Heartland President and CEO, Jeff Sparks had the opportunity to speak with Rob Reiner, writer, producer and director of the upcoming Truly Moving Picture Award winner, Flipped as well as well-known films - Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men and the most recent box office hit The Bucket List. Flipped is Reiner’s sixth Truly Moving Picture Award winning film and is a founder and principal of Castle Rock Entertainment - a company that has given us many Truly Moving Picture Award winners such as favorites The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and Spitfire Grill.

Reiner shared with us why decided to go back to a time of innocence in the film, the moment he decided to make the film and his personal Truly Moving Picture and how meaningful the film is to him and his career.

Jeff Sparks: So tell us about Flipped. Why did you make this movie, Mr. Reiner?

Rob Reiner: I made it because my son who was at the time – he’s sixteen now – but at the time he was eleven he was in fifth grade. My son, Nick was assigned the book in school and he brought it home. We read it together and I literally flipped over it. Even though it’s a story about kids it was written with such an understanding in depth and sophistication about what it really feels like to have those feelings - first very confusing and very powerful feelings - of falling in love. And I related to it because I look back at the time when I was twelve going on thirteen and I went through those similar things. It’s a lot like Stand by Me in that way in that it’s a look back at – in that case it was about the power of friendship and what your buddies can do for you – in this case it’s really about those first feelings of love and falling in love with a girl. So that’s why I wanted to do it, because it reminded me so much of Stand by Me.

JS: We let our Twitter followers know we were interviewing you and we got some great questions – one from someone who has done his research on the film and here’s the question: “It’s interesting that you went back to an age of innocence to tell a story for a modern audience. Why did you do that?”

RR: Well I did for two reasons. One – is the one I just talked about that was time that I was twelve going on thirteen. So it was what I could relate to, but more importantly I wanted to give the film a timelessness and the feelings that you have when you first fall in love are timeless. Even though today children are distracted by all of the advanced technology with Twitter and Facebook and texting and all of that. I wanted to strip that away and just focus on the feelings you when you first fall in love. And I think those feelings are timeless. I think it’s the same today as it was in the ‘50’s and early ‘60’s and I think kids today - even though they are inundated with all of this technology - if they can sit back and let this picture in they will relate to it because it connects with things they’re going through right now.

JS: Well I know it did for me. I think you did a good thing by taking the book which is interestingly present day and taking it back.

RR: By the way I’ve got to tell you it really is important. I love the fact that you guys are taking the film in because. You know for me these are the kinds of films I like to make and unless we can make successes out of these things. The studios are more interested in blowing things up. That’s why I like the Heartland Film Festival because you guys focus on films about the human experience, character and all of that is more important than anything else. These are the films I like to make so hopefully we can all be successful.

JS: It’s interesting; you’ve made six Truly Moving Picture Award winning films.

RR: You haven’t done it that long.

JS: We’ve gone back. We jury everything and the seventh was with your company Castle Rock [Entertainment] has many more. It’s interesting that you also have the distinction of having one of the Top 10 Truly Moving Pictures of all time which we did with critics across the country and that’s The Shawshank Redemption.

RR: Oh wow, that’s cool!

JS: You’ve spoken, thank you, very eloquently about what it means to be a winner of a Truly Moving Picture Award, but what about you? We’d love to hear one or two movies that moved you and why.

RR: Well the movie that was my favorite of all time is a movie called It’s a Wonderful Life.

JS: Another one of our Top 10!

RR: The first time I saw it was before it ever played on television. It came out in, I think, 1946 and this was before they played movies on television. This is a long time ago. A friend of mine had a 16mm copy of it and I had never heard of the film. He showed it to me and I was completely stunned by it. I used to have parties at my house and I would show it to my friends. I would just play the film on the 16mm projector. Then it started catching fire, went on television and became this Christmas classic. Now everybody knows about It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve seen the film, I’ve got to say, 40 times – at least that many times. What I love about it is that when I saw it as a young person in my early twenties it struck me in a certain way. As I’ve gotten older, every time I see it I appreciate it even more because the message of the film. It’s similar to what we tried to do with [The] Bucket List … about the preciousness of life and how meaningful life can be and how we can’t throw it away and everybody’s life is meaningful. I think as you get older you start appreciating your life more and more. When you realize your time is becoming more finite. When you’re young you think you’re going to live forever. Even though it’s the same film, it has grown with me as I’ve gotten older so that’s why that to me is my favorite film. And here’s another funny thing Frank Kappra who made that movie his grandson, Frank Kappra III has been my assistant director for years!

JS: I think we’ve got it, you’re a busy fellow. I look forward to seeing you on August the 2nd

RR: Yeah I can’t wait to come!

JS: It’s going to be a great day.

RR: Alright. We’ll see you then.

JS: Thanks so much!

If you guys haven’t heard, we will be hosting the Heartland Premiere of Flipped in downtown Indianapolis on Monday August 2. Reiner as well as stars from the film will be in attendance and trust me, you will not want to miss this. Tickets are still available and you can get them by visiting TrulyMovingPictures.org. If you can’t make it to the Heartland Premiere check out Flipped in theaters, opening in limited release on August 6 and nationwide on August 27. Thank you Warner Bros. and Mr. Reiner for your time and support of Heartland Truly Moving Pictures. Thanks for listening everyone! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out ways to see Flipped for free!

Please note that this interview has been edited from its original version. To hear more, listen to the full podcast