Heartland Film Honors EDDIE THE EAGLE with Truly Moving Picture Award

Inspired by true events, "Eddie the Eagle" is a feel-good story about Michael "Eddie" Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself - even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.

"Eddie the Eagle" has been recognized with the Truly Moving Picture Award by nonprofit arts organization Heartland Film. Select theatrically-released titles - entertaining films that do much more than just entertain - are honored with the designation throughout the year on a rolling basis. Submissions are received directly from studios and producers for consideration and voted on by the Truly Moving Picture Award jury.

"'Eddie the Eagle' impressed our jury with its quirky, unexpected and heartwarming story," said Heartland Film Artistic Director Tim Irwin. "Strong performances and an especially unique aesthetic for an offbeat sports movie make the film a perfect fit for the Truly Moving Picture Award."

Truly Moving Picture Award winner "Eddie the Eagle" opens in theaters nationwide Friday, February 26, 2016.

About Heartland Film, Inc. Heartland Film is a nonprofit arts organization founded in 1991 with the mission to inspire filmmakers and audiences through the transformative power of film. Heartland Film is a curator and supporter of purposeful filmmaking, honoring a wide variety of cinema and awarding storytellers from all over the world. The films Heartland Film selects and exhibits - whether they inspire and uplift, educate and inform, or have the ability to shift audiences' perspectives on the world - all have one thing in common: they are entertaining films that do more than just entertain. Every October, the Heartland Film Festival gives its moviegoers access to more than 100 visiting independent filmmakers from all over the world, right in the heart of the Midwest. Heartland Film Festival showcases more than 130 entertaining movies that do much more than just entertain over 11 days of red carpet premieres and events, parties and hundreds of film screenings across Indianapolis. The Heartland Film Festival has earned the special designation of being a qualifying festival for the Annual Academy Awards within the Short Films category. Each year, the Heartland Film Festival awards more than $125,000 in cash prizes and presents its Festival Awards to top-judged submissions. Heartland Film has awarded more than $3 million to support indie filmmakers over the last 24 years. Beyond the Heartland Film Festival, Heartland Film honors theatrically-released films that align with its mission via the Truly Moving Picture Award, inspires the next generation of filmmakers via the Heartland Film Institute, and exhibits films across Indiana all year long via the Heartland Film Roadshow. To learn more, visit heartlandfilm.org.