7 films I want to see at the 2022 Heartland International Film Festival
It’s that time of year again! The Heartland International Film Festival is right around the corner (October 6-16, 2022) and I’m really impressed with this year’s lineup of films. That shouldn’t be any surprise, though. I’ve attended the Heartland International Film Festival off and on for the past decade.* I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad movie at the festival. They’ve all lived up to their moniker as truly moving pictures.
As I’ve pored over this year’s schedule of more than 100 indie films, a few really stuck out. As I listed them here, I started to think of the films I’ve seen at the Heartland International Film Festival over the years. The vast majority of them have been documentaries.
This year will be no different.
Out of the 7 films listed here, 5 of them are documentaries. I wonder why that is? I don’t really watch documentaries any other time, except maybe the occasional National Geographic type of television show. I’m not really a sucker for them.
Until this festival comes around. And then the stories suck me in. They inspire me. Some of them have wrecked me. They have all moved me. “Truly moving pictures…” I get it. I really do.
7 films I want to see at the Heartland International Film Festival (in no particular order)
State of the Unity
This documentary seeks to answer the question, “Is unity possible?” and follows a band on their 50,000 mile journey to find the answer. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been asking myself this question a lot over the past few years. You can find out more about this film (and buy tickets) here.
Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom
From the official description: a Black man is troubled by the legacy of American slavery and the misuse of Christianity to justify it. He travels throughout Texas and discovers how Juneteenth reveals what empowered the formerly enslaved to fight for freedom in an unjust society. Learn more about it here.
Made for this Moment: An Indiana Sports Corp Story
Having witnessed the transformation of Indy into the home of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, this documentary sticks out to me. I feel like this one’s a must-see because I kind of lived it. Here’s more information about Made for this Moment.
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game
True stories about people who play arcade games just fascinate me. OK?
Here’s what you need to know about this documentary.
Butterfly in the Sky
When I was in 5th grade, I had to write regular book reports about the books I was reading. Reading Rainbow had such an influence on me that I wrote my book reports in the style that the children used when they gave their reports on the show. I even concluded with a teaser, encouraging my teacher to read the book.^
I think this will be a great documentary. But you don’t have to take my word for it.
Read all about it here.
Till
“Those pictures of your son changed people’s lives.” The story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s mission to turn her son’s murder into a legacy of hope, reconciliation, and change continues to impact our nation nearly 70 years later. Even so, there are still many people who aren’t familiar with this story.
This film should be a good place to start..
The Moon and Back
Equipped with a VHS camera and some pocket change, a girl sets off to film a newly-discovered script written by her late father – a big budget space adventure. Sounds like the stuff great movies are made of. You can find out more about the film here.
We were big fans of the Netflix series Alexa & Katie. We binged it as a family (twice). I think it’ll be nice to see Isabel May in this film.
Well…that’s the short list of the films I’d like to see in-person during this year’s run. Unfortunately, my schedule won’t allow me to see all 7 of these films in a 10 day span. But I’m going to do my darnedest to squeeze in as many as I can. Fortunately, there’s a streaming option for the films I don’t get to see in-person. And that’s a great option. Don’t get me wrong. But there’s something about the communal experience of watching a film with other people in the theatre.
It’s…
well…
It’s truly moving.
Which entries in this year’s Heartland International Film Festival do you want to see?
Endnotes
*My first Heartland International Film Festival experience was when Christy won tickets to see The Mission, which included a panel discussion with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. I think it was opening night. In 2014, my dream came true as the kind folks at Heartland Film graciously allowed me to attend the festival as a member of “the media.” I’ve been able to serve in this capacity a few other times throughout the years. I will never take this opportunity for granted.
^It would’ve been nice to have gotten feedback from that teacher. I had n o idea he wanted me to actually talk about how the book ended, instead of using Reading Rainbow style. It was never mentioned until it was time for parent-teacher conferences and he brought it up then. Thanks a lot, dude. There were only one or two book reports left by then.
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