Maura Anderson, 2016, USA, 100 min.
Sponsored by Creative Loafing

Heartland is wonderfully engaging story combined with the star power to make it a TIGLFF favorite. Lauren (Velinda Godfrey) is a young, beautiful artist who has moved back home with her mother to regroup after her partner dies. Navigating a bible belt Oklahoma town is tricky enough. Enter Carrie, (Laura Spencer, Big Bang Theory), Lauren’s future sister-in-law, and southern drama takes on a whole new twist. Grief cannot be denied and Lauren has to face the truth – you can’t run from pain, any more than you can run from love or from the ties that bind. Top notch directing by Maura Anderson and the exquisite chemistry of Godfrey and Spencer creates a gem you do not want to miss. (Sunny Hall)

Preceded by: Infantile (Vera Sjunnesson, 2015, Sweden, 10 min.) An affectionate moment in synchronized swimming class raises twelve-year-old Mira’s courage to test the boundaries of her friendship with the coach.