Three short films have ties to four Hamilton County locations
By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com
Next week, thanks to the Heartland Film, you can see shorts films from far and wide – as well as some from right next door – in the eighth annual Academy Award-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival (Indy Shorts).
The Reporter spoke with Heartland Film Artistic Director Greg Sorvig about his love of film and how Indy Shorts comes together.
“Heartland Film is our overall non-profit and we work with the Heartland Film Festival and Indy Shorts, and essentially my job is to help oversee the creative vision and selecting the films for both lineups,” Sorvig said. “It’s a great job. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Heartland Film has a team at the non-profit that helps select films for cinematic screening events throughout the year, but they are most well-known for these festivals.
Sorvig
“Indiana is known for Hoosier Hospitality, and we just really play into that,” Sorvig said. “We host these screenings and events. They’re streaming out there. You can go to the movie theaters. But we primarily show independent films that don’t yet have distribution. In the Indy Shorts case, we have 39 programs. They’re all thematic. There might be anything from comedy to horror to something that celebrates the human spirit or other partnership type things too.”
A short film is one that is 40 minutes or less. At the film festival, those are put into feature-length programs that run 80 to 120 minutes.
“Afterwards, we have all the filmmakers come up and we have a question-and-answer session with other filmmakers and the public who are attending the screenings,” Sorvig said. “We have parties and events and just a great atmosphere for people to connect over great storytelling and films and really people come in from all over the world.”
Heartland gets thousands of film submissions from around the world. According to Sorvig, for short films, only about 5 percent make the cut. Indy Shorts is known as both a top 20 short film festival in the world, and a top 25 coolest film festival.
“It’s really, really competitive,” Sorvig said. “We are known internationally as a Movie Maker Magazine top 20 short film festival in the world, which is a great reputation to have, and top 50 festival worth the entry fee.”
Every film has to essentially pay a submission fee to be entered. Dozens of volunteer screeners from around the world watch and score the films.
“We also have people on staff, we have interns, and some contract workers,” Sorvig said. “Those films get scored and if they keep getting good scores, they eventually get up to me and some other senior staff members, and we help select the films. Additionally, if I’m at another film festival, if I see something I kind of have the golden power of veto. I can go in and say hey we’re going to move this up and take you out of circulation or the opposite.
Sorvig told The Reporter Indy Shorts wants films that people will be excited to see and discuss.
“We have a good track record of having winners that have gone on to either shortlist or get nominated or win Oscars,” Sorvig said. “We have a lot of great alumni who have gone on to do a big amazing thing. I think it bucks the trend. You think of Hollywood – and the industry, if you will – as being very exclusive. The magic thing about Indiana is the Hoosier hospitality. We host people from around the world who might not otherwise come to Indiana, and they’re just really impressed and they keep coming back.”
Indy Shorts starts on July 22 and runs through July 27. Fest Pass and tickets are now on sale at IndyShorts.org.
Films with Hamilton County ties
- Connection: Cinematographer Isaac Eaton is a resident of Westfield. Documentary subject Kesha Kelly and her family are also residents of Westfield. The entire film was shot in Westfield and surrounding towns.
- Director: Callia Stichter
- Showing: Indiana Spotlight 2 Program | Saturday, July 26 at Newfields
- Synopsis: Kesha Kelly is the mother of Liam and Reece, brothers who were inseparable, ran cross country together and had a passion for aviation. After the boys tragically pass away in a plane crash, Kesha struggles to deal with the loss of her two sons. With the help of a supportive community, Kesha is able to persevere and gains the strength to rebuild her family from the ashes.
Hawkins Family Farm: A More Than Corn Story
- Connection: Director, Rocky Walls, is from Noblesville.
- Director: Rocky Walls
- Showing: Indiana Spotlight 2 Program | Saturday, July 26 at Newfields
- Synopsis: Hawkins Family Farm: A More Than Corn Story is a heartfelt exploration of family, community, and the deep connection between land and legacy, featuring father and son duo Jeff and Zach Hawkins of Hawkins Family Farm in North Manchester, Ind.
Sometimes I Imagine Your Funeral
- Connection: Filmed in Fishers and Carmel.
- Director: Vince Dixon
- Showing: Indiana Spotlight 3 Program | Saturday, July 26 at Newfields
- Synopsis: As Max prepares to eulogize his sister Chloe just minutes before her funeral, he wrestles with the anger, frustration and grief of losing her to an overdose, attempting to understand who Chloe was.