Who We Are

The Golden Lion Awards is produced and directed by The Underground Academy of Cinematic Arts, a faith-based, arts/education nonprofit that is committed to helping students discover their stories through film/media/broadcast as well as providing teens with educational programming, competition, award recognition, teen experiences, and a sense of community.

The film festival is open to high school and middle school students living in the 12 Midwest states and locations within 500 miles of Cincinnati. Locations include the following:

Midwest States	Within 500 miles of Cincinnati
Ohio	Alabama
Illinois	Arkansas
Indiana	Delaware
Iowa	Georgia
Kansas	Kentucky
Michigan	Maryland
Minnesota	Mississippi
Missouri	North Carolina
Nebraska	New Jersey
North Dakota	New York
South Dakota	Pennsylvania
Wisconsin	South Carolina
	Tennessee
	Virginia
	West Virginia

Our Inspiration

We know that stories change lives. We know that people stretch, grow, feel, change, inspire, and innovate because of stories. We become our best selves, witness our worst, and truly live our lives through stories. When the next generation tells stories well, they become empowered and elevate their communities in ways we can’t even begin to imagine.