Louisville's International Festival of Film

For nearly a decade, the Louisville International Festival of Film has explored, encouraged and enriched the next great generation of film-making and new media artists.

Filmmakers from all over the world have been thrilled by the enthusiastic audiences and the one‐of-a‐kind Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat inscribed with the name of the winning film in each category.

This year, LIFF is working in association with the legendary Muhammad Ali Center to create a unique program of films to honor all those who aspire to greatness in their chosen fields.

In addition to awards for each category, LIFF will offer a new 56 And 5 Added Programming Block to highlight projects that in some way embody one or more of Muhammad Ali’s Six Core Principles: Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect or Spirituality.

Films selected for this unique honor will receive a second screening over the course of the four day festival, and will be eligible for a special 56 And 5 Filmmaking Award, in addition to their potential category award.

LIFF also offers a separate Homegrown Award for the best film of any length shot in Kentucky, as well as an Audience Favorite Knockout Film Award.

DISTRIBUTION OPPORTUNITIES

Industry seminars produced by the film festival organizers are well attended with industry experts and the public. The strong connections and partnerships of the organizers enable our festival to continue to grow. LIFF is proud to announce that studio and development executives in Hollywood have agreed to return again to be part of the judging panel for entrance into the festival.

In addition to the Kentucky Derby, Louisville is a City of Parks, with one of the nation’s largest parks expansions underway, adding 4,000 new acres of park land and the 100-mile Louisville Loop trail encircling the entire community. Visitors from all over the world enjoy Louisville's unique qualities, scenery and the Bourbon! The city embraces the arts and there is growing excitement for the return of Louisville's International Festival of Film

The Louisville Film Arts Institute (LFAII) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting the film arts in Kentucky. To help facilitate this goal, it has created Louisville’s International Festival of Film (LIFF) which is a sustainable annual film festival located in Louisville, KY. The festival will showcase independent film, while supporting the cultural diversity of the area.

The festival is uniquely designed to support film education in Kentucky. In its first year, there were over sixty high school and college students who participated in and helped run the film festival. They gained valuable experience through seminar attendance, Red Carpet interviewing, and networking. We expanded their involvement in our second year by obtaining Final Draft and AVID editing systems for select schools.

In 2011, we added the Kentucky Youth Film Festival, to allow students the experience of pitching, producing and promoting their work. Due to an overwhelming response from students, we are excited to invite the students and their families back. The Kentucky Youth Film Festival is a regular feature to Louisville's International Festival of Film. Each year the school system is handed a new subject for the students to create, develop and produce a film short or animation, depending on the individual student and his or her interest.

Our third year also saw our vision for the Kentucky Legends of Fame come to fruition, with the induction of our very first recipient, Ms. Lily Tomlin. As a kick-off and fundraising event, Ms. Tomlin also performed her incredible solo show—giving our festival unprecedented visibility.

Our Co-Founder, CONRAD BACHMANN (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0045497/), a Louisville native and graduate of Valley High School, attended the University of Kentucky before venturing out west in 1957 to pursue his Hollywood dream. Over his distinguished career, Conrad earned credits in more than 35 films, hundreds of television shows, countless commercials and served as Governor of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for 12 years, and on the Academy Executive Committee. As Chair of the Activities for the Academy he produced countless productions of hit television shows for a professional development series for all Peer Groups. Fifty Years later, Conrad came full circle with the announcement of his plan to develop and annual international film festival in his hometown of Louisville.

With the creation of LIFF, Conrad is helping to make a difference in the lives of future filmmakers around the world. Although Conrad moved to Hollywood over 50 years ago, his heart never left Louisville. His goal is to bring Hollywood and the artistic process of film making to the region and state. LIFF is his way of giving back the opportunities given to him, while offering a unique forum for others to achieve their dreams. Conrad is passionately dedicated to the success of the festival and wants to share his beautiful Commonwealth of Kentucky with the world.