The Indiana Spotlight block offers almost 20 short films, providing a potent mix of narrative and documentary short films which showcase Indiana’s unique personality, and the talents of Indiana filmmakers. Though Saving Superman concerns an autistic man from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, its directors, Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian and Adam Oppenheim, are Hoosiers. Mirpoorian has tackled similar subject matter in films like Safe Place and Greener Pastures; namely, the deeply human stories which often fall between the cracks of the small towns that make up this country. The film serves as a character study of Jonathan, an autistic man who idolizes Superman, even going so far as to dress up and march in the Glen Ellyn Fourth of July parade every year. Oppenheim and Mirpoorian arrive at a place of genuine emotion, but if anything is missing from Saving Superman, it’s more time.

Just as individuals make up a community, individual neighborhoods have the ability to exude their own personalities, and that’s exactly that ¡HAWTHORNE! an indy west side story is all about. Josh Chitwood’s film explores the Indianapolis west side community of Hawthorne by digging in to its past, present, and future. The neighborhood has dealt with all manner of socio-economic issues over the years, from a brush with the Klan to its current status as a melting pot of ethnicities and backgrounds. Since I’m also making a documentary about a specific Indianapolis west side neighborhood, ¡HAWTHORNE! shows that there’s no shortage of varied stories to be found, even within a few square miles of each other.

Just a few square miles from where Daniel screens, you can find the subject and the venue showcased in Alex Rodgers’ documentary. For better and worse, the film feels first and foremost like a project amongst friends, as it tells the quirky story of Daniel Jacobsen, one of the founders of the Kan Kan Cinema in Indianapolis. Though the film could easily be expanded more to dive into all of the nooks and crannies of Daniel’s life, Daniel remains a fun look at creative passion and how it can be manifested to better the community.

Just like Daniel, The Invisible Crown approaches an inside look at an Indiana creator. In this case, Hannah Lindgren (who also co-produces the film) takes us inside her struggle with endometriosis, and the struggles which women often face in medical diagnoses. Lindgren holds nothing back, displaying all her vulnerabilities as she approaches a fourth surgery to get a handle on her disease, and the results are emotionally rewarding.

One of the block’s few narrative films, Places We Knew, actually doesn’t even take place in this country, much less this state. Writer and director Oliver William Staton shows that you really can’t go home again, even when your home is halfway across the world. It’s the semi-familiar story of a Japanese-American young adult returning to his boyhood home in rural Japan as he tries to reconcile with his mother. Though the set-up is well worn territory, Staton lets the drama play out naturally, which is especially rewarding in a genre where emotions are frequently heightened.

Speaking of unique films, Kurtis Bowersock’s Physical Matters is one of the festival’s most unique offerings, in both style and substance. The film’s threadbare story follows a pair of marine biologists as they dissect a beached whale. Animated with a kind of watercolor aesthetic, Physical Matters is short, sweet, and to the point, but there’s an intangible heart that bleeds through after the credits roll. Indie animation is rare on this scale, and Bowersock makes it look easy.

The Indiana Spotlight blocks will screen at Indy Shorts Film Festival on July 23 at 7 and 7:30pm at the Living Room Theaters and in Indianapolis, and virtually through July 28. Buy tickets here.