Seasoned film festival programming veteran Mike Plante returns to Las Vegas as Captain of Strategy for the Las Vegas Film Festival, which is partnering with CineVegas to present films, live comedy, independent video games and more. The 2018 Las Vegas Film Festival is scheduled to return to Brenden Theatres and the Palms Casino Resort June 6 – 10.

For nearly 25 years, Plante has worked as a programmer for film festivals, and continues to serve as Senior Programmer for Short Films at the Sundance Film Festival, where he has worked since 2001. No stranger to Las Vegas, Plante also served as the Director of Programming for the CineVegas Film Festival from 2002 to 2009.

Plante has assisted with programming films for the CineVegas Presents section at the Las Vegas Film Festival over the past three years. In this new role with LVFF, Plante will guide the city’s premier film festival into a new era, adding new sections including live comedy as well as independent video games.

“Even from my first programming job in 1993, the landscape of what a film festival looks like has been growing in terms of the types of artists to support, while being innovative in presentation,” said Plante. “CineVegas prided itself on taking risks and connecting unique films with audiences, and we had always tried to have the mania on the screen spill throughout the city. Before it went on hiatus in 2009, we had started exploring art installations, comedy and video games at the Festival.”

“We are proud of CineVegas’ past, but we are strictly focused on the future. While CineVegas pushed the limits of a festival experience years ago, the Las Vegas Film Festival has shown the creativity and vibrant audience that is currently in town. With the LVFF back at the Brenden Theatres and the Palms, the timing is perfect for us to combine efforts for this new vision. CineVegas just needed a little nap,” Plante continued.

Festival leadership will continue to include Milo Kostelecky (President), Robin Greenspun (CineVegas President) and West McDowell (Programming Director).

Submissions for the 2018 Festival will be accepted from October 1, 2017 through January 31, 2018 at https://filmfreeway.com/festival/lvff.

About Las Vegas Film Festival
The Las Vegas Film Festival is a community of filmmakers and film-lovers drawn to the unique, curious and cultivating environment that is Las Vegas. The LVFF pushes the boundaries of cinema, annually presenting work by passionate, rebellious, and wild storytellers to an audience of local and national filmmakers, film lovers, journalists, and film industry representatives. For more information, please email info@lvff.com, visit www.lvff.com and find the festival on Facebook.