DISCONNECTED set for world premiere at Heartland Film Festival

Producer Kevin Sizemore’s drama DISCONNECTED will make its world premiere Oct. 15, 2026, at the 35th Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis. The film centers on teen mental health and the harms of social media, including cyberbullying, deepfakes and screen addiction.

Why it matters: - DISCONNECTED is aiming squarely at a timely public debate over social media, teen mental health and screen addiction. - The film’s festival launch gives the project a high-profile debut in Indianapolis ahead of wider audience exposure. - The story also brings gambling addiction into the conversation, broadening the film’s focus beyond social platforms alone.

What happened: - Producer Kevin Sizemore’s new drama DISCONNECTED was selected for the 35th Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis. - The film will have its world premiere on Oct. 15, 2026, at the Indy Art Center. - Heartland Film Festival is based in Indianapolis and runs in October. - The festival also includes virtual screenings.

The details: - DISCONNECTED follows a mother who moves her teenagers to West Virginia after a devastating family loss. - A school-mandated AI platform becomes a source of cyberbullying, deepfakes and screen addiction in the story. - The film centers on a family trying to rebuild while rethinking what real connection means in a digital world. - Joanne Hock directs the film. - Kevin Sizemore and Gina Lombardi produced the film under GKg Productions. - Garrett Z. Sutton and Tenero Productions serve as executive producers. - Ty DeMartino wrote the screenplay and story. - Garrett Z. Sutton wrote the story. - The cast includes Kayla Ewell, Brian Dietzen, Gunnar Sizemore, Cassidy Naber, Terrence Little Gardenhigh and Kevin Sizemore. - Supporting cast members include Pina Baeza, Tim Johnson Jr., Dreama Denver, T. Graham Brown, Larkin Campbell and Ted Sutton Esq. - Heartland screenings are set for Oct. 11 at 2:15 p.m. at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Oct. 13 at 12:15 p.m. at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Oct. 15 at 7:15 p.m. at Indy Art Center, and Oct. 18 at 12:15 p.m. at Living Room Theaters. - Festival tickets are available here. - More information is available on the film’s Instagram page, its IMDb listing, its Vimeo trailer and its Facebook page.

Between the lines: - The film is being positioned as both entertainment and social commentary, with direct references to teen anxiety, depression and the impact of constant online use. - Heartland’s nonprofit mission emphasizes films that do more than entertain, which fits DISCONNECTED’s issue-driven pitch. - Director Joanne Hock has premiered two previous films, When We Last Spoke and Purple Dreams, at Heartland. - Gunnar Sizemore won the 2024 Heartland Indy Shorts Summer White Lynch Memorial Award as a director. - Garrett Z. Sutton said the project is meant to push attention toward mental health, well-being and the country’s broader response to the problem. - Gina Lombardi said the film grew out of concern that technology can bring people closer while pulling them apart. - Kayla Ewell said social media magnifies teen struggles with anxiety and depression. - Pina Baeza said the film highlights mental health and the effects of social media. - Pew Research Center says 48% of teens report social media has mostly negative effects on people their age, and up to 95% of teens use social media almost constantly.

What's next: - DISCONNECTED will continue its Heartland run through the festival’s October screening dates. - The world premiere on Oct. 15 will be the film’s key launch moment. - The filmmakers are using the festival platform to spark conversation around teen mental health and digital habits.

The bottom line: - DISCONNECTED is entering Heartland as a festival drama with a clear public-health message and a built-in audience for the social issues it raises.