Wikipedia

Lookout Wild Film Festival

The Lookout Wild Film Festival (LWFF) is a film festival based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The LWFF is a 4 day, 6 session event showcasing conservation and outdoor adventure films from around the world. Films are submitted via FilmFreeway and/or selected by a volunteer screening team.[1] LWFF is a member of the Film Festival Alliance.[2]

Lookout Wild Film Festival
FrequencyAnnual
Inaugurated2013

History

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LWFF originated in 2013.[3][4][5] The LWFF is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization[6] and has an elected Board of Directors.

In 2013 and 2014 LWFF was held in the Centennial Theater at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel.[7]

In 2015 the LWFF moved to the Robert Kirk Walker Theater[8] in the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium.[9]

In 2019 the LWFF moved[10] to the Tivoli Theater.

In 2020 the LWFF added a Photography Competition.

In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to hold indoor events, LWFF adapted by presenting fifteen 60-minute, free film nights at Miller Park in downtown Chattanooga,[11] every Friday during the Nightfall Music Series.[12][13]

In 2022,[14][15] LWFF added the Dale Greybeard Sanders Perseverance Award (The Stoney), an annual accolade bestowed upon the most inspiring person in the films. Recipients include Dale Sanders (2022), Nimblewill Nomad (2022) and Sunny Yang (2023). LWFF also hosted the Reel Rock film tour and organized four free film events in the mid-summer period to raise funds for local non-profit organizations.

In 2023,[16][17] due to renovations at the Tivoli,[18] LWFF returned to the Walker Theater. The festival featured the world premieres of two films: "Greybeard - The Man, The Myth, The Mississippi" [19] and "A Dream of Flying[20]". The lead characters, producers, directors, and filmmakers from both films attended a Q&A session. Additional attendees to the filmmaker Q&A came from Iran via the United Kingdom, British Columbia (CA), as well as Minnesota and Montana in the US. LWFF once again hosted the Reel Rock Tour and the Paddling Film Festival.[21] LWFF also released a craft beer called Watch This through Wanderlinger Brewing Company as a fundraiser for the festival.[22]

In 2024, LWFF showed more than 60 films from around the world including 4 locally focused films.[23][24] LWFF hosted the world premier of "Flowing Air" from Big Cedar Media.[25] The 2024 'Stoney' award was presented to Lane Lamoureux. LWFF will be hosting the Reel Rock Tour as a fundraiser demonstrating the commitment to give back to the local community. In addition LWFF will be presenting several tour dates at locations across the US.

Attendance and location
Year Attendance location
2013 330 Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel
2014 1400 Chattanooga Choo Choo
2015 1700 Robert Kirk Walker Theater
2016 2700 Robert Kirk Walker Theater (includes a session sold out at 851 attendees)
2017 3300 Robert Kirk Walker Theater (includes two sessions sold out at 851 attendees)
2018 3800 Robert Kirk Walker Theater (includes two sessions sold out at 851 attendees)[26]
2019 4000 Tivoli Theater[27]
2020 4400 Tivoli Theater (Pre-Covid. Includes first ever Tivoli Theater film event sell-out of 1238 attendees)
2021 2000 No indoor festival due to Covid, estimated over 15 weeks
2022 4100 Robert Kirk Walker Theater
2023 4200 Robert Kirk Walker Theater
2024 4200 Robert Kirk Walker Theater

Awards

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  • Fan Favorite - Throughout the festival, LWFF allows attendees to vote for their fan favorite film.
  • The Loggy - an internally selected film award, in the categories of Feature Film, Southeastern Film, Environmental Film, Short Film, Adventure, and Exploration Film.
  • The Stoney - annual award presented to the most inspiring person in the films.[28]

Notable films

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  • The Alpinist
  • The River Runner
  • Greybeard - The Man, The Myth, The Mississippi (World Premier)
  • A Dream of Flying (World Premier)
  • Flowing Air (World Premier)

References

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  1. ^ https://lookoutfilmfestival.org/
  2. ^ "Festival Directory - Film Festival Alliance". filmfestivalalliance.org. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  3. ^ Pulse, Chattanooga (2013-03-18). "Lookout Wild Film Festival in Chattanooga showcases outdoor adventures, has a local connection". Northwest Georgia News. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  4. ^ "Lookout Wild | Chattanooga Times Free Press". www.timesfreepress.com. 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  5. ^ "Kicking Off March 22nd, 'Lookout Wild' Festival Showcases Outdoors On Film". WUTC. 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  6. ^ "Lookout Film Festival Inc - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  7. ^ "Lookout Wild Film Festival - Mar. 21-23". Chattanooga Times Free Press.
  8. ^ Staff Report (2015-03-20). "Lookout Wild Film Festival announces move to bigger venue". Jackson County Sentinel. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  9. ^ "Lookout Wild Film Festival returns this weekend". NoogaToday.
  10. ^ "Lookout Wild Film Festival 2019 at Tivoli Theatre". ChattanoogaBridge.com. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  11. ^ "Nightfall Kicks Off Friday". www.chattanoogan.com. 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  12. ^ Pritchard, Carla (2021-09-09). "Nightfall Wraps Up Its 2021 Season With Rockers SuSu And Stereofeet". The Pulse » Chattanooga's Weekly Alternative. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  13. ^ "A Summer Stretch For The Lookout Wild Film Festival". WUTC. 2021-08-07. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  14. ^ Gayle, Nathan P. (2022-01-06). "Lookout Wild Film Festival changing dates due to spike in COVID-19 cases". WTVCFOX. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  15. ^ Johns, Andy (2022-01-06). "2022 Lookout Wild Film Festival Postpones Return To February 4-6". The Pulse » Chattanooga's Weekly Alternative. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  16. ^ "Lookout Wild Film Festival Gets Underway With Topics Ranging From Bats And Longhorn Sheep To Rural India Skatepark". www.chattanoogan.com. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  17. ^ Gayle, Nathan (2023-01-11). "Lookout Film Festival returns and starts Thursday, January 12th". WTVC. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  18. ^ "Tivoli Theatre Renovations Continuing". WDEF. 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  19. ^ Gayle, Nathan (2023-01-13). "Dale 'Greybeard' Sanders at Lookout Wild Film Festival this Sunday". WTVC. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  20. ^ "Lookout Mountain Flight Park Documentary Premiers in Chattanooga". Dade County Sentinel. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  21. ^ "2023 Paddling Film Festival – Lookout Wild Film Festival - Paddling Events %". Paddling Events. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  22. ^ Gayle, Nathan (2023-01-11). "Wanderlinger teams up with Lookout Wild Film Festival for a special brew". WTVC. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  23. ^ "Scaling The Outdoors Onscreen At The Lookout Wild Film Festival". WUTC. 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  24. ^ "Your guide to the 2024 Lookout Wild Film Festival". NOOGAtoday. 2024-01-05. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  25. ^ "BIG CEDAR MEDIA - Flowing Air". BIG CEDAR MEDIA. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  26. ^ WTVC (2017-12-28). "Preview: Lookout Wild Film Festival returns Jan. 18-21 with 75 adventure & conservation". WTVCFOX. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  27. ^ WTVC (2019-01-16). "Preview: 2019 Lookout Wild Film Festival". WFLI. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  28. ^ Gayle, Nathan (2023-01-13). "Dale 'Greybeard' Sanders at Lookout Wild Film Festival this Sunday". WTVC. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
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