Lynchburg Film Festival Returns for Its Second Year

LYNCHBURG, Va. – After last year’s success, the Lynchburg Film Festival is set to make its return on Oct. 25 at the Academy Center for the Arts. Only in its second year, the festival will showcase around 40 local and national films for filmmakers and film lovers alike.

After helping screen some of this year’s films, Natalie Zhort, one of the directors for the festival, says that she was blown away by the amount of submissions for this year’s event, which is double the amount that they received last year. 

“It’s encouraging. The growth tells us people are paying attention, and not just here in Lynchburg,” said Natalie Zhort. “It also gives us a push to start thinking long-term, about what happens between festivals and how to keep it going not just for local filmmakers but to make film part of Lynchburg’s arts culture, and part of its growth.”

Community support has also played a large role in the festival’s success. Geoffrey Kershner, CEO of the Academy Center of the Arts, says that he hopes the festival will play a large part in contributing to Lynchburg’s economic and cultural development.

“It’s been something that our city has needed, so it’s really exciting to see them expand it.” said Kershner. “Having a festival like this on a local level provides a lot more opportunity, and in turn helps us create a cultural life here that can kind of move beyond the festival.”

The City of Lynchburg also awarded the festival with the James River Arts and Commerce Grant, which Alex and Natalie say has been a huge help in organizing this year’s event. 

“Local support is the only way this is possible,” Natalie Zhort says. “That kind of backing gives us the means and momentum to expand into all-year programming and make the festival bigger and better every year.”

Alongside Natalie is her husband Alex Zhort, who is also a director for the festival. The duo has their sights set on turning the festival into a flagship event for the city. Alex, who is a filmmaker, says that they plan to take a different approach than most big budget festivals.

“I’ve been attending film festivals for a long time, both as a guest and a filmmaker,” Alex Zhort said. “We are doing things different.”

Alex notes that the traditional film festival model includes multiple film screenings happening simultaneously, which can minimize audience engagement and discourage filmmakers.

“We’re all in one room together watching the movies. That’s the big number one difference,” said Alex Zhort, who added that the festival’s intentions are to highlight and uplift filmmakers who are just beginning their careers.

“As a filmmaker, on any level, it’s invaluable to have the audience experience,” Alex Zhort mentioned. He says that audience feedback has also played a crucial role in his career as a filmmaker, which is why this year’s event will include audience Q&A sessions for the festival’s three special guests. 

The special guests at this year’s festival include Los Angeles-based filmmaker Zeshaan Younus, Philadelphia-based filmmaker Saladin White Ⅱ, and Lynchburg native D.K. Lawhorn. 

Younus, who submitted his film to this year’s festival after hearing about last year’s success, will be screening his feature film “I’ve Seen All I Need to See,” an 84-minute drama that was completed earlier this year. White and Lawhorn will both be showcasing multiple short films that were selected to this year’s festival. 

A short film created by the University of Lynchburg Office of Marketing and Communications (MARCOM) will also be screened at this year’s festival. The 12-minute short, titled “The Grand Hopwood Hall,” was directed by Suzanne Ramsey and features Lynchburg students and faculty.

Tickets are now available for the festival, which will begin around noon on Oct. 25.

For tickets and more information, visit Lynchburg Film Festival.