Life is hard whether you're a person or a bison, and not just because the latter is so often mistaken for a buffalo. These are stories, both true and fictional but relatable, of people persevering through their own personal struggles and helping those around them with theirs.

Indiana folk artist Geoff Davis reflects on his childhood, career, mental health, and how he found peace through reconnecting with his life’s purpose.

50 Little Birds

Indiana folk artist Geoff Davis reflects on his childhood, career, mental health, and how he found peace through reconnecting with his life’s purpose.

A poignant portrait of a young man— Wes Doty— who, like many Americans, has fallen victim to opioid use disorder. This film recounts how the ravages of drug use stole Wes’ life from him and put him on the street with nowhere else to turn—almost. Through a recovery community, Wes finds a love and a passion that changes the course of his entire life.

The Long Run: Wes Doty's New Life

He endured years of extreme heroin use before running across the solution to his recovery.

In a heavily polluted world, a young woman mourns the disappearance of the nature around her. When she falls ill due to a bacterial infection, nature appears to send her a message in her hallucinations.

Sad Beauty

As mankind causes its own demise, a woman turns to the rapidly disappearing nature and her art for consolation.

Thorsten, also known as Toddy, loves pinball machines. In the early 90s, when the golden age of pinball came to an end and everybody wanted to get rid of their old machines, he starts collecting and fixing the machines. Of course he also keeps playing-- the only way to find malfunctions in the machines is to master them. Among dot-matrix displays, slingshots and bumpers, Toddy has found his mission in life. This documentary film portrait invites viewers on a journey to the younger days of Generation X.

Toddy

Toddy lives in his warehouse always surrounded by about 40-50 pinball machines. Some are completely restored and functional, others are works in progress and Toddy is still tinkering with them.

Jeri Hall sent a message to her daughter one evening stating, "I'm going on the vent, I Love you." As of July 2020 there have been four million cases of Covid in the United States. Time to Heal tells the story of just one of those cases. Monroe Hospital, a small hospital with a big heart, is the hospital where Jeri ended up. As the symptoms progressed she was given a 1% chance to survive.

Time to Heal

As of July 2020 there have been four million cases of Covid in the United States. Time to Heal tells the story of just one of those cases.

Feeling Unreal shares a brief look into the relatively new and troubling mental disorder known as "depersonalization".

Feeling Unreal

A short look into the lives of "depersonalized" persons.

Over 30 years ago, Dr. John Trippy, set out to achieve his life long dream of preserving North American culture through the bison. Now Wild Winds buffalo preserve is home to over 250 of these free roaming animals. In this short documentary film, the caretakers for the bison tell the stories of the United State’s national animal, and its importance for the future.

Wild Winds: Spirit of the Bison

A ranch in northern Indiana seeks to protect over 250 bison and the history they represent.

Q&amp;A conversation with Thomas Lewis director of&nbsp;The Long Run: Wes Doty's New Life, Evan Wardell producer of&nbsp;Wild Winds: Spirit of the Bison, and Hannah Lindgren director of&nbsp;50 Little Birds

Q&A for Working Through It

Q&A conversation with Thomas Lewis director of The Long Run: Wes Doty's New Life, Evan Wardell producer of Wild Winds: Spirit of the Bison, and Hannah Lindgren director of 50 Little Birds

In this discussion moderated by Board Member Jason Roemer, directors of 2021 Indy Film Fest official selections Niav Conty (<a href="https://2021.indyfilmfest.org/films/607636a2ab295a0029b5b906" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Small Time</a>), Daniel Baldwin (<a href="https://2021.indyfilmfest.org/films/60847bf235813500a884a47b" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My Promise to PJ</a>), and C. Thomas Lewis (<a href="https://2021.indyfilmfest.org/films/607636a3ab295a0029b5b928" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Long Run: Wes Doty's New Life</a>) discuss bringing attention to the opioid epidemic through their documentary and narrative films. They are joined by Brian Mancuso to talk about the impact on Indiana in particular and the Indiana State Museum's exhibit <a href="https://www.indianamuseum.org/experiences/fix-heartbreak-hope/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FIX: Heartbreak and Hope Inside Our Opioid Crisis</a>. The films are available to watch through May 19, and the exhibit is open through August 1. <a href="https://2021.indyfilmfest.org/films/60847bf235813500a884a47b" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/0ecb17397b3123ba0ab057e844a8f53f.jpg" width="195" style="max-width: 100%;"></a><a href="https://2021.indyfilmfest.org/films/607636a2ab295a0029b5b906" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/1bb9417aecdbb727154dd2463835bf60.jpg" width="200" style="max-width: 100%;"></a><a href="https://2021.indyfilmfest.org/films/607636a3ab295a0029b5b928" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/07bbd0e73cba9c6af3f00dffdee2b8c4.jpg" width="200" style="max-width: 100%;"></a><a href="https://www.indianamuseum.org/experiences/fix-heartbreak-hope/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/21f4e0eb83b7c0803c2f2ee09e47c1c8.jpg" width="595" style="max-width: 100%;"></a>

Exploring the Impact of the Opioid Crisis through Film and Exhibit

Niav Conty (Small Time), Daniel Baldwin (My Promise to PJ), and C. Thomas Lewis (The Long Run: Wes Doty's New Life) discuss bringing attention to the opioid epidemic through their documentary and narrative films along with Brian Mancuso from the Indiana State Museum.

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Shorts: Working Through It

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Explore our on-demand catalog here for our award winning films available through June 2, or head to indyfilmfest.org for more info!

Our 18th Indy Film Fest showcases 29 independent features, over 100 shorts, and dozens of world premieres from around the world. All shorts blocks and most features are available anywhere in the USA now through May 19. Select programs available anywhere in the world. Tickets and passes available.

Here's what's coming up soon. Can't make it? No sweat. Many live streams will be available for on-demand viewing as well.