2025 KICFF LOOKS FORWARD TO AN ENERGETIC SECOND SEASON.
After a tremendously rewarding 2024 Inaugural Knoxville International Christian Film Festival, the 2025 Spring KICCF has been receiving fabulous submissions from across the globe. We have been blessed to have multiple award-winning showcases at RiseUP Con at the Music Road Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, between June 27 - 29.
The 2024 Inaugural KICFF concluded with an award-winning showcase as part of TN Film CommUnity’s faith-based event, Films4Him, on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the wonderous facilities at Pellissippi State Community College in Hardin Valley, Knoxville, TN. Guests at the event traveled from VA, TN, MO, AR, NC, KY, GA, AL, & FL. The Expo proved to be a first-class award-showcase and networking event.
Don’t miss out on Season 2, with the opportunity for your project to be seen at RiseUP Con, which is scheduled to feature some of faith-based entertainments finest actors, musicians, and more, including Kevin Sorbo, Sam Sorbo, Nikita Koloff, Sean Patrick Flannery, Kaya Jones, Tommy Blaze, Cameron Arnett, and John Schlitt. Tickets and further information available NOW at: Riseupcon.com
At KICFF, we believe that each of us, as God's children, have stories that not only matter, but that are invaluable. We understand that in the current state of the world, people are searching for hope, inspiration, and love, while simultaneously in need of a wonderful Godly pick-me-up. Whether you're a celebrity actor, a polished producer, or creating your very first faith-based film and/or TV project, the KICFF is designed with you in mind.
KICFF is aimed at showcasing Christian movies of various lengths and other related projects, and recognizing them for their excellence in honoring God, and encouraging others to create their own Christian works.
The KICFF provides an attractive outlet for your Godly works to be recognized in an array of film-related categories. Our Festival Director and reviewers have all achieved multi-award-winning status in their works to honor God. We look forward to being blessed to review your submission that encompasses "His Spirit of Excellence & Service."
Following what he believed was "a mighty nudge from God," Rob Ekno moved forward and began the KICFF. Ekno is a multi-award-winning screenwriter, author, and broadcaster, who called Hollywood, CA home for three decades. Rob has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1995, and most recently was a member of the 30th Annual SAG Awards Motion Picture Nominating Committee. He has also performed in various faith-based films starring talents such as Dean Cain and Eddie McClintock.
Ekno, and his writing partners Sarah Irvine and John Lynch, were honored with BEST WRITER and BEST SCREENPLAY for their faith-based script "Cruising Toward Heaven," at the 2024 Christian Film Festival in Newport News, VA. The script was inspired by Rob's second book, "Is It God Or Coincidence?...Coming To Grips With The Unexpected Wonders In Life," a FINALIST in the 2022 Best Book Awards.
"Cruising Toward Heaven...Navigating From Rough Seas To Miraculous Adventures," Ekno's third book, won the Gold Medal at the 2024 International Impact Book Awards in Phoenix, AZ in the "Addiction & Recovery" category. That memoir was the inspiration for the faith-based script "Beyond Addicted," which Ekno co-wrote with Irvine. The script received BEST SCRIPT recognition at the 2024 Christian Film Festival. Ekno's acceptance speech at the festival earned him distinction for BEST MESSAGE.
"Stepping Into Glory," the third faith-based script written by Ekno & Irvine, was named a Quarter-Finalist in the 2024 Faith in Film International Film Festival in Tucson, AZ. The script was inspired by Ekno's Gold Medal-winning book, "Cruising Toward Heaven...A Spiritual Odyssey Into Life-Saving Rescues."
In 2023, Ekno was awarded "Most Dedicated Speaker Of The Year,"by Thought Leader, after a nationwide competition. Rob's speech, "The Book You're Dying NOT To Write," is also the title of his current book, as well as the name of an inspirational documentary that is in pre-production.
Ekno has been blessed to experience numerous accolades during his lengthy broadcasting career which includes an award from the Associated Press for turning an antiquated newsroom into a prominent news outlet. Rob received another AP award for his diligent work as a reporter. Ekno was also a regional reporter for the CBS Radio Network and the Associated Press Radio Network. Additionally, he served as the executive producer and weekend host of the nationally syndicated, "The Sports Final," broadcasting from Boston. Rob also held the positions of Public/Media Relations Director for two professional sports teams.
