly matter
World and US Premieries
- 11:17 | AJ Koleszar | United States | World Premiere
- À demain sur la Lune | Thomas Balmès | France | U.S. Premiere
- Best Day Ever | Ben Knight, Berne Broudy | United States | World Premiere
- Hanna: She is a Rebel | Laura Andrea López Estrada | Iceland, Mexico | U.S. Premiere
- The House with No Address | Hatice Aşkın | Turkey, Greece | U.S. Premiere
- Ignite the Fire | Brian Hansen, Juan Guillen | United States | World Premiere
- The Invisible Half | Masaki Nishiyama | Japan | U.S. Premiere
- Pauline From 2 to 3 | Richard Rutkowski | United States | World Premiere
- Premarital | Robert Ingraham | United States | World Premiere
- Sacred Wisdom Sacred Earth | Alejandro Miranda | United States | World Premiere
- Shakti | Nani Sahra Walker | United States, Nepal | World Premiere
- Sincerely, Ric | Jesse Carfield | United States | World Premiere
- Soft Leaves | Miwako Van Weyenberg | Belgium | U.S. Premiere
- Sweet Lorraine in Auschwitz | Philip Paluso | United States | World Premiere
- The Tenderness Tour | Andie Redwine | United States | World Premiere
- Tight & Nerdy | Jeff Nucera, Jonathan Ruane | United States | World Premiere
- TRUTH & TREASON | Matt Whitaker | United States | World Premiere
- The Village on the Prairie: 50 Years of Prairietown | Ryan Shank, Keith Harshbarger | United States | World Premiere
- Winter Fantasy | Lauren Z Ray | United States | World Premiere
