815HORTS Film Festival returns with expanded lineup, Sundance connection and first feature-length movie

First feature-length film has fitting ties to women’s baseball

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The annual 815HORTS Film Festival is back for a fourth year this weekend with an expanded lineup that includes the two-day event’s first screening of a feature-length film.

The short film celebration, which is put on by Rockford-based Plus Seven Co. along with the city and the Illinois Film Office, takes place Friday and Saturday at City Stage Studios, 821 First Ave.

This year’s event features five screening blocks totaling 26 short films, two film premieres, seven featured guest speakers, the Illinois Film Office’s Shortcuts Student Film Contest, interactive educational sessions including the Tribeca Festival’s shorts programming and a screening of the Sundance Film Festival Shorts Tour.

“The films that are going to be screened here this weekend are amazing,” said Nick Povalitis, founder of Plus Seven Co. “The quality of film has leveled up with each passing year, and that again has held true this year.”

The first ever feature length film is centered around women’s baseball, a fitting theme given Rockford’s history with the Peaches and its future hosting major women’s baseball tournaments next summer.

The film, “See Her Be Her,” is a documentary directed by Jean Fruth that traces the story of women’s baseball around the world. It chronicles the story of the 2023/2024 Women’s Baseball World Cup and how that program is being leveraged to build programs in Africa.

After the film, Peter Hawley, an Illinois-based filmmaker who is the head of the Illinois Film Office, will lead a discussion with cast members Denae Benites of the USA Women’s National Baseball Team and Leslie Heaphy, a baseball historian and chairwoman of the Rockford-based International Women’s Baseball Center. Heaphy will fly in for the event. Benites will appear via Zoom.

The goal for the festival is to bolster the independent film seen and grow to become an Oscar-qualifying festival. A film festival must run for seven straight years before it can apply to be a qualifier for the Oscars. The 815HORTS film categories are live action, documentary and animated.

“Those are very deliberate. Those mirror what the Oscars gives awards for annually at their program,” Povalitis said. “It’s part of our goal to elevate the program so that Rockford, Illinois, can one day have an Oscar-qualifying festival headquartered here.”

Josiah Sjöström of City Stage Studios says the festival adds credibility to Rockford’s film scene and provides aspiring filmmakers here with connections to established people in the industry.

“A film festival that’s associated with, or at least adjacent to, Sundance is a big deal for Rockford,” Sjöström said.

Festival-goers are encouraged to stay at City Stage Studios after closing remarks on both nights to network with other filmmakers and industry colleagues during the 5HORT After-Party. Music will be spun by DJ Vic Monsta and beverages and snacks will be available for purchase from District Bar & Grill.

Sjöström said networking with others in the film industry is, perhaps, the best part for attendees.

“It’s amazing how many people will actually travel in to see these little film fests around the country because they’re connected to one of the films,” he said. “You never know who knows who. That person might be connected to someone else in some other city, and it kind of puts Rockford on the radar of, hey, maybe that’s a place where we could shoot a film in the future.”

815HORTS Film Festival | Tickets and info

When: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15

Where: City Stage Studios, 821 First Ave., Rockford

Cost: $20 for one-day pass; $30 for two-day pass

Tickets: Go HERE

Info: 815horts.com

Schedule | 815HORTS

Friday

5 p.m.: Doors Open, 5HORT Industry Mixer

6 p.m.: 2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour

8 p.m.: Illinois Film Office’s Shortcuts screenings and unveiling of contest winner

9:30 p.m.:  5HORT After-Party

​Saturday

10 a.m.: Doors open

10:30 a.m.: Animated short films screening block

11 a.m.: “815 Live: Direct from Tribeca” question and answer session featuring Madison Egan of the Tribeca Festival

12 p.m.: “City Stage BTS Lunch + Learn” featuring Josiah Sjöström of City Stage Studios

1 p.m.: Short documentary premiere: “Silicon Prairie Dreams” (Directed by James Enzo Forni)

1:45 p.m.: “Lawful Break-In” panel discussion featuring James Enzo Forni of Octane Rich Media, and Elaine Wyder of Convex Legal

2:30 p.m.: Documentary short films screening block

4:30 p.m.: Live action short films screening block

7 p.m.: Illinois Film Festival premiere: “See Her Be Her” (directed by Jean Fruth)

9 p.m.: “See Her Be Her” panel discussion featuring Denae Benites of USA Baseball Women’s National Team, and Dr. Leslie Heaphy, International Women’s Baseball Center

9:30 p.m.: The 5HORT Awards, Closing Remarks and 5HORT After-Party

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas