Education and Outreach

Independent filmmaker and Spalding University alum, Keith Nixon, (’08) is the writer and director of his film “Pale Blue Eye.”

He has created and leads a filmmaking workshop with Western Middle School 7th and 8th graders about the process of writing, directing, filming and editing a script. Keith’s interest is in adapting literary works for the screen.

Many thanks to the Gheens Foundation for funding LCFF’s filmmaking residencies this year. Come see the student films that result during the Film Festival, Feb 21-29, 2020.

This week, the LCFF Artist in Residence is the actor and Kentuckyy native, Dara Jade Tiller. She has worked in professional theatre and film in Chicago, New York, and across the United States.

Most recently, you may have seen her as Jamie Bell’s wife in the award-winning film, Donnybrook. She has also worked on the other side of the camera and stage in production and casting.

Dara will be working with students at Western Middle School as a teaching artist as the students continue to work on their own films.

Thanks to generous support from The Gheens Foundation, our filmmaking residency program is going strong!

LCFF Artist in Residence, Evan Sennett, has inspired students at Kammerer Middle School this month. He is a Louisville native and a first-year Literature Ph.D. student. At the University of Toledo, he double-majored in Film and Video and English Literature. Evan has been nationally recognized for co-creating short films that often use 16mm black and white photography, dark humor, jazz scores, and film noir tonalities.

Many thanks to the Gheens Foundation for funding LCFF’s filmmaking residencies this year. Come see the student-made films during the Festival, Feb 21-29, 2020.

LCFF is honored to introduce Jailen Leavell, our fourth artist-in-residence this year. Jailen is a Louisville native, dedicated to social justice, community service, and equality.

In 2018 Jailen was selected as the Tennessee State University, White House Initiative Competitiveness Scholar. He aspires to become a Broadcast Journalist and is eager to be a change agent by displaying more positive racial images on television. Jailen has served in various positions at PBS in Washington DC, and local radio and television stations in Louisville. His commitment to journalism earned him an Ohio Valley region student Emmy award. He currently works on Tennessee State University’s student newspaper and has anchored the Live at 5 News Cast.

Jailen will be working with students at Kammerer Middle School next month as part of LCFF’s residencies in digital media and filmmaking, an educational program funded through the Gheens Foundation.