Iowa Nebraska Heartland Film Festival

​All films MUST have a strong connection to
​either Iowa or Nebraska

DATES: March 6 - 8, 2026
CATEGORIES: Student, Music Video, Documentary, Drama, Comedy, Sci/fi, Fantasy, Horror, Action Adventure
TIME: under 30 minutes, 30 - 59 minutes 60 - 120 minutes
DEADLINES: Early January 15, 2026; Late Deadline February 10, 2026
WINNERS 2026: Best Iowa, Best Nebraska, Best in each category
TICKETS: Festival Pass $25, All Day Saturday $20, Saturday Day Only $12, Evening Only $7; on sale in 2026

2025 Winners: 

• Best Overall Film - Coming Home about a grieving father and a detective coping with a 10 year missing person's case
• Best Iowa Film - Crimson Archer - A G.I. Joe fan favorite, action adventure
• Best Nebraska Film - Abraham's Bridge, documentary about a mosque, synagogue, church and interfaith center connected by a circular bridge in Omaha
• Honorable Mention - Seventy-Four, drama, 3 brothers who are marines assigned to the Navy Destroyer, Frank E. Evans, are killed, based on true events of June 3, 1969
• Honorable Mention - Nebraska's 400, documentary, NE was the last state without a Vietnam memorial, so 4 vets embark on a journey creating the biggest and most interactive Vietnam Veteran Memorial o date

2025 Program book & schedule

Accessibility

West entrance on Davis Avenue with piano keys painted on sidewalk
Elevator to auditorium
Restrooms are handicapped accessible

Iowa Nebraska Heartland Film Festival

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Interested in Volunteering in 2026
please call 641-418-8037 or email

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Shopping

​Corning Center For Fine Arts, art gallery
Fire & Salt, meat, cheese, wine, whiskey, cigars
If You Can Dream It, consignments
Lone Arranger, flower & gift shop
Real Deals, gifts, clothes, food
Vogel & Thomas, primitive gifts

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Things to See

Freedom Rock on 6th Street
Lake Icaria - 4 miles north of Corning on 148
Johnny Carson Birthplace 

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Lodging

The Corning Hotel 
​Lake Icaria Cabins

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Food

Backgrounds Coffee & Boutique 
Breadeaux Pizza 
Casey's Pizza & Sandwiches
Floating Winery 
Godfather's Pizza 
Los Catrinos Mexican Kitchen 
Primrose award winning
Subway 
Sweet Desires Bakery  (2018 KCCI's #3 bakery in Iowa)
3 C's Diner (2018 Iowa's #1 tenderloin)

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Parking

Free Street Parking
​Free Public Parking Lot north of Corning Opera House