INDIANAPOLIS — Submissions for the 2013 Heartland Film Festival (Oct. 17 – 26) have smashed all previous records across multiple categories. Heartland’s success has grown substantially over the years, with an overall increase of 151 percent in submission numbers since 2009, thanks in part to the Festival’s selection as a qualifying festival for the Annual Academy Awards® in the Short Films Category in 2011. This means that the winner of the Grand Prize for Best Narrative Short Film will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the Annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules. Three 2012 Heartland Film Festival Award Winners were selected as nominees for the 2013 Academy Awards® and one, “Inocente,” won the Oscar® for Best Documentary, Short Subject.
Known throughout the industry as a “filmmakers’ festival,” the Heartland Film Festival (Oct. 17-26) will add even more opportunities for independent filmmakers as it partners with the ShortsHD™ network to offer select short film category winners the opportunity to be featured in blocks of festival-themed programming later this year. These films will also have opportunities for distribution via iTunes and Amazon Instant Video.
ShortsHD™ is the world’s first high definition short movie channel. Its programming is categorized into one-hour and half-hour themed blocks that cover a variety of genres, including comedies, musicals, documentaries, thrillers, dramas and animation. Select films from Heartland Film Festival will be featured on ShortsHD™ later this year.
