Louisville, Kentucky has been named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s Top 25 Big Cities to Live and Work as a Filmmaker, joining a national list of cities helping shape the future of film and television production. The recognition affirms what many filmmakers and creatives already know. Louisville is not just film friendly; it is actively investing in a strong, sustainable film ecosystem.
This designation reflects Louisville’s growing role in production, supported by a wide range of filming locations, a collaborative creative community, and a competitive cash-back film incentive that makes it easier for projects to land and stay here. It also highlights a broader commitment to infrastructure, talent development, and long-term creative growth.
“From major productions to workforce training and film incubators, Louisville’s film scene shows real innovation and growth,” MovieMaker Magazine noted.
That innovation shows up across institutions, organizations, and classrooms. Cultural anchors like Speed Cinema continue to shape Louisville’s film culture, while organizations such as the Louisville Film Commission and 502 Film support filmmakers through training, resources, and connections at every stage of their careers.
At the same time, Louisville is investing early in the future of filmmaking through education. Within Jefferson County Public Schools, the Academies of Louisville allow high school students to pursue hands-on, career-aligned pathways that introduce filmmaking not just as an art form, but as a real and attainable profession. At Fern Creek High School, students in the cinematography pathway recently completed a feature-length film, A Perfect Blemish, putting years of technical and creative learning into practice through a full-scale production.
“It was definitely something different,” Jamie Monico, a Fern Creek High School cinematography pathway student, said in a WDRB report. “Being able to really put our skills out there that we’ve learned for the past like three years, being able to finally go behind the camera, behind the computer, and start editing, and actually start producing something big, it was just really amazing. It was definitely a big jump, and we’re really happy we were able to do it.”
Examples like this show how Louisville’s film momentum is being built across the full talent pipeline, from students discovering their voice to professionals building lasting careers. The city’s national recognition is not only about where films are shot today, but about how Louisville is nurturing the next generation of storytellers.
Taken together, these investments reinforce what MovieMaker Magazine’s ranking makes clear: Louisville is a city where filmmakers can build, collaborate, and grow, and where the cinematic arts are a vital part of the region’s creative and economic future.