The Little Rock Film Festival announced at its recent awards ceremony the creation of a statewide film institute. 

The Little Rock Film Festival announced at its fifth annual awards ceremony, held June 5 at the Clinton Presidential Center in downtown Little Rock, the creation of a statewide film institute to promote and support filmmaking and film culture in Arkansas.

Documentary filmmaker and Little Rock Film Festival Inc. co-founder Brent Renaud will be the institute's excecutive director.

The institute will be the organization under which the Little Rock Film Festival, the LRFF Youth! Program, the Reel Civil Rights Film Festival, the 48 Hour Film Festival, and the Argenta Film Series will operate.

Additional projects -- including efforts to bring out-of-state film productions to Arkansas and to support local productions and crew training -- are underway, with the goal of continuing the momentum created by the LRFF for the film community in Arkansas and regionally. 

Additionally, the Board of the Little Rock Film Festival has appointed festival co-founders Craig Renaud and Owen Brainard as its acting co-executive directors. Jack Lofton, previous executive director, recently graduated from the Clinton School of Public Service and is moving on to new ventures.  To read more about Jack Lofton's resignation from LRFF in ArkansasBusiness.com click here. 

For more information about the Little Rock Film Festival click here.