Indianapolis non-profit arts organization, Heartland Film, announces the retirement of President Craig Prater.
Prater
Since joining the organization in 2016, Prater has worked diligently to uplift Heartland Film’s recognition and influence locally and internationally. Some of his significant contributions include founding the Academy Award-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival – one of only 34 festivals in the world to have Oscar-qualifications in all three short film categories, creating Heartland Film’s Cultural Journey, and establishing Heartland International Film Festival’s partnership with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). Under his leadership, Heartland Film’s festivals have been recognized numerous times on MovieMaker Magazine’s Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.
Prater began his international film festival career as executive director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival in Palm Springs, Calif., where he co-founded the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films and the Film Noir Festival. The Royal Thai government then recruited Prater to lead their new Bangkok International Film Festival as executive director.
Prater also founded the Festival of Festivals, whose debut coincided with the opening of the Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City, Calif., and served as the director/producer of the Latino Film Festivals for the National Hispanic American Educational Foundation in Indio, Calif., and Tampa, Fla. He recently served as executive VP, strategic partnerships for the San Diego International Film Festival and director of the San Diego Jewish Film Festival.
Heartland Film thanks Craig Prater for his vision and dedication over the past five years and wishes him all the best in his retirement.
About Heartland Film, Inc.
Heartland Film is a nonprofit arts organization that runs the 11-day Heartland International Film Festival in October, the Academy Award-qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival in July, the Truly Moving Picture Award and other year-round programs.
Based in Indianapolis, Heartland Film was founded in 1991 with the mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films from diverse perspectives. Over the years, Heartland Film has presented $3.5 million in cash prize – the largest total amount awarded by any film festival in North America – presented more than 200 studio films with the Truly Moving Picture Award and showcased more than 1,800 feature and short films, including seven Oscar-winning titles. The 30th anniversary of the Heartland International Film Festival is running Oct. 7-17, 2021.
For more information, visit HeartlandFilm.org.