top of page
HIFF: Top
CoolestFilmFestivals_White.png
ISLogo.png
Best Short Film Festivals in the World

Returning for its seventh year from July 23-28, 2024

IS: Top

Thank You

Welcome
Indy Shorts 2023

The sun has set on #CampIndyShorts but we’re leaving with so many new camp besties! Thank you for making movie memories with us at the 2023 Indy Shorts International Film Festival!

 

#IndyShorts2023 closed with a record number of 3,900+ film submissions, 160 filmmakers attending and 23 sold-out screenings! 

Thanks to our incredible filmmakers, attendees, volunteers, sponsors, donors, members, board, advisory council, community partners, venues, staff, interns and you for making this one of the coolest film festivals in the world!

#IndyShorts2023 Award Winners

IS: Awards

Grand Prize for Narrative Short

$5,000 Grand Prize

Academy Award®-Qualifying

 

​Grand Prize for Documentary Short

$5,000 Grand Prize

Academy Award®-Qualifying

Grand Prize for Animated Short

$5,000 cash prize

Academy Award®-Qualifying

Summer White Lynch Memorial

Grand Prize

(High School Short)

$2,500 cash prize

Underwritten by Gary D. & Marlene Cohen

Jenni Berebitsky Legacy Award

$1,800 cash prize

Richard D. Propes

Social Impact Award

$1,000 cash prize

Indiana Spotlight Award

$2,000 cash prize

Horror Award

$1,000 cash prize

Comedy Award

$1,000 cash prize

Best Directorial Debut

$1,000 cash prize

High School Film Competition

Indiana Spotlight Winner

$1,500 cash prize

Audience Choice Awards

(Narrative, Documentary, Animated, Horror, Comedy, Indiana Spotlight, High School Film Competition)

$250 cash prizes

IS: Information

Information

The Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts International Film Festival presented by Heartland Film is the largest shorts festival in the Midwest, running in Indianapolis, Indiana, since 2018! Originally an expansion to the Heartland International Film Festival, Indy Shorts has become its own six-day summer festival that celebrates the unique, creative and captivating art of short films in a wide range of categories, including horror, comedy, documentary, narrative, animated and more! 

 

MovieMaker Magazine named the Indy Shorts International Film Festival as one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World for 2023, Top 20 Best Short Film Festivals in the World for 2022, and 50 Best Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee for 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023!

 

"Not only do they have some strong programming, but from one filmmaker to another... they have a lot of prizes and a lot of prize money! It's really incredible to see so many hardworking filmmakers get rewarded for some real cash! Also, the connections I've made from Indy Shorts have helped my career substantially. Top fav." – Cameron Johnson, Indy Shorts Alum and Panelist of Cool for MovieMaker Magazine

Read MovieMaker Magazine's full article on the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World here.

Indy Shorts is one of only 34 festivals in the world to have earned the special designation of being a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards® for all three Short Film categories: Live Action, Documentary, and Animation. This means the winner of the Indy Shorts Grand Prize for Best Narrative Short, Grand Prize for Best Documentary Short, and Grand Prize for Best Animated Short will qualify for consideration in the designated short film category of the Annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules. Over the years, 33 short films featured at Indy Shorts/HIFF have been nominated, with 10 going on to win Oscars®!

CoolestFilmFestivals_Black.png
Best Short Film Festivals in the World

Our mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films from diverse perspectives remains at the forefront of everything we do. This past year, we were able to award more than $30,000 in cash prizes, and present over 200 films at indoor, outdoor and virtual screenings.

 

2024 marks the Seventh Annual Indy Shorts International Film Festival, and we are so excited to celebrate with you! Stay tuned on our social media @HeartlandFilm for the latest updates on our upcoming Indy Shorts! #IndyShorts2024

IS: Submit
Iggy

Iggy

Iggy Shorts is the official short spokesgnome for the Indy Shorts International Film Festival. 

Iggy loves three things in life more than just about anything else - flowers, beer, and most of all: film.

Originally created by the Bohlsen Group, Iggy can be seen all around Indy Shorts, and is more than happy to have a photo taken with every film fan he comes across! 

N34A9351.jpg
IS: Highlights

Highlights

icon3Artboard 7 copy 4.png

One of MovieMaker's Best Short Film Festivals of 2022

iconsagainArtboard 7 copy 4.png

Over $150K Awarded to Filmmakers since 2018

iconsArtboard 7 copy 2.png

Academy Award®- Qualifying Festival

IS: HSFC
IS: Archives

High School Film Competition

Indy Shorts also runs the High School Film Competition. Launched in 2010, the High School Film Competition encourages tomorrow’s filmmakers to follow their passion and create short films that push their talents, creativity and art to the next level.

 

Shorts made by talented high school students from around the world, compete for the $2,500 Summer White Lynch Memorial Award, underwritten by Gary D. & Marlene Cohen. Students from Indiana can also compete for the $1,500 Indiana Spotlight Award.

hsfcwebArtboard 1 copy 7.jpg
bottom of page