Three Indy Shorts submissions qualify for Academy Awards

32 short films made by Hoosiers screened during festival

The 2024 Indy Shorts International Film Festival Powered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation concluded July 28, with a record number of film submissions (5,130), filmmakers in attendance (more than 200), and short films programs (34).

Last year, MovieMaker Magazine named Indy Shorts on its list of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World. The seventh edition of the festival embraced this recognition with a fun pool party theme that encouraged attendees to dive into 206 splashy short films July 23-28 at Living Room Theaters and Newfields.

Indy Shorts presented over $35,000 in cash prizes at the Awards Presentation on Saturday, July 27 at Tinker House Events. The three Grand Prize-winning films, Crust (Jens Kevin Georg, Germany), Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way (Hao Zhou, United States), and The Brown Dog (Jamie-James Medina and Nadia Hallgren, United States) received their qualification for the 2025 Academy Awards in their respective categories and $5,000 in cash awards.

“With a record number of 5,130 short film submissions, and only 206 shorts selected for the festival, it is a remarkable accomplishment to be recognized as an award winner today, Artistic Director Greg Sorvig said. Congratulations to all of the award-winning filmmakers whose shorts stood out to our esteemed jury members in a sea of amazing films.”

There were more Hoosier films in the Indy Shorts lineup than ever before with a total of 32 short films from filmmakers with Indiana connections. The Indiana Spotlight Award and the $2,000 cash prize was presented to directors Adam Oppenheim and Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian for their film Saving Superman.

Indy Shorts also introduced a brand-new cash award in partnership the TDB Family Foundation. The Executive Director of the TDB Family Foundation, Will Stoller-Lee, attend the ceremony and presented The Lens of Hope Award and $2,500 cash prize to Cycling Without Age (Isaac Seigel-Boettner, United States). The new award also includes a corresponding $2,500 cash prize for a nonprofit associated with the film and was awarded to Cycling Without Age of Greater Indianapolis.

All the award-winning films are available to watch in the virtual Awards Program. Even though the festival ended July 28, there’s an extended viewing period making it available to stream until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4. This virtual program includes the three Oscar-qualifying short films and can be purchased here.

Audience Choice Awards

The Audience Choice Award Winners were announced July 29. The Overall Audience Choice Award and $2,000 cash prize went to Jane Austen’s Period Drama by Julia Aks and Steve Pinder (United States). This witty film is set in England in 1813 and follows Miss Estrogenia Talbot who, in the middle of a long-awaited marriage proposal, gets her period. Her suitor, Mr. Dickley, mistakes the blood for an injury, and it soon becomes clear that his expensive education has missed a spot. This short film also won the Indy Shorts Comedy Award and a $1,000 cash prize.

Director Michael Gabriele, who won the Horror Audience Choice Award for Get Away in 2023, repeated again this year with Room Tone (United States), earning a $500 cash prize. Room Tone also won the Horror Award and a $1,000 cash prize.

Director Cindy Lee’s The Last Ranger (South Africa, United States) won the Narrative Audience Choice Award along with a $500 cash prize. World Premiere documentary In The Paint (United States), directed by Jonathan Cipiti, earned Documentary Audience Choice and $500, and Director Toby Cochran’s LUKi & the Lights (United States) garnered the Animated Audience Choice Award.

The Indiana Spotlight Audience Choice Award and $500 cash prize went to The Ice Cream Man by Robert Moniot (United States, The Netherlands). This was the World Premiere of The Ice Cream Man, and more than 600 people attended the two sold-out screenings at Indy Shorts.

The festival also hosted the World Premiere of Director Ballard C. Boyd’s Night Session starring Richard Kind, which took home the Comedy Audience Choice Award and $500. The Lake in the Sky (United States) by Caleb Reese Paul pulled in the High School Film Competition Audience Choice Award and a $500 cash prize.

The Audience Choice Award-Winning shorts are available to stream in a virtual program through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, which can be purchased here.

Learn more at IndyShorts.org.

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The 33rd Heartland International Film Festival Powered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is scheduled for Oct. 10 to 20, 2024. Screenings will take place at theaters around the Indianapolis area and virtually. The films and tickets will be available Sept. 19.

More details on the Heartland International Film Festival and other Heartland Film programs can be found at HeartlandFilm.org.