The 14th Annual Lookout Wild Film Festival is set to return to Chattanooga from Thursday, January 15th, to Sunday, January 18th.
The epic four-day festival started with humble beginnings and has quickly grown into one of the most cherished and respected celebrations of outdoor films in America.
The festival not only showcases international films about outdoor adventure, conservation, the environment, and exploration, but it also demonstrates the resiliency of the human spirit and its relationship with nature.
Taking place over four days with seven film sessions, this year’s festival will showcase one hundred adventure, environmental, and outdoors-focused films from across the world, while also highlighting local stories that are rooted in Chattanooga.
While in the past the festival has taken place at different venues across town like The Tivoli, The Signal, and The Choo Choo, this year’s event takes place at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall at the UTC Fine Arts Center downtown, featuring free parking a short walk from the doors and a modern performance hall with big-screen projection, incredible seating, and immersive sound.
In speaking with the festival director for the Lookout Wild Film Festival, Steve Rogers, he detailed a brief history of the festival, discussing its origins, how far it has come since then, and what first-time attendees should expect.
“Lookout Wild Film Festival began in 2013 when founder Andy Johns and a group of friends decided to get together and share outdoor films they loved. What started as a modest local gathering has grown into a festival with an exceptionally loyal audience base, and that sustained community support has been the single greatest achievement across the first 13 years.
On the tangible side, a major milestone was selling out the Tivoli in 2019 and 2020 on multiple occasions. More broadly, LWFF is now regarded as one of the most respected outdoor film festivals in the Americas. First-time attendees should expect to be inspired and motivated. The festival is designed to shift perceptions about who is out doing extraordinary things around the world and to leave audiences with a renewed sense of what is possible and who belongs in outdoor spaces.”
When asked about what excites Steve and the team at LWFF most for the upcoming edition of the festival, he mentioned several major changes, from moving into the UTC Fine Arts Center to expanded programming to panel Q&A sessions with filmmakers.
“A major source of excitement is the move into the UTC Fine Arts Center, which provides a dedicated theater environment for screenings, including a large screen and comfortable seating. Programming-wise, LWFF is especially energized to feature adaptive-athlete films in each of the festival’s seven sessions this year, alongside attendance by adaptive athletes and the presence of adaptive outdoor gear on display.
The festival is also bringing back Saturday and Sunday filmmaker panel Q&A sessions, giving audiences direct access to visiting filmmakers and more opportunities for meaningful interaction with creators who have traveled in from around the world. LWFF is also looking forward to the stability and momentum created by a multi-year contract with UTC.”
There are also juried awards given out at each year’s festival, including the “Fan Favorite,” “The Loggy,” and “The Stoney.” Each award honors something different, with the “Fan Favorite” award going to the film that fans loved the most. “The Stoney” differs from “The Loggy” in its purpose.
While the Loggy primarily recognizes filmmaking, the Stoney is awarded to the most inspiring person featured in a film. For example, this year’s “Stoney” will honor an individual living with terminal cancer who continues to live fully outdoors and inspires others through that example.
When asked what the film festival’s plans are for the future, Steve spoke about adding an online component to view films online and to revive the tour program that was suspended during the pandemic.
“LWFF is expanding its reach through two major initiatives. First, it is adding an online component so that a select group of films can be viewed digitally. Second, it is reviving the tour program that was disrupted by COVID, enabling other cities and organizations to host LWFF-curated film events ranging from a single hour to multi-day programming.
Over time, this allows LWFF to extend the festival’s impact beyond Chattanooga, carrying both the city name and the festival name to audiences across the country, while continuing to build locally through the multi-year partnership with UTC.”
Lookout Wild Film Festival
- 6 p.m. Thursday; 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- January 15-18. $40-$168. Roland Hayes Concert Hall.
- UTC Fine Arts Center. 752 Vine St. Chattanooga, TN.
- Tickets at: lwff.org