Not long after arriving in Hollywood, Ekno began what became a nearly 15-year venture of producing and hosting live TV programs that aired across America; some globally. During that time, Rob served as the executive producer at two TV shopping networks. He was also seen weekly for four seasons on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio. Ekno was the only actor in addition to the regular cast to have a part on Phil Hartman's last show. Rob highlights his inspiring relationship with Phil in a chapter in this third book.
When it came time for Ekno to elevate his relationship with God, he used his spirited voice to host the faith-based podcast "In Your Face." It was listened to in 99 countries for roughly four years on the award-winning Indie 104.com. The theme of the hour-long podcast, which Ekno executive produced, was "to inspire, motivate, and challenge each of us to become the best we can be for ourselves, our country, and most importantly...God." Rob interviewed Hollywood celebrities, movie producers, and guests across the country who shared incredible stories of faith, survival, and life-changing transformations. Two-hundred-sixty-nine episodes of "In Your Face" are available on iHeart and Apple podcasts.
After a personal life-changing event, starting in the spring of 2014, Ekno found himself spending time between Hollywood's bright lights and Southeast Alaska's impeccable landscape, wondering what plans God had for his future. Once intimately having experienced Alaskas picturesque scenery and amazing wildlife, Rob quickly realized that the Lord was providing him the opportunity to truly build a deep and powerful bond with Him. Taking full advantage of this blessing, Ekno spent countless hours over the next ten years exploring unique and extraordinary areas of Alaska, encountering God's greatness in new and remarkable ways. This led Rob to write his fourth book, a Gold Medal winner, about his ever-evolving relationship with his creator.
In early 2024, feeling an extremely robust calling from God to make another dramatic change in his life, Ekno left Tinsel Town's neon lights and eventually landed in "God's Country" in East Tennessee. Soon after, while attending an out-of-state Red Carpet event, someone that Rob had just met, emphatically told him that he was to immediately return to Knoxville and open yet another much-needed avenue for creative Christians to showcase their works. Realizing the "improbable coincidence" of receiving that compelling message, Ekno quickly went into action as he began recollecting his life's path and how unknowingly to him, God had long been preparing him for this moment.
Ironically, only a week earlier, Ekno had asked a trusted friend why she thought that God had asked him to leave Hollywood for Knoxville. Her answer, "I believe that God is going to elevate you to new heights as a man that He's never taken you before."
Having had a quick flashback of his prior experiences, Ekno realized that it was no mistake that God had asked that "stranger" to deliver the news of his next assignment. So, with the Good Lord leading the way, along with the help of some tremendously talented and faithful colleagues, the 2024 Inaugural Knoxville International Christian Film Festival (ONLINE) has become a reality.
Headlining an online seminar in Hollywood, Ms. Darrien Gipson, Executive Director of SAGIndie, shared some very insightful and enlightening thoughts. She stated that during her fifteen years in the Indie Film business and attending film festivals, (approximately 60 per year) producers and filmmakers have claimed the hardest thing to accomplish when submitting to festivals was to get their first laurel.
Auntie D, as she's known, commented that receiving an "OFFICIAL SELECTION," even into the not-so-recognized festivals was a great accomplishment.
With that in mind, the KICFF began to provide creative Christians with a much needed outlet, having the opportunity to secure perhaps their first laurel, thus helping propel their projects into an elevated status as they continue their works to honor God.
Our laurel is colorful, gorgeous, and unique to KICFF. In addition to "Official Selection," honors, we will be awarding Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals in all listed categories. Our printable award certificates are equally stunning, and truly reflect the time and creative efforts that you put into your project(s). Certificates were cleverly designed by Randa Blackey of Hey Randa Designs in Virgina. Entries are eligible for all listed awards in each category in which they are submitted.
Whether your creative works have allowed you to amass a handsome collection of laurels, or you're seeking your very first laurel, we're confident that should you submit an award-winning project(s) to the KICFF, you'll be honored to share our laurel(s) proudly with family, friends, and colleagues.
Each entry will be evaluated by the Festival Director and award-winning reviewers and recognized with KICFF honors based on its own merits. As in any good competition, not all submissions will be selected into the festival nor will they receive an award(s). All decisions by the Festival Director as to awards presented by the KICFF are final.
So, in "His Spirit of Excellence & Service," with all your creativity, we look forward to seeing how your work tells a needed story while simultaneously honoring God, and your fellow man.