Where Faith Inspires Film - and Film Inspires the World

Following what he believed was “a mighty nudge from God,” Rob Ekno, a multi-award-winning screenwriter, author, and broadcaster who called Hollywood home for three decades, founded the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival (KICFF). A Screen Actors Guild member since 1995, Ekno served on the 30th Annual SAG Awards Motion Picture Nominating Committee and performed in various faith-based films starring talents such as Dean Cain and Eddie McClintock. Alongside his writing partners Sarah Irvine and John Lynch, Ekno earned Best Writer and Best Screenplay at the 2024 Christian Film Festival in Newport News, VA, for their faith-based script Cruising Toward Heaven, inspired by Rob’s second book, Is It God or Coincidence?…Coming to Grips with the Unexpected Wonders in Life, a finalist in the 2022 Best Book Awards and Audible bestselling audiobook.

Ekno’s third book, Cruising Toward Heaven…Navigating From Rough Seas to Miraculous Adventures, won the Gold Medal in the Addiction & Recovery category at the 2024 International Impact Book Awards in Phoenix, AZ. This memoir inspired the faith-based screenplay Beyond Addicted, co-written with Irvine, which also received Best Script recognition at the 2024 Christian Film Festival, with Ekno honored for Best Message. Their third script, Stepping Into Glory, inspired by Rob’s Gold Medal-winning book, was named a quarterfinalist at the 2024 Faith in Film International Film Festival in Tucson, AZ. In 2023, Rob was recognized as “Most Dedicated Speaker of the Year” by Thought-Leader, and his latest book, The Book You’re Dying NOT to Write, earned him a finalist nomination for 2025 Author of the Year in Personal Development.

Rob’s broadcasting career is equally distinguished, with accolades from the Associated Press for revitalizing a newsroom and for his work as a reporter. He served as a regional reporter for CBS Radio Network and the Associated Press Radio Network, and as executive producer and weekend host of the nationally syndicated The Sports Final in Boston. Ekno also held Public/Media Relations Director roles for two professional sports teams. In Hollywood, he spent nearly 15 years producing and hosting live TV programs aired nationally and internationally, executive producing at two TV shopping networks, and appearing weekly on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio, including a role on Phil Hartman’s final show—a relationship Rob details in his third book.

Driven to deepen his relationship with God, Ekno hosted the faith-based podcast In Your Face for nearly four years on Indie 104.com, producing 269 episodes available on iHeart and Apple Podcasts. The show focused on inspiring, motivating, and challenging listeners to achieve their best for themselves, their country, and God, featuring interviews with Hollywood celebrities, producers, and guests sharing stories of faith, survival, and life transformation.

After a life-changing event in 2014, Rob divided his time between Hollywood and Southeast Alaska, discovering the opportunity to deepen his spiritual connection while exploring Alaska’s breathtaking landscapes. This experience inspired his fourth Gold Medal-winning book, chronicling his evolving relationship with God. In early 2024, responding to another profound calling, Rob moved to East Tennessee. At a Red Carpet event shortly thereafter, a stranger urged him to return to Knoxville to create a platform for Christian creatives—an improbable coincidence that affirmed God’s plan. Reflecting on this guidance, Rob realized that his entire journey had prepared him for this moment. With faith, vision, and a team of talented colleagues, the Knoxville International Christian Film Festival was born.