LiaFest, the annual program in memory of Lia van Leer, the Jerusalem Cinematheque's founder, presents films that explore female empowerment and the ability of women to propel social, cultural, financial, and political changes. Lia always walked to the beat of her own drum. She established and formed the culture of cinema in Israel and her name became synonymous with Israeli cinema around the world. In 1955 she created, together with her husband Wim, the best film club in Haifa, which over time became the Israel Film Archive. In the 1970s she was involved in the establishment of the Haifa and Tel Aviv Cinematheques, but after a short period she moved to Jerusalem and began working on the creation of a Cinematheque in the country's capital. In 1984, Lia established the first ever international film festival. She was the director of the Jerusaelm Cinematheque till 2008 and its president until the day she passed away in 2015. Lia gained unparalleled international appreciation and recognition and was, and still is, an example and role model for her successors at the Cinematheque.