LEWISTON — Blondes looking for the fountain of youth in the Honduran jungle.

House cats peering outdoors.

Aussies looking for the best place in Maine, in every state, to surf.

Organizers behind the first Lewiston Auburn Film Festival say they’ve lined up a whole lot to see.

On April 2, those three films — “Blondes in the Jungle,” “Cat Window” and “Surfing 50 States” — will screen with 50-plus others at 10 locations, all downtown, bookended with director Q&As and filmmaker workshops, and capped with a gala event at Fuel. Pulled together by Lewiston Auburn Magazine, L/A Arts and Maine Public Broadcasting Network, planning began last August. Tickets went on sale last week.

“This downtown on April 2 is going to be a really fun place to be,” said magazine publisher Josh Shea. With more than 100 entries to consider, to make the festival’s cut “it actually has to be good. We can make sure we’re not showing somebody’s home movies from 1978.”

The submission deadline for films runs until Jan. 31. By Thursday, LAFF had heard from filmmakers in 18 countries, interest boosted by waiving the entry fee for international submissions.

“We got Romania the other day,” said Sandy Marquis, chairwoman of L/A Arts. “Uruguay, Argentina; it’s absolutely amazing.”

Shea said his original goal was to bring something cool and arts-related to the community. He made the pitch and the other groups signed on. It’s been timed around Maine’s other film festivals, he said, and timed to be convenient for local high school and college students.

“It’s really just immersing yourself in a day of the art of movies and movie-making,” Shea said.

The day will stretch from roughly 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with films and workshops in downtown spots such as the Lewiston Public Library, the Hilton Garden Inn, Gallery 5 and Holly’s Own Deli. Antonio’s New York Deli will serve as LAFF headquarters, and the place to pick up film festival bracelets, on the day of the event.

Festival spokeswoman Molly McGill said that having filmmakers come to the Twin Cities wasn’t an entry requirement, but it’s been a plus. More than a dozen have committed to doing 15-minute Q&As after their screenings, she said.

The headliner will be a preview of Lewiston filmmaker Bill Maroldo’s documentary, “PAL Hop Days,” one of 10 films already accepted into the festival lineup. Shea said he hoped to feature several from Maine; nearly 40 have been submitted.

McGill said the schedule is still a work in progress. Films will likely be shown in blocks at different locales: blocks of horror, blocks of Maine films, blocks of contenders for the People’s Choice Awards. The four award categories to be voted on by fans that day: documentaries, features, shorts and experimental, plus best in show and best Maine film.

“They can be anything from three minutes to an hour and a half or more,” McGill said.

The eight-member LAFF board is looking for volunteers to help run the day, and hoping to make the festival an annual event that can grow.

“Let’s make sure we can do it one day before we make it two,” Shea said.

Tickets are available online at lafilmfestival.org and at L/A Arts at 221 Lisbon St. A ticket for the full day of events costs $18 until Feb. 13, $22 after that. A ticket for the day of events, plus the awards ceremony and dinner at Fuel costs $72 until Feb. 13, $79 after (with a cap of 75 tickets.)

Tickets for the “PAL Hop Days” preview only at the Franco-American Heritage Center cost $10 for adults, $8 for youths and are available at francoamericanheritage.org.

kskelton@sunjournal.com

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