The Louisiana International Film Festival is a huge event for filmmakers — not only in Louisiana, but across the United States. This year, it’s all about future   filmmakers.
The 2015 Louisiana International Film Festival begins this Thursday. Through the films shown and opportunities offered, LIFF will attempt to give University students more chances to learn and prepare themselves for their careers.
LIFF executive director Chesley Heymsfield said she wants to see a huge turnout from University students, as the infusion of youth into the festival is important now and for the future. 
“The reason we founded the film festival originally was so we can provide additional opportunities for students at LSU,” Heymsfield said. “So they could interact with professionals and veterans of film, music and technology.”
These opportunities come in the form of LIFF’s Mentorship Program. Not only does the program allow students to communicate with experienced artists, it also gives students a chance to apply and go beyond what they’ve learned in the classroom.
“LIFF’s Mentorship Program is like an amazing classroom extension in which students will be able to have meet-and-greets and network with people from around the country,” Heymsfield said. 
This year’s LIFF Mentorship Program will feature workshops in film, innovation, technology, music and more with industry professionals. The workshops are free Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 
The workshops are part of LIFF’s attempt to appeal to young filmmakers, particularly University students. However, it’s not necessary to be a film student to be a part of the Mentorship Program’s festivities. 
Heymsfield said college students are a vocal, energetic group of people who can be very passionate about film. The reason for a film festival is to spread interest by word of mouth, and she said University students are experts at doing so. 
“It’s a really ideal partnership for us to have with students from LSU and their energy, interest and participation in what we’re doing,” Heymsfield said.   
As an incentive for University students to attend the festival, Heymsfield said LIFF and its Mentorship Program are honoring the hard work all students and faculty members have done throughout the school year by rewarding students, teachers or affiliated school employees who have a valid identification card with three free movie tickets. They will be called “Golden Tickets,” and each has a value of $10 for admission into any film screening at the festival Thursday through Sunday at Cinemark Perkins Rowe, including gala premieres based on availability. 
Golden Tickets may be picked up at the LIFF Box Office located inside the Cinemark lobby during the festival and are redeemable at the Cinemark Box Office for any of the more than 50 international films screening during the four-day festival.
Heymsfield said though it is a film festival, it isn’t all about film. LIFF crosses boundaries among disciplines, and has something for every student interested in working in the entertainment industry.
You can reach Kayla Randall on Twitter @kay_ran21.