Films Made For Less Showcased In The Lower East Side
Mission
The L.E.S* Film Festival features the innovative work of exciting up and coming filmmakers and showcases those films in the heart of the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
L.E.S* aims to create a special experience for both filmmaker and audience through neighborhood engagement, film screenings, and free events. Approachable, easy to navigate, and fun, like the Lower East Side itself, L.E.S* is full of energy that is absolutely for everyone!
Back Story
In its inaugural year, the L.E.S* crew turned the famous Lower East Side pop-up space Grand Opening into a unique and intimate "theater" that featured amazing BYOB film screenings and Q&As.
L.E.S* honors its filmmakers as well as its audience by creating a more personal film festival experience than is typically customary. 22 sold out screenings later, New York magazine placed The L.E.S* Film Festival under "Highbrow / Brilliant" on their Approval Matrix and NEV SCHULMAN closed out the festival by hosting a screening of his film Catfish.
The 2nd Annual Festival, again a sold-out success and with SUSAN SARANDON as judge, featured bigger venues, bigger films, same awesome energy and hosted the NY Premiere of legendary indie director ABEL FERRARA's latest film, 4:44: Last Day on Earth, starring Willem Dafoe.
L.E.S* has featured talent as acclaimed and diverse as DOLLY PARTON, DUSTIN LANCE BLACK, OLIVIA MUNN, LIZZY CAPLAN, WHITNEY CUMMINGS, AMY ARBUS, SUSANNE BARTSCH, JUSTIN BOND, NICK KROLL, T.J. MILLER, ANNA FRIEL, DEE SNIDER, JON HEDER, and many more.
In spite of the awesome famous talent that has passed through our festival, L.E.S* will always seek out the unsung and underdog filmmakers who know that huge budgets does not equal a great film. Great films are made with creativity and innovation, not with bottomless pockets.
We are growing and are so glad you’re here to enjoy awesome film with us!
Festival Awards
L.E.S* Film Festival will award films in the following categories: Best Feature, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Live Action Short, as well as The Neighborhood Award and The Audience Award presented by Vimeo.
The winning films will be selected by an eclectic panel of judges which have included Academy Award® winning actress SUSAN SARANDON, NYC performance artist JUSTIN BOND, “30 Rock” Producer JERRY KUPFER, GQ Senior Editor LOGAN HILL, “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” writer ERIC LEDGIN, and local NYC filmmaker and photographer HARVEY WANG.
Meet This Year's Judges:
