In 1991, a group of visionaries united to create a unique film festival to honor beautifully made films that celebrate the positive aspects of life called the Heartland Film Festival.

The Heartland Film Festival started in 1992 as a small event in Indianapolis and has expanded over time to become one of the fastest growing film festivals in the country. Today, the annual film festival is a ten-day event full of independent films, a variety of special events for film enthusiasts of all ages, and a one-of-a-kind experience in one of the Midwest's most inviting cities.

Each October, Heartland Film Festival screens independent films from around the world and presents more than $100,000 in cash prizes and Crystal Heart Awards to the Festival's top-judged submissions. Selected student films receive Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Awards and cash prizes. The Crystal Heart Award and Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award cash prizes are made possibly by the generous support of Godby Family of Services, The Joshua Max Simon Charitable Foundation, KeyBank, Lilly Endowment, Inc. and The Stewart Foundation.

During the Heartland Film Festival, Heartland has awarded more than $2 million in the last 17 years to support filmmakers in their quest to create films that bring out the best of the human spirit.

• 2010 HEARTLAND FILM FESTIVAL DATES: October 14-23, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana
• OPENING NIGHT FILM: Snow Men
  
• CLOSING NIGHT FILM: The Presence
  
• AWARDS
  Best Narrative Feature: The Space Between ($50,000)
  Best Documentary Feature: Freedom Riders ($25,000)
  Best Short Film: The Butterfly Circus ($10,000)
  Audience Award, Narrative Feature: Ways to Live Forever
  Audience Award, Documentary Feature: For Once In My Life
  Audience Award, Short Film: The Butterfly Circus