IndyStar's entertainment staff recommends these Heartland Film Fest picks

IndyStar's entertainment staff recommends these Heartland Film Fest picks

The best film festival in the country, according to USATODAY readers, returns – right in our backyard.

Heartland Film Festival is back for its 35th year with a lineup of more than 100 high-profile awards contenders, hidden gems and Indiana-focused features spanning all genres and styles. The 11-day movie marathon will screen its selections across six Indianapolis-area theaters.

Major names like Julianne Moore, Will Poulter, Parker Posey, Sam Rockwell and the first recruiting class for legendary Indiana University men's basketball coach Bob Knight lead off this year's Heartland roster. We've previously listed many of the biggest films, including "Jimmy," "Wild Horse Nine," "The Debut" and "First Five." But beyond those, you still can sort through dozens of films to choose what to watch.

Cinephiles, you have a few options here: Watch approximately 10 seconds of every screening to catch all the films on deck, or let the IndyStar arts staff guide your viewing with our hand-picked favorites from the Heartland lineup. One of these things is more enjoyable and economically efficient than the other.

Butter the popcorn and map out your Heartland experience with these 10 must-sees. Find showtimes and tickets at heartlandfilm.org.

From arts and creativity reporter Domenica Bongiovanni:

I can't remember whether I saw "Rear Window" or "It's a Wonderful Life" first, so both are intertwined in my mind as my introduction to legendary actor Jimmy Stewart. I admired his acting talent, but his authenticity is what truly earned my respect. This new biopic, starring KJ Apa, promises insight into the latter by digging into the actor's harrowing experience as a World War II pilot, which changed his approach to acting forever.

'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York'

I, like travelers everywhere, have often cursed criminals like Harry Lehman as I stand in a famous bakery and struggle with the locked zipper on my bag that has me staring at a pastry rather than purchasing it. That type of minor annoyance is the least thieves can unleash on the non-thieving among us.

Nonetheless, in the world of "The Only Living Pickpocket," we side with Lehman, played by John Turturro, who's taking care of his ailing wife while aging out of his craft as people stop carrying cash. Further complicating his life, Lehman lifts an item that has massive consequences and comes into possession of a valuable USB drive that belongs to a crime family.

The documentary captured my attention as soon as I saw the promotional image of Molly McIntire, the American Girl doll whose backstory is built on navigating difficult times during World War II. My parents gifted me a Molly – who has brown hair and glasses like me – when I was a kid, and I spent an inordinate amount of time hanging out with her.

Many others experienced similar bonds with their American Girls, though some dolls have also invited controversy. The film explores the way the toys' historical narratives and representation have influenced generations in the 20th and 21st centuries.

In this feature made by Hollywood pros alongside students at Indiana's own Huntington University, a misbehaving high schooler with a dream of becoming a writer (Paris Brosnan) chases a friendship with a crotchety Pulitzer Prize winner, played by John Rhys-Davies.

You can sign me up for most any film about the craft of writing – especially one that combines humor, charm and rare life-changing relationships.

I possess virtually zero talent for drawing and painting, which is one reason artists always astound me. The same is true for the work of Indianapolis artist Chris Barr, who paints characters from "Star Wars" and comic books. This documentary takes us inside his world and first-ever comic book, "Protectors League."

Barr, who has cerebral palsy, puts together the work with the help of his friends and an AI tool. The result celebrates the heroes who protect him, including his late father and martial arts sensei – and the hero who's always lived within Barr.

From pop culture reporter Heather Bushman:

Oscar buzz abounds for Moore, who plays a housewife thrust into the cutthroat world of regional theater opposite Paul Giamatti's tyrannical director. One-time Bloomingtonian Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network," "Zombieland") wrote and directed the film – and penned seven original songs for its in-universe musical.

Moore has a real knack for interiorizing unhinged, delusional women (see: "May December," "Sirens"). Trailer footage of her strung-out, manic turn as Mona Friedman promises her hot streak will continue here. If no hardware for Moore and Co. comes awards season, perhaps Tony consideration for Mona as Miss Danielle?

Fast facts about Heather: I'm a twin, and I grew up playing basketball. Fast facts about "Method to the Madness": It's a movie about twins and basketball. Safe to say this Indiana Spotlight selection piqued my interest.

"Method to the Madness" offers a packed premise for its 74-minute runtime. Carmel-based filmmaker Eric Pascarelli's flick follows a woman who enters a free throw contest to honor her late twin sister and seeks out a coach to help her train for her shining moment. Instead of a hoops expert, though, the woman unknowingly enlists a method actor whose latest acting exercise demands she live and breathe the role of a basketball coach. Shameless plug: I chatted with Pascarelli about the film, and you can read more about the closest he ever wants to get to making a sports movie in that story.

I'll admit it: Like my Generation Z compatriots, I live on my phone. Evidence points to this being, uh, very bad. I'm not sure I want to know the nitty gritty details about how our brains are rotting more with every second we spend looking at a screen, but "The Drug in Our Pocket" makes a convincing argument that we can't ignore the dangers of doom-scrolling much longer. This documentary on the world-altering impact of smartphones on childhood and mental health compels us to know our enemy.

As I get deeper into my 20s, I'm learning that few maneuvers are more high-stakes than merging friend groups. "Jackrabbit" binds a journalist and an actress with the contentious, charged connection of a mutual friend, then forces them to team up when their middleman goes missing. A begrudging buddy-cop duo with the backdrop of the New York City media scene? Sign me up.

We just wrapped our inaugural Indianapolis' Top Content Creators contest, so internet culture has been top-of-mind for me lately. "Genevieve's Garden" offers a satirical take on the fascinating world of wellness influencers with a trip to a fictional Hudson Valley restoration retreat. The fitness chapter of "Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism" tells us this absolutely won't end well, and I can't wait for the mess.

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Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Sign up here for the newsletter she curates about things to do and ways to explore Indianapolis. Find her on Facebook, Instagram or X: @domenicareports.

Contact IndyStar Pop Culture Reporter Heather Bushman at hbushman@indystar.com. Follow her @hmb_1013.