In 1991, according to the Heartland Film Festival website, a group of visionaries planted a vision for a film festival that would recognize those films celebrating the positive aspects of life. In 1992, Indy's own Heartland Film Festival began.

It started small. In a world where indie film fests come and go frequently, the Heartland Film Festival has become one of the fastest growing film festivals in the country while remaining faithful to its original vision. Now a 10-day festival jam-packed with high quality, life celebrating cinema, the Heartland Film Festival has grown to include the Truly Moving Picture Award, the Heartland Film Institute and much more.

Becoming a "Truly Moving Picture," is a meaningful recognition bestowed upon an average of 15-20 films annually. The award honors theatrically released films that do more than simply entertaining ... these are the films that change our lives.

Has a film ever changed your life? Your mind? Your heart? I bet you're thinking of one this very instant. I know that I am. To celebrate Heartland Film Festival's and the upcoming 2011 Heartland Film Festival, The Independent Critic is embarking on "The Heartland Project: The Search for Truly Moving Pictures." This is my own effort to watch and review every film awarded the Truly Moving Picture Award, an award now given to films all the way back to Charlie Chaplin's 1921 classic The Kid. Listed below, you will find every film ever awarded the Truly Moving Picture Award by year. The list will be updated with each new film added and, of course, I will be linking to each review as it is created.

The Independent Critic has long professed being committed to celebrating the power of film to make a difference in the world. It makes sense that we bring to you the films that are recognized as "Truly Moving Pictures" and, in so doing, we also give our respects to all the folks at Heartland Truly Moving Pictures and their efforts to make the world a better place through film!