Twelve Lions Film Festival at The Kentucky Theatre

THE KENTUCKY THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS FOURTH ANNUAL TWELVE LIONS FILM FESTIVAL

The Twelve Lions Film Festival celebrates the art of film, encourages emerging filmmakers, challenges and entertains film lovers, and supports Kentucky’s growing film industry.

[LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, September 8, 2026] — The Kentucky Theatre is proud to present the fourth annual Twelve Lions Film Festival (TLFF). The four-day international festival begins with a workshop on Saturday, September 12, 2026, followed by three days of screenings and events from Friday, September 25, through Sunday, September 27, 2026. This year, filmmakers from 11 countries submitted 218 films for consideration. All events are free.

TLFF showcases juried independent films from around the world. Through premieres, workshops, and filmmaker meet-and-greets, the festival supports emerging artists while deepening audiences' appreciation for cinema’s richness and diversity.

What’s happening when?

Saturday, September 12

To open the festival, Bluegrass Community & Technical College (BCTC) will host a Production Assistant Training Workshop, giving participants a chance to learn key skills needed to work as a production assistant.

Friday, September 25

TLFF will host two special programs at the Farish Theater in the Central Library: a workshop, Pre-production: Tasks and Challenges, and a seminar, John Herndon: Dying for a Living.

Friday's schedule features a full day of screenings showcasing the festival's Official Selections.

On Friday evening, celebrate the 50th anniversary of Barbara Kopple's landmark documentary Harlan County, USA with a screening at The Kentucky Theatre, accompanied by the short film, Where Are They Now. After the films, acclaimed director Barbara Kopple will receive the 2026 Fred Mills Award for Outstanding Contributions to Film in Kentucky and join award-winning, best-selling author Silas House for an engaging conversation and audience Q&A.

Top off a great first day with late-night fun at The Silver Screen Striptease Show, a film-inspired burlesque revue presented by Love & Devotion Productions. Inspired by iconic movies, this event brings a speakeasy flair to the silver screen.

Saturday, September 26

Whether you get any sleep Friday night is up to you, but Saturday morning, grab a coffee, make new connections, and mingle with the Executive Director of the Kentucky Film Office at Coffee, Donuts, and Networking (Oh, My!) with Meg Fister. The discussion continues with So, You Want to Make a Movie? The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of It All, a panel on the triumphs, pitfalls, and realities of filmmaking.

Saturday's schedule features another full day of screenings showcasing the festival's Official Selections.

On Saturday evening, join us at The Kentucky Theatre for Ruby in Paradise (1993), the acclaimed independent drama that helped launch Kentucky native Ashley Judd’s career. Following the film, special guest Victor Nunez (A Flash of Green, Ulee's Gold), the film's writer and director, and a founding member of the Independent Feature Project and Sundance Film Festival, will join his friend, Lexington filmmaker Tom Thurman, for a conversation and audience Q&A about independent filmmaking and the movie's enduring appeal.

Join us for more late-night fun with The Rocky Horror Picture Show! In a twist on their usual show, The Master's Affairs (the RHPS shadow cast) pays tribute to Tim Curry's most iconic roles. Dress as your favorite Tim Curry character for this interactive experience, and you could win the costume contest! We see you shiver with antici-pation.

Sunday, September 27

On the festival's final day, we'll have encore showings of the festival winners throughout the day.

And don’t miss the On Directing Actors seminar with filmmaker Victor Nunez, who will give us an inside look at the craft of directing actors. Nunez will share techniques, insights, and lessons from a career spent guiding memorable performances. Whether you're a filmmaker, actor, or film enthusiast, this is a rare opportunity to learn from one of independent cinema's most respected voices at The Kentucky Theatre.

Check the website so you don’t miss anything!

The schedule for films, workshops, and events, along with sponsors and more, is at TwelveLionsFilmFestival.com. You can also find information at kentuckytheatre.org.

Why another film festival?

FilmFreeway, a leading film festival submission platform, lists more than 12,000 festivals worldwide. So, why did we need one more? One, Kentucky is home to a passionate community of film lovers eager to discover new films and emerging talent. Two, TLFF is presented by The Kentucky Theatre, a century-old movie palace—a spectacular place to debut a film. Three, the theater sits in the heart of downtown Lexington, with hotels, restaurants, and nightlife just steps away, making networking easy for visiting filmmakers and local audiences alike. And four, TLFF is dedicated to supporting Kentucky's growing film industry and expanding opportunities for filmmakers to connect, collaborate, and thrive.

Why “Twelve Lions”?

Lions can be a handful, so why name a film festival after a dozen of them? The festival committee drew inspiration from the two gold lions in the plaster friezes above the six doorways in the theater's front foyer. The name offers a memorable tribute to the theater's architecture and history.

About The Kentucky Theatre

TLFF is headquartered at The Kentucky Theatre, a beautifully restored, century-old cinema in downtown Lexington. This Beaux-Arts landmark, one of the few remaining movie palaces in the United States, is owned by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and managed by the nonprofit Friends of The Kentucky Theatre. Its regular screenings and special events showcase the best in arthouse, foreign, and independent film.

About the Friends of the Kentucky

The Friends of The Kentucky Theatre is a nonprofit organization committed to preserving, restoring, and enhancing Lexington's only remaining historic independent cinema. Since our founding in 2012, we have raised nearly $1 million for vital improvements, including digital projection, upgraded sound and electrical systems, new seating and carpeting, and marquee repairs.

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