Media Contacts:
Heartland Film | Jessica Chapman, Director of Marketing jchapman@heartlandfilm.org | 317.750.3902
Heartland Film | Jessica Chapman, Director of Marketing jchapman@heartlandfilm.org | 317.750.3902
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(March 16, 2026) - The 98th Academy Awards® took place on Sunday, March 15. Five films honored by Heartland Film won Oscars®, including "The Singers," which received the Oscar®-qualifying Narrative Grand Prize Award at the 2025 Indy Shorts Film Festival.
Three short films showcased at the festivals took home Oscars®. "The Singers" and "Two People Exchanging Saliva" were both Official Selections at the Indy Shorts Film Festival in 2025, and they share the Oscar® for Best Live Action Short. Along with winning the Narrative Grand Prize Award at Indy Shorts, "The Singers" won the Narrative Audience Choice Award.
"All the Empty Rooms" was a Special Presentation at the Heartland Film Festival in 2025 and won the Oscar® for Best Documentary Short. Director Joshua Seftel has a close relationship with Heartland Film. This is his second Oscar®-nominated short film to come through the festivals. His documentary short, "Stranger at the Gate," won the Academy Award®-qualifying Grand Prize at the 2023 Indy Shorts Film Festival and went on to receive an Oscar® Nomination that year.
"Congratulations to the newly-minted Oscar® winners," said Greg Sorvig, Artistic Director of Heartland Film. "Three short films showcased by Heartland Film won an Academy Award®, which is an organization record!"
Two feature films celebrated by Heartland Film received Academy Awards®. "Sentimental Value" from Neon was the International Closing Night film at the 2025 Heartland Film Festival and won the Oscar® for Best International Feature Film. Heartland Film also presents the Truly Moving Picture Award to studio titles that do more than entertain. "Hamnet" was honored with the Truly Moving Picture Award in 2025, and Jessie Buckley took home the Oscar® for Best Lead Actress for her role. The full list of Academy Award® Winners can be found here.
Heartland Film has now showcased a total of 13 Oscar®-winning short films. Film submissions are open for both the Indy Shorts Film Festival in July and the Heartland Film Festival in October. Last week, the Heartland Film Festival was named the #1 Best Film Festival by USA TODAY 2026 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. Filmmakers can submit their films through FilmFreeway.com.
Oscar® Winners Honored by Heartland Film
ALL THE EMPTY ROOMS | Best Documentary Short
"All Empty Rooms" was a Special Presentation at the 2025 Heartland Film Festival.
JESSIE BUCKLEY, HAMNET | Best Lead Actress
"Hamnet" was honored by Heartland Film in 2025 with the Truly Moving Picture Award.
THE SINGERS | Best Live Action Short
"The Singers" won the Academy Award®-Qualifying Narrative Grand Prize Award and Narrative Audience Choice Award at the 2025 Indy Shorts Film Festival. This is the first short film that has directly qualified at Indy Shorts and gone on to win an Oscar®.
SENTIMENTAL VALUE | Best International Feature Film
"Sentimental Value" from Neon was the International Closing Night film at the 2025 Heartland Film Festival.
TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGE SALIVA | Best Live Action Short
"Two People Exchange Saliva" was an Official Selection at the 2025 Indy Shorts Film Festival.
About Heartland Film, Inc.
Heartland Film is a nonprofit arts organization that runs the 11-day Heartland Film Festival in October, the Academy Award®-Qualifying Indy Shorts Film Festival in July, the Truly Moving Picture Award and other year-round programs. Based in Indianapolis, Heartland Film was founded in 1991 with the mission to curate, promote and celebrate thoughtful and engaging films. Over the years, Heartland Film has presented $3.5 million in cash prizes – the largest total amount awarded by any film festival in North America – presented 200+ studio films with the Truly Moving Picture Award, and showcased more than 2,000 feature and short films, including 13 Oscar®-winning short film titles. MovieMaker Magazine named both the Indy Shorts and Heartland Film Festival on the top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World list for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Heartland Film Festival was ranked the #1 Best Film Festival by the USA TODAY 2026 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards. The 9th Annual Indy Shorts Film Festival is scheduled for July 21-26, 2026 and the 35th Heartland Film Festival will run October 8-18, 2026. For more information, visit www.HeartlandFilm.org.
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