Indianapolis - Director Rob Reiner is in Indianapolis this week for the Heartland Film Festival. His film "Flipped" earned a Truly Moving Pictures Award from the Heartland Film Festival, and it premieres Monday night at the Hilbert Circle Theatre as part of Heartland's festivities.
Heartland Truly Moving Pictures recognizes and honors filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for positive values of life.
"It's also a huge responsibility! I don't know that one film can change a culture. We hope it can add to the culture. That's what we're hoping. But I think people are gonna have a good time," he said, speaking to reporter Kevin Rader on Eyewitness News at Noon.
In making the presentation to Reiner, Heartland President and CEO Jeffrey Sparks announced the group is trying to raise $12.5 million as part of a new national outreach campaign called "One Film Can."
"It will enable Heartland to expand our reach and our scope by increasing audiences for truly moving pictures like 'Flipped,' while supporting and fostering the filmmakers who create them," Sparks said.
Reiner says "Flipped" covers the same stage of life as his film "Stand By Me."
"This one is about first love. Stand By Me was about friendship and this is about the first very confusing, powerful feeling of falling in love when you're 12 going on 13," he said.
Like in "Stand By Me," Reiner says the film is driven by two teenage actors, including Madelyn Carol, who was also in attendance.
"Just please go see the movie," Carol said.
Earlier Monday, Reiner talked about making "The Bucket List" and how time becomes more precious as life goes on.
"As you get older you start appreciating life more. You value it and it becomes more precious to you, and you want to be able to use those last times that you have left in life to impart your values, and your values grow and change and hopefully for the better as you get older," he said.
Reiner's favorite movie is all about appreciating what you have.
"I was just saying It's a Wonderful Life is my favorite film of all time and I have actually gotten to appreciate it more and more as I've gotten older, so the fact that I can make film like Bucket List and now Flipped is a thrill for me because these are the kind of films that I love making."
It was Reiner's son Nick who suggested making "Flipped" into a movie.
"I wanted to come because this film means so much to me. My son who was 11 at the time, Nick, who is now 17, introduced me to this book. He had it brought home from school and we read it together and he was the one who suggested I make a movie out of it. I thought the writing was so good and it cut very deep inside me and reminded me of those feelings. It was very intelligently written, and I love the idea that it flips back and forth from the boy's point of view to the girl's point of view and he said dad I think it will make a good movie and I think he's right."
He also joked about his visit to Indianapolis.
"I understand Sarah Fisher is going to drive me around. She's going to drive, not me!"
And when it comes to All in the Family references, Reiner says he really doesn't mind.
"I have been meat-headed a couple of times today," he said.
The award is Reiner's sixth from the Heartland Film Festival to be recognized as a movie that can captivate, educate, encourage and inspire.
