PitchDox Virtual Voting is Open!
PitchDox, the only pitch competition just for Hoosier documentary filmmakers, is back for year four and better than ever!
We need your help to decide which of our Semi-Finalists should move on to the Finalist round where they'll pitch their project live on Saturday, October 17th at 4:00 PM during Heartland International Film Festival for a chance to win their share of $40,000 in financial support.
Voting is easy! Using the form below, simply enter your name, email address, and your top choice for the project you think should proceed in the competition. One vote per person. Email addresses will be verified, and suspicious votes will be subject to removal!
Learn more about each Semi-Finalist below the voting form. Virtual voting ends on September 20th, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
Meet the SEMI-FINALISTS!
Gene and Elaine
Directed by Ian Mitchell
One night of cruising the streets of Connersville, Indiana changed two lives forever. Sixty-four years later, Gene and Elaine Mitchell reflect on a lifetime of love, resilience, and facing Parkinson's disease together.
Angie's
Directed by Austin Keough
For 40 years, a legendary Indianapolis barber has anchored her mid-northside community through crime, change, and the passage of time itself. "Angie's" asks not what changed, but what a place means to a community that refused to let it disappear.
The Moth Keeper
Co-Directed by Aaron Winneroski
A woman’s fascination with moths leads to 10,000 observations and a backyard discovery of a species unrecorded in America in nearly a century.
The Water Readers
Directed by Ahmed Tahsin Shams
Scientists and citizen volunteers read aquatic insects to track the health of Indiana’s rivers, while farmers and watershed practitioners work upstream to change what enters them. Following one impaired river and another restored over eleven years, this film asks, how do we know when a damaged river is recovering?
This River Belongs to Us
Directed by Trevor Crupi
The story of the White River's cycle of progress and setback, told through the community members who have fought for decades against an ever-changing list of industrial threats.
In My Yard
Directed by Jess Dunn
Blending macro cinematography, archival footage, and hand-crafted animation, this short documentary reveals the extraordinary world that emerges when native plants reclaim an ordinary urban backyard.
The Sound of Progress
Directed by Samuel Pigott
When a hyperscale data center threatens rural Decatur Township, unlikely leaders unite a politically divided community to fight back. As organizing stretches into months, they realize real change means new leadership — and four members of Protect Decatur Township, from across the political spectrum, launch campaigns for office.
MR JONES
Directed by Will Wertz
For over twenty years rapper Oreo Jones has built a life as an artist in a city with no system to support one. He does it because he loves it and, damn it, someone has to be first.
Untitled Paul Hazen Documentary
Directed by Sayge Kortenber
In the heart of Indiana's racing country, Paul Hazen built a legacy from dirt, horsepower, and determination. After seven decades devoted to sprint car racing, Hazen now faces declining health while reflecting on the victories, sacrifices, and countless nights at the track that shaped his life.
Trailblazer
Directed by Sha Collier
At 28, Thomas Adams became Indiana’s first Black conservation officer, fulfilling a childhood dream inspired by a chance encounter while fishing with his father. As he navigates the responsibility of breaking a historic barrier, he reflects on family, belonging, and the lasting impact of becoming the representation he once needed to see.
The Professor's Time Keeper
Directed by JP Susantio
Since creating his magnum opus, a drum kit made and used by Rush legend Neil Peart, "The Professor", drum maker Bernie Stone has spend nearly 40 years mastering his craft as one of America's last independent drum manufacturers. Though, as his age catches up to him, Bernie is forced to confront the difficult question: When the craft that define your whole life comes to an end, who are you without it?
The Bend (Working Title)
Directed by Samuel Villagra-Stanton
A radical technological shift that threatens the community along the southern bend of the St. Joseph river is contextualized through a language everyone can understand: dance.
