Episode #138
How Saying Yes to God Started a Global Film Festival | Rob Ekno
What happens when losing everything becomes the beginning of a greater purpose? In this conversation, Kurt Luidhardt talks with Rob Ekno, an award-winning author, screenwriter, television host, and founder of the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival. Rob shares how his journey took him from a successful broadcasting career to addiction, homelessness, recovery, and a mission he never expected. After losing his career and nearly everything else to alcohol and cocaine, Rob reached his breaking point following an arrest in Rhode Island. Twenty-eight days into sobriety, he returned to the church where he had taken two dollars from the collection plate as a child. Believing for years that God was punishing him, Rob placed five dollars in the offering and made his first amends to Jesus. He has remained sober ever since. Rob later moved to Hollywood, where he spent more than three decades working in entertainment. His life changed direction again when he and his partner moved to Knoxville without knowing what they would do next. A few months later, Rob drove 11 hours to attend an awards event, where a stranger delivered an unexpected message: he was supposed to return home and immediately start a Christian film festival. With no budget, no local connections, and no experience promoting a festival, Rob launched the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival online. Within hours, submissions arrived from filmmakers around the world. What began as an online-only festival soon developed into live showcases that brought together Christian filmmakers from across the United States, Canada, and Malta. Rob also explains why film festivals matter for independent filmmakers. Creating a quality film is only part of the challenge. Without distribution, marketing, and opportunities to be seen, many meaningful projects never reach an audience. His goal is to give faith-based filmmakers recognition, community, and a platform that helps their work continue. One of the episode’s most moving stories involves a young filmmaker in recovery whose short film initially violated one of the festival’s content rules. Rather than immediately disqualifying her, Rob gave her an opportunity to revise and resubmit it. The creative change made the film even stronger, and she later traveled from Seattle with her mother to watch it screened in front of filmmakers from around the world. The conversation also explores Rob’s television work, the Knoxville chapter of the Hollywood Prayer Network, and his larger vision for a Christian event center with theaters, a production studio, workshops, scholarships, and creative opportunities for the community. If you have ever felt that your past disqualified you from making a difference, Rob’s story is a reminder that recovery, obedience, and a willingness to say yes can turn even the hardest experiences into a mission that serves others. 00:00 From Homelessness and Addiction to Sobriety 00:36 Introducing Rob Ekno 01:47 Knoxville’s Growing Christian Film Community 03:43 Losing His Career and Home to Addiction 04:53 The Night Rob Chose Sobriety 05:22 The $2 Offering and His First Amends to Jesus 08:43 Moving to Hollywood to Rebuild His Life 09:56 Why Rob Moved to Knoxville 11:15 The Unexpected Message That Changed Everything 12:26 Called to Start a Christian Film Festival 13:19 Starting With No Budget or Local Connections 16:52 Receiving International Submissions Within Hours 19:49 When an Online Festival Became a Live Showcase 21:27 Partnering With Rise Up Con 24:15 Bringing Together Filmmakers From Around the World 28:13 How the Festival Led to a Television Show 31:16 Why Christian Filmmakers Need Distribution 33:17 Giving a Young Filmmaker a Second Chance 38:36 Building the Hollywood Prayer Network in Knoxville 42:57 Sharing Your Story and Creating a Lasting Legacy 44:45 Finding New Joy and Depth in His Faith 47:07 The Vision for a Christian Event Center Connect With Rob Ekno ● Knoxville International Christian Film Festival ● FilmFreeway ● RiseUp Con ● Hollywood Prayer Network ● National Religious Broadcasters Convention ● Rob Ekno’s books and testimony about sobriety Connect with Liberty Spenders™: • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/libertyspenders • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/libertyspenders • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyspenders • Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-6192506 • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXn-vzlA03r59neWZD0ofJA • X: https://x.com/LibertySpenders Connect with Kurt and Kristen Luidhardt: • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luidhardts • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luidhardts • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/luidhardts • Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@luidhardts • X: https://x.com/luidhardts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
