LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville International Festival of Film is screening movies from around the world, but it's starting with the Fern Creek High School original, "A Perfect Blemish."
The story focuses on a young high schooler who loses her boyfriend in a car crash. In the aftermath, she wrestles with grief and tries to find a way to keep moving on.
It's largely a student production, produced and directed by teacher T'Shombi Basemore.
Assistant principal Jai Wilson has a part on-screen, but remembers when the students were doing behind-the-scenes work on the festival they're now being featured in.
"For us to come full circle to now be the opening night movie, like, I'm getting chills talking about it," Wilson said. "It's a huge deal."
Conrad Bachmann, founder of the international film festival, was the one who selected 'A Perfect Blemish' to headline.
"To me, it's just giving back to my hometown," he said. "My hometown gave me so much. I started out here as a song-and-dance man and ended up going to Hollywood."
After a decades-long career there, Bachmann's returned home. He wanted to make Louisville known for something other than the Kentucky Derby.
"I need something that people can say when you say Louisville, Kentucky—other than Derby. And here it is, Louisville's International Festival of Film," he said.
While Bachmann's giving back to the city where his career started, Wilson's excited for the opportunities Louisville's fledgling filmmakers have.
"We work really hard at Fern Creek to create programs where kids can find their niche and be successful," Wilson said. "And for this to happen 15 years later is just, for me, icing on the cake."
That's 15 years of going from behind-the-scenes to on the screen.
"We're gonna be on that red carpet tonight with our heads held high," Wilson said.
Those heads might be on a screen near you soon. Basemore is looking for somewhere to release the movie, and one of his options is Amazon Prime.
If you're interested in attending the film festival, please click here.
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