This year marks the 12th year of the Lexington Film Festival, which will showcase independent films, some celebrities, and new programs for boosting movie makers in the region. The festival starts this Thursday and has evolved into one of the main annual events in Lexington, where people interested in movies and moviemakers from all over the United States gather.

This year’s festival offers an exceptionally diverse program lineup of over one hundred features, narratives and documentaries, shorts, and animations. LFA, on opening night, will present the Kentucky premiere of ‘Bluegrass Ballad,’ a drama shot in the rural area of KY and directed by Sarah Johnson, a Lexingtonian. The movie, which has been applauded at the Sundance Film Festival this year, is a tale of a young bluegrass musician struggling with the dreams and traditions of the family.

Festival director Mark Thompson expressed his excitement about this year’s program: The six films compiled are perfect examples of great films that also portray societal issues in the best way possible. They add an element of critical thought to it or make you laugh in the comfort of comedy; this year’s festival has films for everyone.”

Without a doubt, one of the festival highlights is the “Conversation with” series – interviews with major personalities in the filmmaking industry. Many famous guests will be participating this year, namely, the guests of the ‘First Guests’ program: the USA Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence is to discuss her career and her origins in Kentucky. Also, we are going to witness prominent director Ava DuVernay, who has recently filmed her new documentary, and she will conduct a Q&A after the screening of the movie.

However, there are some novelties of this year’s festival for the organization, and several new initiatives are being implemented. The goals of “Bluegrass to Hollywood” are to provide locally produced filmmakers with access to professional mentors and producers for different stages of the film production process and to present educational programs and training sessions. “It is our desire to develop this talent that we have within Kentucky,” Thompson said. ‘’This will empower aspiring filmmakers with information and contacts that can help transform them into better filmmakers.’’

One more new type of qualification of the films for the festival is the “Green Screen” section, which will focus on the films which are devoted to the problems of ecology and sustainable development. This section will contain documentaries that cover various aspects of climate, endangered species, and upcoming green technologies. In addition to these screenings, the festival has invited local environmental groups to put up information forums and other presentations.

The festival is also diversifying from where it is normally performed, that is the theater. Several are set to happen in the local parks and movies so they can accommodate more people hence the relaxed atmosphere. They will be arcade style, showing family oriented movies and including a selection of local food trucks so the atmosphere is genuinely celebratory.

Genting merchants will have to prepare for a huge traffic of people likely to be occasioned by the festive occasions. Typically, several hotels say their establishments in the downtown area are almost fully booked during the occasion, and restaurants have also prepared a special festival menu. The economic effect of the event has been estimated to be huge; the festival that was held last year is estimated to have brought in an economic return of $3 million.

But for the festival, its growth has not come without some hitch. Their popularity is now raising questions about the availability of tickets and the capacity of the venues where they will be held. In response to this, organizers have come up with a new online ticketing system as well as increased the screening area across the city. They have also brought in very selective all-access passes, which allow the holder access to all the screenings and events.

For the record, the diversity and inclusion aspect of the festival is apparent from this year’s program. Over one-third and almost forty percent of the selected film directors are either women or people of color, a sign of potential progress in the industry. Ms Linda Chen, programming director, added: ‘We made this decision because we feel that diverse voices enrich stories.’ This is our mission: create a program that is worth what people experience in real life and push the audience to think beyond what they perceive.

Education continues to be a definite niche within the festival, with several programs aimed at students and those aspiring to be directors. The festival’s educational component, the “Young Filmmakers Workshop,” will offer high school students practical, hands-on experience in filmmaking with shots at their original short films premiering during the last night of the festival. Moreover, it will include a fair that will bring together people interested in cinematic professions and university students interested in work placements.

With the festival’s expansion, effects on the local film industry follow as well to a certain extent. Many of the works presented at earlier festivals have been marked with subsequent national success, and the festival serves as a platform forKentucky’s film-makers. This year the festival will screen films that premiered at the Lexington Film Festival, in an attempt to demonstrate the festival’s mission of promoting local.filmmakers.

As a result of high-profile guests to be hosted, different movies to be featured, and organizations to be supported, the 12th edition of Lexington Film Festival is expected to be the biggest and most influential film festival of all. With the city set to host filmmakers, actors, and cinema lovers from all over the world, there is a certain buzz in the air. For four days, Lexington will be immersed in the culture of film and storytelling, emphasizing the value of art for entertainment, education, and inspiration.