The Lake County Film Festival was founded to provide promising independent film talent the opportunity to find a wider audience. Nat Dykeman, owner of Dog Ear Music & Movies, saw how hungry customers were for great independent cinema. Despite Lake County's size of over 750,000 residents, there are few movie screens reserved for non-blockbusters. We have Landmark Cinema and Highland Park Theater in Highland Park and a few screens from time to time at Marcus Theatres in Gurnee. Movie lovers of all ages and walks of life come to Dog Ear at 117 West Rockland Road in Libertyville looking for something they cannot find at the local cineplexes. In 2004, Nat decided to change that and the Lake County Film Festival was born.

This year the selection of films has grown such that they span five days, showing 19 feature length films in five venues, including the Liberty Theater, Highland Park Theater, Regal Cinema in Lincolnshire and the Libertyville Civic Center.

Some of the films not to miss are:

"As Smart As They Are" is as much about the New York City literary community (especially the publishing company McSweeney’s) as it is about the quirky ethnopop music of the band One Ring Zero (multi-instrumentalists Michael Hearst and Joshua Camp).

"Captain Blasto" is Colin Carter, a high school outcast who suffers through the drudgery of day-to-day life. He decides to bring some excitement to his life and the lives of the people of his city by becoming a superhero. Not just any superhero, but Captain Blasto, who has been saving the world for half a century in comic books and in his animated series.

"Electric Purgatory" is a documentary that examines the struggles of black rock musicians and the industry’s ambivalence towards them. Throughout the years, black artists have played a vital role in shaping the history of Rock music. From Little Richard, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix, to Sly Stone, Prince, and Rick James, music has never had a shortage of black innovators.

Like "Super Size Me" in reverse, "Fatboy: The Movie" is not just educational, but personal and inspiring. A must-see movie whether you struggle with weight or not. Miles Froman is one of the millions of Americans whose dysfunctional upbringing paved the way for a life of inactivity, self-loathing and the constant burden of being overweight. Stunned by the notion that he could be fat for the rest of his life, determination kicks in.