Heartland Film Festival is set to kick off its 16th year with an Oct. 18 premiere of "August Rush," an uplifting film about a musical wunderkind who comes to New York to find the parents who gave him up for adoption. The film, directed by Kirsten Sheridan, stars Freddie Highmore, Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and has generated early Oscar buzz. Producer Richard Barton Lewis is scheduled to attend the premiere.

The closing night film on Oct. 26 will be "The Kite Runner," a drama set in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini and directed by Marc Forster ("Finding Neverland").

At a party Wednesday evening, Heartland president and CEO Jeffrey L. Sparks announced the slate of nearly 50 films showing Oct. 19-25. The winners of $200,000 in cash prizes, including the $100,000 Grand Prize for Best Dramatic Feature, will be revealed at a gala Oct. 20.

"Since 1991, it's been Heartland's mission to showcase films that bring out the best of the human spirit," Sparks said in a statement. "This year we are thrilled to return with a unique and diverse collection of world-class films and events that demonstrate Heartland's continued commitment to honor films that uplift as well as entertain."

Five features are up for the grand prize: "Lars and the Real Girl," starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Mortimer; "Bella," produced by Sean Wolfington; "Mia Sarah," directed by Gustavo Ron; "Man in the Chair," written and directed by Christopher Plummer; and "Owl and the Sparrow" from writer/director Stephane Gauger.

Films will also compete for prizes in the categories of Best Documentary Feature and Best Short.

All told, 16 films were selected from 619 international submissions to receive Crystal Heart awards and compete for cash prizes. Nearly three dozen other movies will show as official selections not eligible for prizes.

For more information, visit www.heartlandfilmfestival.org.